Page 29 - Lighting Magazine December 2019

passage of the 19th amendment, which guaranteed American women’s constitutional right to vote. Plus, from a record number of women running for presi- dential office to increased attention on fairness and equality in the workplace, women’s time to shine is now.
The lighting industry takes no exception to this sentiment, and the recently formed American Light- ing Association (ALA) group Women in Lighting was created to recognize how many successful, strong, and powerful women there are in the lighting indus- try. The group gives them a voice to learn, celebrate each other’s successes, and champion causes and world views that are unique to women in the world today.
“Women have always played an integral role in the lighting industry, but today more than ever, we have more women in ‘power positions’ within every sector of our business, plus we have more women coming into the business every day,” says Kellee Hollenback Hammond, VP/Sales for Hudson Valley Lighting Group and one of the leaders of the Women in Lighting group. “An organization like Women in Light- ing allows us to foster relationships that will ensure women will continue to thrive in the lighting industry for many years to come.”
In 2020, the group will provide more program- ming to help women navigate their roles in all aspects of their lives, will officially launch its mentorship pro- gram, and will ramp up its charitable efforts. It also intends to create opportunities for more women to take active leadership positions within the entire ALA organization.
With an increasing number of women joining Women in Lighting – there were 250 members at press time – and attending its events during Ligh- tovation and the ALA Conference, the group is capitalizing on this momentum.
financial STrain
A 2020 forecast wouldn’t be complete without cov- ering the trade war with China and the tariffs that have put the industry into limbo.
2019 has seen a series of scheduled tariff increas- es, postponements, and back-and-forth negotiations keeping manufacturers, showrooms, and the ALA on their toes. The lighting industry is most concerned with Lists 3 and 4 of the Section 301 tariffs, which include lighting products and ceiling fans, light sources such as LEDs, and other accessory items respectively.
At press time, a deal on “Phase 1” of the tariffs had been reached and was waiting to be inked, as recent constructive negotiations made the situation look more optimistic. Additional tariffs on Lists 1-3 were delayed as a result of the progress that was made during negotiations earlier in October. While Lists 1-3 had a 25-percent tariff level at press time, List 4 is currently at 15 percent – which includes an additional tariff of 10 percent on List 4A that took ef- fect on Sept. 1, and List 4B’s 15-percent tariff, which is expected to be effective on December 15.
In a statement following the Phase 1 update in mid- October, the ALA reported that while this deal is welcome news, it does very little to relieve American consumers of the burden created by the additional tariffs. These tariffs, especially those at 25 percent, have forced many manufacturers to pass on their increased costs to retailers, who therefore have had to change their buying behaviors and, in turn, pass on increased costs to the end consumer.
“The U.S.-China tariff situation is particularly difficult because of the uncertainty of what might happen next and when.”
—Eric Choi, Bulbrite
“The U.S.-China tariff situation is particularly difficult because of the uncertainty of what might happen next and when,” says Eric Choi, Senior Director/Product at Bulbrite. “There have been nu- merous tariff changes/discussions/announcements in 2019 and each change creates a level of chaos — regardless of whether the information is positive or negative. Without ample notice and a defined process on when tariffs may change, it is difficult for manufacturers to collaborate with suppliers and re- tailers to create a strategic plan to mitigate the effect on product costs.”
The overall consensus that no one party should be responsible for swallowing the price increases has renewed cries for better cooperation between vendors and retailers – especially in regards to IMAP
2020 Forecast
DeceMber 2019 | enLIGHTenment Magazine 25