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Press Release: A.L.P.’s Charlevoix Facility Achieves ISO Certification

(Niles, IL) -A.L.P. is pleased to announce that our Charlevoix, MI facility has been certified to ISO 9001:2015 by DNV GL.  A.L.P.’s Dickson, TN facility has been certified to 9001:2015 since November 2018.  A.L.P. has had a long-established Quality Management System, and these certifications affirm our commitment to effective manufacturing and business practices.  “We welcome new and existing customers to audit our facilities,” offers Tom Barnes, VP and Business Unit Manager.  “We hope these certificates offer an extra measure of confidence in our abilities,” he adds.  A.L.P.’s Charlevoix and Dickson facilities produce LexaLite® brand injection molded components. A.L.P. has also significantly expanded its injection molding capacity in the Monterrey, Mexico plant.

A.L.P. LexaLite is an industry-leading provider of injection molded components in thermoplastic and optical silicone.  Long recognized for designing and manufacturing innovative optical lighting components, A.L.P LexaLite also serves markets such as Medical, Automotive, Signage, Point of Purchase, Electronic Equipment, Appliance, and Mass Transportation.

A.L.P.’s team of experts provides specialized services from product design and engineering to tooling and prototyping, product testing and contract assembly.  Production capabilities include press sizes ranging 88-1650 tons and industry-leading capabilities in secondary operations such as UV coating and laser cutting.  Committed to innovation and responsive to market requirements, A.L.P. LexaLite also offers unrivaled capacity in optical silicone injection molding and edgelit injection molding.

A.L.P. is an international leader in the design, manufacturing, and distribution of lighting components and components for other technical industries. We offer the industry’s most comprehensive line of products for OEMs and the aftermarket. For custom projects, our unique “360° Solutions” suite of custom services enables us to collaborate with customers at every stage of a product’s life cycle. Our core commitment is to provide superior service and product performance to every customer.

Press Release: A.L.P. LexaLite® Adds New 240-Ton Silicone Press

A.L.P. Lighting Components, a leading global manufacturer of lighting components and kits, has added to its capacity with a new 240-ton injection molding press.  This new equipment augments A.L.P.’s existing capacity of 180-, 240- and 660-ton presses, all of which run Moldable Optical Silicone (MOS).  The new press features a shot size up to 9 ounces, mold bases up to 24” x 24” ,and can produce parts up to 20” x 20”.

Optical silicone has valuable properties for lighting, automotive, and other demanding applications.  Optical silicone parts are impact and heat resistant while being less susceptible to degradation from UV.  Silicone also is known for its refraction, reflection, and diffusion properties, along with self-mounting and self-gasketing features.

A.L.P. has replenished its silicone resin inventory, recovering from recent supply chain issues felt throughout the injection molding industry.  “We struggled with the same shortages that everyone else did,” explains Tim DeYoung, A.L.P. LexaLite’s Director of Operations.  “Fortunately, we now have a good inventory of raw material, and we are ready to take on new business,” he adds.

A.L.P. has a long history as a premier supplier of custom injection molded components for lighting, automotive, medical, marine, point-of-purchase, and other industries.  A.L.P.’s expert team can collaborate on product design engineering, tool design and maintenance, innovative fast-track tooling, as well as offer materials expertise, production efficiencies, and distribution options.  A variety of secondary operations and finishing services also are available, including UV coating, metalizing, laser cutting, and assembly.  In addition to custom molding, A.L.P.’s LexaLite brand offers a comprehensive catalog of proprietary indoor and outdoor optical reflectors, as well as numerous high-performance LED fixture kits.

A.L.P. is an international leader in the design, manufacturing, and distribution of lighting components and components for other technical industries. We offer the industry’s most comprehensive line of products for OEMs and the aftermarket. For custom projects, our unique “360° Solutions” suite of custom services enables us to collaborate with customers at every stage of a product’s life cycle. Our core commitment is to provide superior service and product performance to every customer.

Press Release: A.L.P.’s Recruit™ LED Fixture Kit Highlighted in Eneref Report on Sustainable Circular Economy

Niles, IL, (September 5, 2018) – The Recruit™ wall mount security fixture kit from A.L.P.’s LexaLite® brand, was recognized as a more sustainable approach to lighting systems in a new report by Eneref Institute (www.eneref.org). The report was part of Eneref’s campaign to increase the recyclability of LED luminaires. Eneref Institute is a research and advocacy organization for sustainable development with an initiative to inspire solutions that promise an earth-friendly economy through socially responsible sustainable development.

The Recruit LED wall mount security fixture kit is an attractive, contemporary looking system with a thermally conductive polymer housing. The 8”x 8” footprint can accommodate customer supplied LED arrays, several driver options, and a photocell, putting it in the “small” size class.

As part of Eneref’s campaign to inspire solutions that promise an earth-friendly economy, Eneref Institute’s report examined opportunities to replace aluminum component parts in LED luminaires with polycarbonate, with the overarching goal of reducing the environmental footprint of the lighting industry. According to the Eneref report, thermoplastic heat sinks have environmental advantages over aluminum because the energy needed to recycle thermoplastics is one-fourth that of aluminum.

The report goes on to explain that, compared to the same volume of aluminum, polycarbonate requires less energy to ship, because it is less dense and therefore weighs less, as exemplified by the lightweight Recruit.

“It’s not surprising that an innovative industry leader, like A.L.P., would be an early adopter of polycarbonate heat sinks,” explained Seth Warren Rose, Founding Director of Eneref Institute. “Done responsibly, drilling for petrochemical hydrocarbons—the raw material of plastics—can be less destructive to the environment than mining for aluminum,” Rose explains.

