Cree Lighting
Cree Lighting is a Racine, Wisconsin-based commercial LED lighting fixtures manufacturer serving municipalities, warehouses, gas stations, and industrial customers across North America with NanoComfort-based luminaires and intelligent controls, owned by Advanced Lighting Technologies LLC.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersRacine, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Cree Lighting does
Cree Lighting USA, LLC is a U.S.-headquartered commercial LED lighting fixtures manufacturer operating from Racine, Wisconsin, and serving industrial, municipal, institutional, and petroleum customers across the United States and Canada. The company is a subsidiary of Advanced Lighting Technologies LLC (ADLT) under CLNA Holdings, having been acquired in September 2023 after the legacy Cree Inc. fragmented into Cree LED (semiconductors, now part of Penguin Solutions), ADLT-owned commercial fixtures, and Feit Electric-owned residential products sold under 'Cree Lighting Home' since summer 2025.
The product architecture centers on the proprietary NanoComfort Technology platform, a thermal-management system that simultaneously optimizes efficacy, visual comfort, and control in outdoor area, flood, and canopy luminaires including the OSQ, Guideway, CPY400, and CPY500 series. The company layers intelligent controls via SmartCast Wireless, Synapse SimplySNAP, and Lutron Enabled integrations for occupancy sensing, daylight harvesting, and remote management, supported by BAA/BABA-compliant U.S. manufacturing and DLC LUNA certification for utility rebate eligibility. Following late-2025 financial stress, Cree Lighting shifted to a contract manufacturing model with an unnamed U.S. partner, converting fixed production overhead to variable costs while addressing a five-month backlog.
Revenue is generated predominantly through one-time hardware sales of LED luminaires and intelligent controls, sold quote-based via a multi-channel go-to-market spanning commercial distributors and agents, direct enterprise sales, dedicated petroleum-canal partners, and an ecommerce storefront for connected products. Customer segments include cities and municipalities (streetlighting), warehouses and industrial facilities (high-bay/low-bay), gas stations and convenience stores (canopy/soffit), mining operations, schools, healthcare, retail, and auto dealerships. Unit economics have deteriorated in 2025-2026, evidenced by a three-week October 2025 operational furlough, mass layoffs, and $1.7M in supplier lawsuits over unpaid invoices.
Cree Lighting firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cree Lighting
- Legal name
- Cree Lighting USA, LLC
- Website
- https://creelighting.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Cree Lighting is a Racine, Wisconsin-based commercial LED lighting fixtures manufacturer serving municipalities, warehouses, gas stations, and industrial customers across North America with NanoComfort-based luminaires and intelligent controls, owned by Advanced Lighting Technologies LLC.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cree Lighting industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Commercial LED Lighting
- NAICS
- Commercial, Industrial, and Institutional Electric Lighting Fixture Manufacturing (335132), Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing (33513), Automatic Environmental Control Manufacturing for Residential, Commercial, and Appliance Use (334512)
- SIC
- Electric Lighting & Wiring Equipment (3640), Auto Controls For Regulating Residential & Comml Environments (3822)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Industrial & Commercial Luminaires (High-bay, Low-bay, Troffers, Downlights) (IMAGAIAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Outdoor & Area Lighting (Street, Roadway, Parking, Flood, Sports/Architectural exterior) (IMAGAIAB), Smart Lighting & Controls Retail (Smart Switches, Dimmers, Hubs) (CRAIAHAF)
Keywords
Where Cree Lighting is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Racine
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Cree Lighting business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Commercial LED Lighting Fixtures: Cree Lighting sells commercial-grade LED luminaires including area/flood lights, streetlights, canopy/soffit lights, troffers, high-bay/low-bay fixtures, downlights, and architectural linear products through distributors and direct sales channels. Revenue is generated through one-time hardware sales to commercial, industrial, municipal, and institutional customers.
- Intelligent Lighting Controls: Sale of intelligent lighting control systems including SmartCast Wireless, Synapse SimplySNAP, and Lutron-enabled solutions that integrate with LED fixtures for building automation and energy management.
