Lighting Unlimited

What Lighting Unlimited does

Lighting Unlimited is a wholesale lighting distributor founded in 1989 by Scott Schneider as a one-person sales operation in Phoenix, Arizona. Now in its second generation of family ownership under President Cory Schneider, the company operates four retail showroom locations across the Phoenix metropolitan area (Phoenix, Scottsdale, Chandler, and Peoria) supported by company-owned delivery trucks, dedicated outside sales representatives, and counter sales teams. It sources from a network of more than 400 lighting manufacturers, including Signify, Acuity Brands, Cooper Lighting, Halco, Keystone, Diode LED, Current, Brilliance LED, and Kim Lighting.

The company's core offering spans physical lighting products (LED fixtures, lamps, ballasts, emergency lighting, landscape lighting, recessed cans and trims, lighting controls, and home controls) layered with services including professional lighting design using Dialux and Visual software, free energy audits and LED retrofit projects, utility rebate processing, lighting recycling for mercury-containing waste, a surplus-purchase program for excess contractor inventory, and EV charging infrastructure deployment. Customers include electrical contractors, commercial property managers, government and military entities (state agencies, school districts, municipalities), and national accounts with multi-site operations.

Lighting Unlimited generates revenue primarily through wholesale product sales at account-specific pricing with NET 30 terms and volume discounts, supplemented by professional services (lighting design, energy audits, retrofit project management) and transaction-based surplus purchasing. Go-to-market combines enterprise field sales, inside counter sales at four showrooms, and event-driven demand generation (annual Open House attracting 250+ industry professionals). The company holds multiple State of Arizona purchasing contracts and participates in the SAVE purchasing co-op, while maintaining top-performer trade-ally status with APS Solutions for Business and SRP Standard Business Solutions for utility rebates.

Name

Lighting Unlimited

Legal name

Lighting Unlimited Inc.

Website

https://lu-az.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Lighting Unlimited is a family-owned, second-generation wholesale lighting distributor founded in 1989 in Phoenix, Arizona, operating four retail showrooms and serving electrical contractors, property managers, government/military buyers, and national accounts across the Southwest with a 400+ manufacturer product network and complementary design, retrofit, and EV charging services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wholesale Lighting Distribution

SIC

Wholesale-Hardware & Plumbing & Heating Equipment & Supplies (5070), Retail-Building Materials, Hardware, Garden Supply (5200)

akta.pro primary industry

Lighting & Electrical Supplies for Home Distribution (CRAOAFAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Light Bulbs & Lamp Replacements Retail (LED, Smart Bulbs, Specialty) (CRAIAHAD), Commercial & Industrial Lighting Retail (High Bay, Troffers, Warehouse) (CRAIAHAG), Outdoor Lighting & Landscape Lighting Retail (CRAIAIAJ)

Keywords

• Wholesale lighting distribution
• Commercial LED fixtures
• Lighting design services
• Electrical contractor supply
• Energy-efficient lighting retrofit

Headquarters

HQ city

Phoenix

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Wholesale Lighting Product Sales: Core revenue stream from selling lighting products (LED fixtures, ballasts, lamps, controls, emergency lighting, landscape lighting) to electrical contractors and facility managers at wholesale/distributor pricing.
2. Surplus Lighting Acquisition: The company purchases excess brand-name lighting supplies from contractors and property managers, paying top dollar for materials in original packaging.
3. Lighting Design Services: Professional design services including lighting layouts, specifications, plan reviews, energy analysis, and photometric modeling for new construction and retrofit projects.
4. Energy Audit and Consulting: Free energy surveys and financial analysis to identify lighting upgrade opportunities and utility rebate eligibility.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Lighting Unlimited is a wholesale lighting distributor selling physical lighting products (LED fixtures, ballasts, lamps, emergency lighting, landscape lighting, cans, trims, and lighting controls) sourced from over 400 manufacturers to electrical contractors, facility managers, property managers, and government entities across Arizona. The company complements product distribution with professional services including lighting design using Dialux and Visual software, energy audits, LED retrofit and utility rebate processing, hazardous lighting waste recycling, and a surplus lighting buy-back program, delivering through four Phoenix-metro store locations with local job-site delivery.

