Lighting agencies Illuminate Boston and Vanguard Lighting have joined forces to create a new organization to be called Illuminate|Vanguard. The merger of the two companies became effective in December. The new company will be maintaining its existing offices in Woburn Mass., Boston, and South Windsor, Connecticut.
The joining of the two organizations creates an architectural lighting agency with a comprehensive product offering combined with solution-based support services. This merger – in combination with the agency’s Lutron Controls group – allows Illuminate|Vanguard to provide a high level of lighting and lighting control expertise with the goal of delivering well-coordinated lighting system solutions.
“Over the past several months, we have learned that Illuminate and Vanguard’s approaches to the market have many synergies,” says Mike Chicoine, VP/General Manager of Illuminate|Vanguard. “Both companies strive to provide first class, reliable, and friendly service with a key emphasis on integrity. We are extremely excited to have a lighting agency with such experienced, quality people combined with a strong product offering.”
“Illuminate was built upon the idea that with hard work and integrity, we could create an architectural lighting agency that the design and construction community would want to partner with,” says Rick Taylor, co-founder of illuminate and Director of Specifications, MA, for Illuminate|Vanguard. “The past two years validated this and we are incredibly fortunate to have so many friends and partners that supported us to make this happen. While we’ve had great success over the past 18 months, we knew we couldn’t stop there. Merging illuminate and Vanguard was an easy decision; they had strong leadership, good infrastructure, and great manufacturer partners. We look forward to blending the two companies and building on what we’ve started.”
Illuminate|Vanguard is a subsidiary of Yusen Associates which was founded in 1927. Today, Yusen Associates has 70 employees covering 6 New England states and represents a diversified electrical product offering. The new Web site is: www.illuminateNE.com.