- Contract Manufacturing Services: Following restructuring, Cree Lighting transitioned to a contract manufacturing model where a U.S.-based lighting manufacturer produces core product lines including area and flood, streetlights, and canopy lighting on behalf of Cree Lighting. This converts fixed manufacturing overhead to variable costs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Commercial and industrial LED lighting products available through quote requests |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Cree Lighting product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cree Lighting designs and sells commercial-grade LED luminaires and intelligent lighting control systems for outdoor and indoor applications. Its portfolio covers area/flood lights, streetlights, canopy/soffit luminaires, parking structure fixtures, pathway/bollard products, troffers, high-bay/low-bay, downlights, and architectural linear products, integrated with SmartCast Wireless and Synapse SimplySNAP control platforms. The company serves municipalities, utilities, warehouses, gas stations, transportation, schools, healthcare, retail, and auto dealerships primarily in the U.S. and Canada.
Product overview
Cree Lighting is a commercial LED lighting solutions provider offering a comprehensive portfolio of outdoor and indoor lighting products integrated with intelligent lighting control systems. The product architecture centers on NanoComfort Technology as the core proprietary technology platform featured across area, flood, and canopy luminaires, combined with intelligent control options including SmartCast Wireless and Synapse SimplySNAP for wireless and networked lighting management. The outdoor portfolio includes the OSQ Series for area/flood applications, Guideway Series for street lighting, CPY500/CPY400 Series for canopy applications, and OSQP Series for pathways. Indoor solutions span troffers, high-bay/low-bay, architectural linear, downlights, and track lighting. The company also offers Lutron Enabled integration options within its Intelligent Solutions category. Products serve diverse applications including gas stations, cities and towns, utilities, warehouses, transportation, commercial, schools, healthcare, retail, and auto dealerships.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Cree Lighting Home: Premium residential lighting collection sold exclusively at Lowe's, featuring advanced LED technology and promoted through actress Mayim Bialik campaign.
Products and services
- SmartCast Wireless Wireless intelligent lighting control platform enabling remote management and automation of Cree Lighting fixtures with occupancy sensing, daylight harvesting, and centralized lighting management for commercial buildings.
- Synapse SimplySNAP Intelligent lighting control solution for outdoor and industrial lighting installations providing advanced scheduling, monitoring, and remote management capabilities.
- OSQ Series Outdoor area and flood lighting portfolio featuring NanoComfort Technology delivering efficacy, control, and visual comfort for outdoor area and flood lighting applications.
- Guideway Series Street lighting series delivering performance and visual comfort levels designed for municipal street and roadway applications.
- CPY500 Series LED canopy and soffit luminaire available with Forward Throw optic that directs 25% of light outside the canopy for improved safety and visibility at gas stations and forecourts.
- CPY400 Series LED Conversion Ready recessed canopy/soffit luminaire designed for LED-to-LED conversions and new installs, fitting 12 and 16 inch wide canopy panels with NanoComfort Technology.
- OSQP Series Pathway and bollard luminaire offering adaptable design and rotatable optics to provide tailored lighting in outdoor environments.
- Indoor Lighting Products Comprehensive indoor lighting portfolio including troffers, high-bay/low-bay fixtures, dynamic skylight, architectural linear, surface/suspended ambient, new construction downlights, retrofit downlights, upgrade solutions, and track lighting for commercial and industrial facilities.
- Outdoor Lighting Products Full outdoor lighting portfolio covering area, canopy and soffit, street and roadway, parking structure, pathway and bollard, flood, wall mount, vapor tights, and accessories for municipal and commercial applications.
Quantifiable outcome
- Energy savings of 60%+ compared to traditional HID and fluorescent lighting systems
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Cree Lighting
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Cree Lighting technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature4 records
Cree Lighting partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- U.S. Lighting Manufacturer (Unnamed)coreLong-term contract manufacturing agreement with a U.S.-based lighting manufacturer specializing in industrial and harsh environment applications. The partnership addresses supply chain constraints and limited manufacturing capacity stemming from ongoing financial restructuring. It provides scalable manufacturing support for core product lines including area and flood, streetlights, and canopy lighting, immediately focusing on reducing backlog and restoring delivery timelines. The agreement converts fixed manufacturing overhead into variable costs and is designed to improve scalability, cost efficiency, and operational resilience.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Cree Lighting competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Hubbell Lighting: Hubbell Lighting (including Hubbell Outdoor, Columbia Lighting, Prescolite) manufactures commercial and industrial LED fixtures and controls. Directly comparable in street/roadway, area, and indoor architectural lighting with strong utility channel overlap.
