Page 18 - Lighting Magazine January 2020

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FERGUSON VENTURES INVESTS
IN 2 TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES
Ferguson Ventures, the Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) and strategic partnering arm of Ferguson Enterprises, has invested in Whisker Labs, a sensor and data technology
company that developed Ting, a super-smart DIY sensor that monitors a home’s entire electrical network to help prevent electrical fires and proactively detect maintenance issues with major home systems.
Aging infrastructure, widespread growth in connected devices, and access to electricity by 6.2 billion people have made electri- cal fire prevention a rising global concern. One Ting plugged
into any outlet in the home detects loose connections, damaged wires, or faulty appliances. Beyond fire safety, Ting provides meaningful engagement and information to homeowners on conditions and events of high relevance to everyday life, such
as power outages, weather warnings, and even notifications that their HVAC or other key appliances may be about to fail.
“Ting provides an incredible business opportunity for our trade contractor customers and gives them the information they need to deliver proactive, valuable, and engaging service to homeowners,” says Blake Luse, Director of Ferguson Ventures. “This invest aligns well with our goal of bringing innovative solutions to our trade contractor customers to help them run a better business and be well-positioned for the future. We look forward to continuing our journey with Whisker Labs and helping them scale using Ferguson’s industry-leading position, national footprint, and deep customer relationships.”
“This investment lets us continue our mission of protecting families and homes while leveraging our sensor and data science strengths to realize the vision of Ting as a ‘fitness tracker for the home,’” adds Bob Marshall, Whisker Labs’ Co-Founder and CEO.
Ferguson Ventures invests in, and partners with, early-through- late stage companies that are solving industry challenges, able
to add value to our partners, scale across our customer base, and dominate in their space. Previous investments include GTP Services, Payzer, and HOMEE.
LEVITON ACQUIRES CANADIAN MANUFACTURER
Melville, N.Y.-based Leviton has acquired Canada’s largest independent lighting manu- facturer, Viscor, which specializes in lighting
for architectural, commercial, medical, institutional, and industrial applications. The acquisition is in line with Leviton’s goal of expanding its lighting and controls offering.
Established in 1952, Viscor is a family-owned and customer-focused company that is committed to manufacturing LED lighting products. Viscor boasts 150+ product families, 300 employees, and a state- of-the-art, 200,000-sq.-ft. facility.
“Viscor is a well-known and respected lighting company in Canada with a rich and innovative his- tory,” says Daryoush Larizadeh, President & COO of Leviton. “By adding Viscor to the Leviton family, we will be able to provide a much deeper portfolio of lighting options for our customers. Equally important, Viscor’s product portfolio will be further enhanced with access to our wide variety of innovative lighting control options.”
“Viscor and Leviton both share a common vision and values, so it’s exciting to bring our innovation and expertise to one another,” said Bill Wiener, Chairman of Viscor. “We are pleased that Viscor will continue in the hands of another great family-run company.”
KPMG represented Viscor in the sale, which of- ficially closed in November.
14 enLIGHTenment Magazine | January 2020
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