According to the Eneref report, optimizing the design by consolidating components of the same material streamlines both the manufacturing and recycling of luminaires. With fewer components made from fewer materials, the purchasing, shipping, and warehousing processes are simplified. Polycarbonate, a thermoplastic, can be economically recycled into secondary, post-industry applications.

DOWNLOAD ENEREF REPORT: http://eneref.org/report-details/employing-polycarbonate-components-to-design-sustainable-luminaires/

A.L.P. is an international leader in the design, manufacturing, and distribution of lighting components and components for other technical industries. We offer the industry’s most comprehensive line of products for OEMs and the aftermarket. For proprietary projects, our unique “360° Solutions” suite of custom services enables us to collaborate with customers at every stage of a product’s life cycle. Our core commitment is to provide superior service and product performance to every customer.

A.L.P. Adds New Edgelit Panel Equipment

A.L.P. Lighting Components, manufacturer of LED lighting components and fixture kits, has added to its industry-leading capacity to produce molded edgelit lighting panels.  Taking advantage of Rambus closing its Brecksville, OH facility, A.L.P. purchased a 1,650-ton press, molds and other equipment to be installed in its Charlevoix, MI plant.  A.L.P.’s LexaLite® brand has been at the forefront of edgelit technology for more than three decades, with preeminent production resources, expertise, and mold inventory.  A.L.P. is currently the only North American manufacturer capable of injection molding both 1’x4’ and 2’x2’ edgelit panels.

By using standard molds with custom inserts, A.L.P. can quickly and inexpensively manufacture prototypes and low-volume production runs.  Standard sizes include 48” x 12”, 24” x 12”, 24” x 8” and 24” x 24”.  For large production orders, A.L.P.’s expert tooling and engineering teams can develop high volume tooling based on customers’ specifications for size, light source, light output pattern, thickness, and aesthetics.  A.L.P. also has in-house CAD modeling and photometry testing resources.

Edgelit panels have gained increasing popularity for maximizing and retrofitting in-ceiling lighting.  Flat edgelit panels are very thin, offering the versatility of mounting on a variety of surfaces including walls and ceilings, as well as providing the option of cable suspension.  They are often considered “shadowless” because they produce broad, even light.

“We work closely with customers to meet all requirements for performance, cost, and speed to market,” states Tom Barnes, Vice President and Business Unit Manager for A.L.P. LexaLite.  “By further investing in edgelit molding technology, A.L.P. can respond even more quickly to the needs of a rapidly changing lighting marketplace,” Barnes concludes.

Bill Brown Appears on the Get a Grip on Lighting Podcast

Hear the industry’s elder statesman discuss lighting’s past, present and future.

WHAT:   Bill Brown has operated his eponymous lighting component sales agency since 1955.  In this interview, he traces his roots back to his entrepreneurial upbringing, the beginnings of his lighting sales career, and reviews the myriad changes he has observed in lighting over the decades.  Sit back and listen to Bill’s storied history, hear opinions on everything from customer service to international competition, and learn where he thinks the industry is heading.  Whether you are a lighting veteran, or just starting out, you can’t help but benefit hearing from someone who has literally seen it all in modern lighting.

WHEN/WHERE:  The Get A Grip On Lighting Podcast is the official podcast of the National Association of Innovative Lighting Distributors (NAILD).  The podcasts were developed as a forum for people in the lighting industry to get together and discuss the multitude of topics and issues relevant to our dynamic field.

Get A Grip On Lighting Podcasts are hosted by Michael Colligan and Greg Ehrich, who have over 30 years of combined experience in the lighting industry. Michael is an entrepreneur and inventor. He’s a subject matter expert in commercial and industrial lighting supply, lighting retrofits, and finding recycling streams for hard-to-recycle waste. Greg Ehrich, LC is the former President of NAILD and owner of a progressive lighting distributorship.

HOW:  Click here to be redirected to the Get A Grip On Lighting website.  There, you’ll be able to listen to Bill Brown’s interview, along with podcasts with numerous other distinguished lighting leaders.  Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss a second of this valuable broadcast!

Press Release: William Brown to receive the Louis B. Marks Award

A.L.P. is proud to announce that its founder, William Brown, will be presented with the Louis B. Marks Award, by the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) in recognition of exceptional service to the Society of a non-technical nature. Mr. Brown joined IES in 1961 and has enthusiastically served as a leader, mentor, ambassador, promotor, and friend to many. The award ceremonies will be held at the annual Illumination Awards Dinner held on October 23, 2016, in Orlando, Florida.

Mr. Brown served on the IES Board of Directors from 1963-1965 and 1992-1995, during which time he actively recruited international members and unofficially liaised between the Society and the international lighting community. Many of the IES international relationships were formed, in large part, due to Mr. Brown’s consistent promotion of the Society during his travels. During Mr. Brown’s tenure on the Advisory Board to Lighting World in 1988, he was instrumental in brokering the arrangement with IALD and AMC that led to the creation of today’s Lightfair International, of which his company, A.L.P., is a founding sponsor and supporter.

Mr. Brown has also served as member and chair of multiple Society committees including Marketing, Regional Planning, History and Heritage, Strategic Planning, Long Range Planning, and International Relationships. In 1999, Mr. Brown received the IES Distinguished Service Award.

At the local level, Mr. Brown has contributed to the IES Chicago Section by sponsoring members’ attendance of the IES Annual Conference and urging attendance of committee meetings. He is also a volunteer liaison with IALD, USNC/CIE, and numerous international lighting organizations.