- MaxLite: MaxLite manufactures commercial indoor and outdoor LED luminaires and controls, with a US assembly footprint and BAA-compliant offerings. Directly comparable across Cree Lighting's commercial portfolio and government-compliant product lines.
- GE Current, a Daintree company: GE Current (formerly GE Lighting) specializes in commercial, industrial, and horticulture LED fixtures plus the Daintree networked controls platform. Directly comparable to Cree Lighting's portfolio and SmartCast/Synapse intelligent controls strategy.
- Acuity Brands: Acuity Brands is the largest US-focused commercial lighting company, offering indoor, outdoor, and connected lighting systems under Lithonia, Holophane, and others. Directly comparable as a full-line competitor for the same municipal, industrial, and commercial specification channels.
- RAB Lighting: RAB Lighting is a US commercial and industrial LED fixture manufacturer with strong distributor and electrical contractor channel presence. Directly comparable in area, flood, canopy, and street lighting categories.
Broad incumbents
- Signify (Philips Lighting): Signify is the global LED lighting market leader (Philips, Color Kinetics, Interact), competing across indoor, outdoor, horticulture, and connected lighting. Comparable as a broad incumbent in commercial and municipal LED fixtures and intelligent controls.
- Eaton (Cooper Lighting Solutions): Eaton's Cooper Lighting Solutions business (Halo, Metalux, Ephesus, Lumark) is a major North American lighting manufacturer. Directly comparable across indoor commercial, outdoor area, and connected controls portfolios.
- OSRAM (ams OSRAM): OSRAM is a global lighting and LED components manufacturer with strong presence in specialty and architectural lighting. Comparable as a broad incumbent identified alongside Cree Lighting as a key global LED player.
Emerging players
- Litetronics International: Litetronics is a US-focused LED lighting manufacturer serving commercial, industrial, and educational customers. Comparable as an emerging mid-tier player overlapping with Cree Lighting's indoor commercial and retrofit solutions.
Others
- Feit Electric: Feit Electric acquired Cree Lighting's residential lamp portfolio in 2025 and now sells 'Cree Lighting Home' products at Lowe's. Comparable as a residential and commercial LED lighting company with direct brand overlap and channel adjacency.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks4 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Cree Lighting social profiles
Digital presenceCree Lighting compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Cree Lighting financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cree Lighting leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Cree Lighting funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cree Lighting M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cree Lighting
What does Cree Lighting do?
Cree Lighting designs and sells commercial-grade LED luminaires and intelligent lighting control systems for outdoor and indoor applications. Its portfolio covers area/flood lights, streetlights, canopy/soffit luminaires, parking structure fixtures, pathway/bollard products, troffers, high-bay/low-bay, downlights, and architectural linear products, integrated with SmartCast Wireless and Synapse SimplySNAP control platforms. The company serves municipalities, utilities, warehouses, gas stations, transportation, schools, healthcare, retail, and auto dealerships primarily in the U.S. and Canada.
Is Cree Lighting a public or private company?
Cree Lighting is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Cree Lighting founded?
Cree Lighting was founded in 2021. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Cree Lighting based?
Cree Lighting is headquartered in Racine, United States, in the North America region.
How does Cree Lighting make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Commercial LED Lighting Fixtures are the primary driver. The others are intelligent Lighting Controls and contract Manufacturing Services.
Who are Cree Lighting's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Hubbell Lighting, MaxLite, GE Current, a Daintree company, Acuity Brands and RAB Lighting. Broad incumbents are Signify (Philips Lighting), Eaton (Cooper Lighting Solutions) and OSRAM (ams OSRAM). Litetronics International is listed as an emerging player. Feit Electric is listed as an others.
Does Cree Lighting have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cree Lighting.
What industry is Cree Lighting in?
Cree Lighting's product category is Commercial LED Lighting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAGAIAA, Industrial & Commercial Luminaires (High-bay, Low-bay, Troffers, Downlights), with a secondary code of IMAGAIAB, Outdoor & Area Lighting (Street, Roadway, Parking, Flood, Sports/Architectural exterior). Its NAICS code is 335132 and its SIC code is 3640.