What Display Supply & Lighting does

Display Supply & Lighting, Inc. (DS&L) is a privately held, Illinois-incorporated specialty distributor, contract manufacturer, and service provider founded in 1978 and headquartered at a 20,000 sq. ft. facility in Itasca, IL. The company supplies LED lighting products, complementary industrial supplies (notably VELCRO brand fasteners, drivers, transformers, and replacement lamps), and a portfolio of adjacent professional services to U.S. customers in trade show and exhibit, retail, hospitality, entertainment, architectural, and residential end markets. Its product catalog spans LED modular strips, tape lights, COB dotless strips, slim-line and micro-profile linear fixtures, recessed and surface-mounted lights, track and monorail systems, RGB end-cap lights, proprietary SkandaLights and Designer Tech Series arm lights, and Color Kinetics professional systems sold under a 22+ year Certified Value Added Partner relationship with Signify.

The underlying technology centers on full-system UL/ETL/CSA listed LED assemblies — boards, components, wires, connectors, LEDs, and power supplies tested together rather than as individually UL Recognized parts — together with proprietary molded barrel connectors with strain relief that eliminate exposed solder joints, COB LED strip technology for dot-free continuous light, and micro-profile fixtures with magnetic tool-free mounting. Differentiated products include a 12-inch micro-profile fixture producing 455 lumens with a 50,000-hour maintenance-free lifespan, an adjustable SkandaLights LED8822 arm light, and Color Kinetics color-changing and tunable white fixtures for architectural and entertainment applications.

DS&L generates revenue through multiple streams: hardware sales via an e-commerce storefront (dslgroup.com), toll-free phone sales, and a reseller program; tiered professional services (application engineering at $3,000/day, $300/hour, or $1,000/program); 3PL logistics, contract manufacturing, and OEM manufacturing capabilities; and Chicagoland-only white-glove services including crate documentation, quality inspection, and installer supervision. The go-to-motion blends direct-to-consumer e-commerce with enterprise field sales through three regional sales managers covering the Central, West Coast, and East Coast, supported by a ~11-person team led by President Jeremy Kitlinski. Major named customers include Derse and Optima Graphics in trade show/exhibit, Boston Harbor Hotel in hospitality, and SNY and NFL in broadcast/entertainment.

Name

Display Supply & Lighting

Legal name

Display Supply & Lighting, Inc.

Website

https://dslgroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Display Supply & Lighting is a 47-year-old Illinois-based specialty distributor and contract manufacturer of UL/ETL-listed LED lighting systems and VELCRO supplies, serving U.S. trade show, retail, hospitality, entertainment, architectural, and residential customers via e-commerce, regional field sales, and application engineering services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Lighting

NAICS

Commercial, Industrial, and Institutional Electric Lighting Fixture Manufacturing (335132), Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing (3351), Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing (33513), Residential Electric Lighting Fixture Manufacturing (335131)

SIC

Electric Lighting & Wiring Equipment (3640), Electronic Components & Accessories (3670)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty & Task/Workstation Lighting (Inspection/task lights, cleanroom/food-grade, portable work lights) (IMAGAIAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Outdoor & Area Lighting (Street, Roadway, Parking, Flood, Sports/Architectural exterior) (IMAGAIAB), Transformer/Driver/Power Supply Service & Replacement (HSAIAHAL), Lighting Parts, Shades & Accessories Retail (Harps, Finials, Glass, Mounting) (CRAIAHAI)

Keywords

• LED lighting products
• Trade show lighting
• Display supply products
• Application engineering services
• Contract manufacturing lighting

Headquarters

HQ city

Itasca

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. LED Lighting Products: Sale of LED lighting fixtures and components including modular strips, tape lights, arm lights, track lighting, recessed fixtures, and Color Kinetics professional systems. Products sold as one-time purchases with various price points from $9.10 to over $2,500 depending on product type.
2. Supply Products: Sale of supply products including VELCRO brand fasteners, extension cords, drivers, transformers, roto locks, crate liners, snap trac, and replacement lamps. One-time product sales.
3. Application Engineering Services: Professional services including lighting layout and design, programming services, installation oversight, CAD drawing capability, and project commissioning. Offered at $3,000/day, $300/hour, or $1,000/program.
4. Third-Party Logistics (3PL): End-to-end logistics solutions from 20,000 sq. ft. facility including inventory management, order fulfillment, and nationwide shipping.
5. OEM Manufacturing: Custom OEM manufacturing for brands requiring precision LED components, fixtures, and control systems tailored to specifications. 47 years of expertise in producing high-quality LED products.
6. Contract Manufacturing: Precision-crafted lighting solutions produced in DS&L's 20,000 sq. ft. facility. Specializes in LED components, fixtures, and control systems for architectural, retail, and entertainment applications.
7. White Glove Services: Hands-on support services for Chicagoland area including crate condition documentation, unpacking and verification, quality inspection and testing, installer supervision, and repair services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Display Supply & Lighting (DS&L) sells LED lighting products (modular strips, tape lights, arm lights, Color Kinetics professional systems, recessed and track lighting) and supply products (VELCRO fasteners, drivers, transformers, replacement lamps) primarily to the trade show, exhibit, retail, hospitality, architectural, and entertainment industries. The company also delivers application engineering services, product customization, OEM/contract manufacturing, third-party logistics, and white-glove installation services from its 20,000 sq. ft. facility in Itasca, IL.

