Made in NYC Company of the Month - June 2011

Edison Price Lighting

High-end, Energy Efficient Lighting at the foot of the Edward I. Koch Bridge

“In the right light, at the right time, everything is extraordinary.” ~ Aaron Rose

Edison Price Lighting is a family owned business, established by Edison Price in 1952. In its early years Edison Price Lighting used to fit the stereotypical image of a traditional manufacturer; a mass producing company that built its products in large volume via an assembly line, according to inventory. Now, Emma Price, Mr. Price’s daughter, is the current president of the company. Production is based on the needs of their lighting design clientele, which seeks Edison’s signature products: high-end, innovative, energy-efficient architectural lighting fixtures, both designed and manufactured by the company in New York City.

The company’s current manufacturing approach follows the “Just-in-Time” philosophy, enabling it to produce a continuous stream of new products, as well as fulfill significant orders on short notice. Edison maintains a reputation as a flexible and reliable supplier. Their employees, approximately 100, are divided according to tables each dedicated to assembling a type of lighting fixture. Edison capitalizes on orchestrating its manpower—if one workshop unit is not needed to manufacture a specific type of lighting to fill an order, employees relocate to another site to manufacture another product. Edison employees are trained to work at any capacity and remain flexible in what they need to accomplish on a given day—this flexibility, Edison’s ability to adapt, is key for the company’s continued independence.

Edison’s products include optically precise down lights, accent lights, and wall-washers for use with compact fluorescent, low voltage light sources; grazing wall-wash systems; track lighting systems, including fixtures for incandescent, low voltage and metal halide lamps; and optical accessories including lenses, filters and screens. Edison is currently moving further away from using incandescent lighting and is investing in LED (light emitting diode) technology, partnering with the European company Philips. LED-FTDs are their newest recessed LED fixtures and are the first to compete with compact fluorescents in life cycle costs and environmental benefits.

Architects, engineers, and lighting designers select Edison Price Lighting fixtures for both large and small projects around the world, including office buildings, airports, banks, churches, hotels, restaurants, stores, Energy Star residential homes, museums, and galleries, including many landmark buildings. Over the years the company has produced fixtures for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles and Chicago, and even in Le Pyramide in the Grand Louvre.

Edison currently operates through many channels of distribution, and is represented in Nor to remain in New York, however, is because of the wealth of architect and lighting designer communities centered in the city. Even though Edison partners with businesses that help facilitate its products abroad, in Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Canada, more than 95 percent of its products are made in New York or the U.S. Product developers try to draw from sources within the five boroughs, but several suppliers have relocated to New Jersey due to real estate conflicts. Nevertheless, Edison only uses materials from the U.S.

Edison Price Lighting used to occupy a large amount of space (150,000 square feet) in two Long Island City locations, as well as in one site in Manhattan. Unable to maintain all three locations, it consolidated into one 50,000-square-foot space in Long Island City in 2006 by partnering with the Industrial Technology and Assistance Corporation (ITAC). Edison's ability to modernize and transform itself into an efficiently run, customer operated business, allows it not only to survive in today's econmic climate, but thrive in New York City.

41-50 22nd Street
Long Island City, NY 11101
718-685-0700
http://www.epl.com/