Product overview

Lighting Unlimited is a wholesale lighting distributor offering physical lighting products (lamps, ballasts, LED fixtures, emergency lighting, landscape lighting, cans, trims, controls) sourced from over 400 manufacturers including Signify, Acuity Brands, Cooper Lighting Solutions, Halco, Keystone, Diode LED, Current, and Brilliance LED. The company operates as a single unified offering combining product distribution with complementary services including lighting design (using Dialux and Visual software), energy audits and retrofit services, recycling services for mercury-containing lighting waste, and specialized programs for contractors, property managers, government/military entities, and national accounts. Services are delivered through four physical store locations in the Phoenix metropolitan area with local delivery, and the company does not operate a software platform or API-based product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• LED Fixtures Energy-efficient LED lighting fixtures for commercial and residential applications, sourced from over 400 manufacturers including Signify, Acuity Brands, and Cooper Lighting Solutions.
• Lamps Traditional lamps and light bulbs sold at wholesale to electrical contractors and facility managers.
• Ballasts Electrical ballasts used to regulate current in lighting fixtures, essential for proper fluorescent and HID lamp operation.
• Emergency Lighting Safety lighting products required for emergency egress and building code compliance in commercial facilities.
• Landscape Lighting Products Outdoor lighting products from Kim, Brilliance, Hydrel, Hadco, Kichler, and Corona for residential and commercial landscape applications.
• Cans and Trims Recessed lighting housings and decorative trims for ceiling installations in residential and commercial spaces.
• Lighting Controls Controls and dimmers for managing lighting intensity, scheduling, and energy efficiency in residential and commercial applications.
• Lighting Design Services Professional lighting design services including layouts, specifications, plan review, photometric analysis using Dialux and Visual software, and CAD/Revit documentation for new construction and tenant improvement projects.
• Energy Audits Free energy surveys and analysis to identify lighting upgrades, potential savings, and utility rebate opportunities with APS and SRP programs.
• Retrofit Services LED retrofit solutions for replacing outdated lighting, with average energy savings of 60% and ROI up to 70%, including utility rebate processing.
• Lighting Recycling Services Proper disposal and recycling of lighting waste containing hazardous materials like mercury, including in-store drop-off, prepackaged containers with prepaid shipping, and bulk container services for job sites.
• Government and Military Lighting Solutions Comprehensive lighting supply and services for government entities including state agencies, school districts, and municipalities, leveraging State of Arizona contracts and SAVE purchasing co-op agreements, with turnkey solutions including labor.
• National Accounts Program Premier lighting solutions for multi-site businesses including illumination planning, energy efficiency assessments, electrical distribution infrastructure, warranty oversight, digital quantity takeoffs, EV charging, and coordinated project execution across the 400+ manufacturer network.
• Property Management Lighting Services Tailored solutions for commercial properties including tenant improvements, maintenance stock, energy audits, building control systems, NET 30 terms, and 24-hour local delivery across multi-tenant portfolios.
• Contractor Services Comprehensive support for electrical contractors including photometry, lighting design, free surveys and audits, rebate paperwork, project staging, jobsite delivery, and 179D tax deduction preparation for TI, ground-ups, and maintenance work.
• Surplus Lighting Purchase Program Cash purchase of excess brand-name lighting supplies in original packaging from contractors and property managers, with freight paid by Lighting Unlimited and payment via credit card, check, or PayPal.

Quantifiable outcome

• Average lighting upgrade savings of 60% using LED and efficient technologies
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and secondary.

• State of ArizonacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHolds multiple contracts with the State of Arizona providing lighting supplies, service, and support to state agencies, school districts, and municipalities.
• SAVE Purchasing Co-opcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorParticipating contractor in the SAVE purchasing co-op for governmental entities to procure lighting supplies.
• APS Solutions for BusinesscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTop-performing trade ally with APS Solutions for Business program. Recognized as top performer for many years in helping customers access utility rebates.
• SRP Standard Business SolutionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTop-performing trade ally with SRP Standard Business Solutions program for energy efficiency upgrades and rebates.
• SignifymajorOthersMajor lighting manufacturer partner providing LED and smart lighting products.
• Acuity BrandsmajorOthersKey manufacturer partner for commercial lighting solutions.
• Cooper Lighting SolutionsmajorOthersMajor manufacturer partner for commercial and industrial lighting.
• 400+ Lighting ManufacturersmajorOthersExtensive network of over 400 lighting manufacturers enabling unmatched product access and sourcing capabilities.
• NAILDcoreOthersNational Association of Innovative Lighting Distributors. Cory Schneider serves as President. Company holds LS1 and LS2 certifications.
• IES PhoenixsecondaryOthersIlluminating Engineering Society Phoenix Chapter. Dave Inman serves on the events committee.
• Kim LightingsecondaryOthersLandscape lighting manufacturer partner for exterior illumination projects.
• Brilliance LEDsecondaryOthersLED manufacturer partner for landscape and outdoor lighting applications.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Regency Lighting: California-based regional lighting distributor serving electrical contractors, designers, and facility managers with showrooms and field sales — a very close analog to Lighting Unlimited in customer base, product mix, and go-to-market model.
• C.N. Robinson Lighting Supply: Midwest regional lighting distributor focused on electrical contractors and facility customers, offering a similar combination of product distribution, lighting design support, and energy/retrofit services.
• Visible Light: Regional lighting distributor with showrooms and project support for contractors and design-build customers — comparable operating model with a similar mix of wholesale distribution and value-added services.

Regional players

• Platt Electric Supply: West Coast-focused electrical and lighting distributor serving contractors with showrooms, counter sales, and project services — a strong regional comparison to Lighting Unlimited's Arizona footprint.

Broad incumbents

• Crescent Electric Supply: Large multi-state electrical distributor with substantial lighting product breadth, serving the same contractor and facility customer base — a scaled incumbent that competes for the same Arizona projects.
• City Electric Supply: National electrical distributor with strong counter-sales culture and contractor focus; competes directly for the same trade customers across the Phoenix metro.
• Border States Electric: Large regional electrical distributor with significant lighting category presence, serving utility, contractor, and industrial customers in the western U.S. — a relevant incumbent competitor.
• Graybar: One of the largest North American electrical and lighting distributors, with national accounts capability and broad contractor/government reach — represents the scale ceiling Lighting Unlimited must compete against for larger projects.
• Rexel USA: U.S. arm of global electrical distribution leader Rexel Group, with extensive lighting category coverage including commercial and industrial customers — a major incumbent competing for the same end markets.

Emerging players

• 1000Bulbs.com: Large online-first lighting retailer serving contractors and consumers with a much wider catalog and lower-touch purchasing — represents the digital competitive pressure on traditional showroom-based distributors like Lighting Unlimited.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/lightsofaz

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Lighting Unlimited