March 26, 2009 Lighting the Way

Volume 12 | Issue 2

Leviton wiring devices and lighting controls are durable, reliable, and aesthetically pleasing and favored by contractors, builders, mainten

Developing the right product before the customer even realizes it has a need for the product is what has made and kept Leviton Lighting Management Systems an electrifying success. Based in Tualatin, Ore., Leviton Lighting Management Systems offers the most comprehensive line of lighting controls and energy management systems in the industry.

Products like box mounted lighting, occupancy sensors, lighting control relays, daylight harvesting and architectural lighting control systems means more options for delivering the ideal lighting control solution for each application. However, the product is just one aspect of a comprehensive array of service and support that encompasses every step of the process with exclusive design tools, training programs, and technical support. Best of all, the support comes at no cost.

Leviton Lighting Management Systems creates lighting control devices that control commercial lighting while saving up to 40 percent of the electricity costs, meeting codes and even garnering rebates. Plus, the company prides itself on anticipating the next big advancement in lighting control and setting out to develop the product before competitors know what hit them.

An example is a revolutionary line of self-powered occupancy sensors that dramatically increases energy efficiency while requiring no new wiring. The result is a commercial product that offers significant energy-savings benefits and reduced installation time and expense. According to Bob Freshman, marketing manager, the largest expense of any electrical control system is laying the wire. The wireless offering produces a labor-savings solution for Leviton commercial customers who want to retrofit existing buildings for increased energy efficiency. The wireless offering includes occupancy sensors, remote switches, wall switches and integrated wireless receivers that automatically turn lights on when occupancy is detected and off when the room is no longer occupied.

A division of Leviton, the largest privately held manufacturer of electrical wiring equipment in North America that was founded in 1906, the Lighting Management group came into existence in 1999 to develop lighting control products for commercial applications such as any type of business or public entity that requires light management like office buildings, parks, or entertainment complexes. The group has three divisions that include energy management, architectural lighting, and entertainment lighting.

ENERGY MANAGEMENT
Leviton Lighting Management Systems offers the most comprehensive line of energy management products to help customers save energy and money through an integrated energy management lighting control system. The company is unique in the industry in that it controls the entire process from the design of the product to the manufacturing of its distribution.

“We control our whole process,” says Freshman, “It gives us the ability to ensure the product is and does exactly what the customer requires.”

Making matters worse for competitors is that Leviton does not charge anything for these services. In fact, Freshman says, customers fax requirements or blueprints and Leviton returns a full response with the proper specifications.

“It gives us a chance to minimize or eliminate any problems from the start allowing us to be more than just product suppliers,” says Freshman. “It’s the value we add that keeps our customers coming back.

This start to finish concept permeates throughout the entire company and means more options for delivering the ideal control solution for each application. The company strives to be easy – that is, easy system design, easy product selection, and easy installation, which lead to the best customer experience.

Energy management lighting products are devices that sense when a room is occupied and automatically turns on or off the lights based on a number of variable parameters. Other devices include relay controls that activate or de-activate room lighting based on a pre-set time. Then there are the daylight harvesting products that measure the amount of daylight in a room and adjusts the interior lights accordingly. By taking advantage of ambient light conditions, the customer not only saves money but reduces the amount of energy used – just part of the company’s green initiatives and commitment to enlightened management and business practices and corporate social responsibility.

Within the same lighting control concept, Leviton develops commercial grade systems combining time clock and switching controller functions into an easy-to-understand control panel that manages lights for various large space areas. These self-contained devices provide advanced, multipoint scene control for commercial applications to help customers “set up scenes” within the space at hand like a church or large convention center.

From one panel customers can control up to six lighting zones or areas within a building. The units use infrared to allow the user to manage the lights remotely. Lighting control systems consists of a device, typically an embedded processor or industrial computer that controls electric lights for a building or residence. There are usually one or more keypads or touch panel interfaces, which give users the ability to toggle power to lights and fans, dim lights, and program lighting levels.

Lighting control systems offer the ability to control any lighting device from any interface. In addition, lighting control systems automatically power a device based on programming events. Leviton also manufactures manual control panels that are simple to operate and install. Lighting levels are easily adjusted by moving a slide controller up or down to the desired intensity.

THE HOME OFFICE
What began as a single product manufacturer – tip mantles for gas lights – has become the leading North American producer of electrical and electronic products. From the early days of the electrical age through today’s digital era, Leviton has achieved a record of success by offering innovative, quality electrical and electronic devices at a reasonable cost.

The company was founded by Isidor Leviton more than 100 years ago and is still family owned. What’s more, the company has only known three presidents with its current leader – Donald Hendler. The Leviton Manufacturing Company went from gas lamp technology into the modern electric-powered age of the 20th century.

The company not only kept pace with the incredible technological growth of the early 20th century but also has been part of that history as both a pathfinder and pacesetter and holds over 600 patents. Today, the tradition continues as the company consistently sets industry standards for product design and innovation. Leviton is committed to developing cost-effective solutions for a diverse range of customers in the residential, commercial and industrial markets.

Leviton has developed a nation-wide web of manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution centers that ensure customers quick turnaround and on-time delivery. The company produces more than two million parts per day and supplies over 25,000 products. Leviton spans more than 100 countries around the world and has two large manufacturing plants in China.

There is no secret to the success of Leviton. Reliability, innovative technology, customer satisfaction, and a skilled workforce committed to the Leviton team all play a crucial part in the tradition of excellence. Leviton wiring devices and lighting controls are easy to install and are durable, reliable, and aesthetically pleasing.

In addition to being an industry leader in product development and delivery, Leviton was recognized by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) for its talent management program, which is designed to harvest and reward the most promising members of the company’s workforce, while providing training to other motivated employees seeking to take their career to the next level.

Throughout a century of change one thing has remained constant: the Leviton name delivering more than expected to its customers and employees.

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