Van Buren-based lighting manufacturer expands with acquisition

Officials with Van Buren-based Arkansas Lighting announced Thursday (Feb. 28) they had acquired Prima Lighting, which will significantly expand its product offering and customer base. The acquisition is effective Friday (March 1).

Arkansas Lighting, a family-owned business, has produced decorative commercial lighting with more than 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry. Based in Santa Fe Springs, Calif., Prima Lighting, is one of the oldest U.S. manufacturers for cable systems, bendable track lighting systems and mini recess fixtures in the specification market. The merger between the companies will increase offerings for customers and sales representatives within the lighting industry.

The combined operation will have about 80 employees. Terms of the deal between the privately-held companies were not disclosed.

A media release on the acquisition said the two companies will build upon each other’s “success in the hospitality industry to form a unified company, expanding product offerings and availability to its customers and representatives nationwide.”

“We expect this merger to vastly expand the product options available for our existing Arkansas customers and our new Prima customers,” said Jeff Null, president of Arkansas Lighting. “Both client bases will gain new opportunities for introductions to products they may not know exist at this time.”

Prima Lighting primarily focuses on track lighting and small pendant lights, something Arkansas Lighting has not had in its inventory, Null said. Likewise, Arkansas Lighting makes large pendants and lighted mirrors that Prima Lighting has never produced or sold.

Arkansas Lighting began in 1972 as Arkansas Lamp Manufacturing. In 1997, Bob Null purchased the company and was able to improve manufacturing operations and expand the product line. The company is now led by the second generation of the Null family, Jeff and Greg Null.

One example of Arkansas Lighting’s innovative manufacturing equipment and techniques is the production of large fabric pendants that measure up to 72 inches in diameter. The pendants are custom made in the company’s 120,000-square-foot factory in Van Buren in 4-6 weeks and have no minimum order quantity, the media release said.

Most of Prima Lighting’s product lines are assembled in the United States and tailored to fulfill fast-paced commercial, hospitality, and government project requirements.

“Our mission has been to always provide the best combination of product design, quality, customer service, and pricing,” said Adam Lee, owner of Prima Lighting. “We look forward to the new opportunities that this acquisition will bring for Prima employees and customers as Arkansas Lighting continues to build upon the accomplishments of our company.”

Null said he did not anticipate any changes in staffing at either property. The owners of Prima Lighting plan to retire after the acquisition. They will stay on for a couple of months to help transition the transfer of management and show the new owners the ropes, Null said.