Product overview

Display Supply & Lighting is a lighting and supply products company offering a comprehensive portfolio of LED lighting solutions and industrial supply products. The core product lines include LED Modular Strips (120V, RGB variants), LED Tape Light/Tapelight (12V/24V in standard, high output, COB dotless variants), LED Slim Line Linear Fixtures, Micro Profile LED Lights, LED Recessed & Surface Mounted fixtures, and Color Kinetics professional LED systems by Signify. The company also offers branded arm light solutions through SkandaLights® (with 60+ mounting options) and Designer Tech Series. Supporting supply products include VELCRO® Brand fasteners, power supplies, drivers, transformers, replacement lamps, and mounting accessories. Services span Application Engineering (lighting design, programming, installation oversight), Product Customization, Contract Manufacturing, OEM Manufacturing, 3PL logistics, and White Glove installation services—all delivered from the company's 20,000 sq. ft. Itasca, IL facility with 47 years of industry experience.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SkandaLights: Brand of arm lights designed to deliver brilliant, even illumination with over 60 different clamps and clips for low profile mounting solutions.
• Designer Tech Series

Products and services

• 120V LED Modular Strip Lights High-output LED modular strip lighting fixtures available in 8.74" and 14.10" lengths, with no exposed solder joints and full UL Listed certification covering the entire assembled system for safety compliance. Designed for trade show exhibits, retail light boxes, and architectural applications.
• LED RGB Modular Strip Color-changing RGB LED modular strips with custom lensing and drivers that allow light to spread evenly without hotspots. Designed for internally lighting display boxes as thin as 2 inches deep.
• 24V LED Tape Light / Tapelight Flexible linear LED lighting system available in 12V and 24V versions with standard, high, and super high output variants. Offered in white, RGB, and RGBW configurations on reels or pre-cut segments for trade show, retail, and architectural use.
• Dotless COB LED Strip Lights Chip-on-Board LED strip lighting with high-density LED chips mounted directly on the circuit board, creating seamless dot-free continuous light. Available in white, RGB, and RGB+W variants for premium trade show and architectural installations.
• LED Slim Line Linear Fixture Linear LED fixture designed for display cases, cabinets, retail environments, cove lighting, shelves, light boxes, signs, and trade show exhibits. Available in standard and U-Series configurations.
• LED PAR Can Style Light Fixture Focusable LED PAR can fixture with 5000K color temperature and light output equivalent to a 1000W halogen. Features 7-64 degree focusable beam angle, internal heat sink, dimmable dial, and UL Listed certification. Custom quoted product with MOQ of 300 units.
• Micro Profile LED Linear Fixture

Quantifiable outcome

• Products designed and utilized are UL & ETL-listed from highest-quality manufacturers, ensuring lowest total cost of use and failure-free permanent installations.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Signify (formerly Philips Lighting)coreTechnology or IntegrationDS&L is a Certified Value Added Partner (CVAP) of Signify Color Kinetics Products. This partnership provides access to professional LED lighting systems including color-changing, tunable white, solid white, and solid color LED fixtures for architectural and entertainment applications. DS&L has been a Color Kinetics dealer for over 22 years and offers complete lighting layout, application engineering, and installation oversight services using these products.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Brumberger: Long-established U.S. supplier of display, exhibit, and trade show hardware and lighting accessories. Directly comparable to DS&L in serving exhibit builders and display manufacturers with similar SKUs (hardware, fasteners, lighting components).
• Gantom Lighting & Controls: Specialty manufacturer of compact LED fixtures for displays, exhibits, themed environments, and architectural accents. Directly comparable in product focus (small-form-factor display lighting) and customer base (exhibit builders and themed venues).
• Environmental Lights: Specialty LED strip and linear lighting supplier serving retail, exhibit, and architectural customers with custom-engineered LED solutions. Highly comparable to DS&L's LED tape and modular strip lines and target verticals.
• Diode LED: Specialty LED strip, tape, and linear lighting manufacturer selling direct to commercial integrators and exhibit/retail customers. Directly comparable to DS&L's tape light and modular strip offerings and channel model.
• Cooledge Lighting: Manufacturer of flexible LED panels for backlighting and large-area illumination in retail, exhibit, and architectural applications. Directly comparable as DS&L also distributes Cooledge flex panels and shares the same target customers.

Broad incumbents

• Signify (Philips Lighting): Global lighting leader and owner of Color Kinetics. Functions as both supplier (DS&L is a CVAP dealer) and broad incumbent competing in architectural, retail, and entertainment lighting where DS&L also operates.
• Elation Professional: Manufacturer of professional entertainment and architectural LED lighting. Comparable as a broader incumbent in the entertainment/special-event lighting segment that DS&L also serves via Color Kinetics and arm lights.
• ADJ Products: Diversified LED lighting and effects manufacturer serving entertainment, event production, and architectural markets. Overlaps with DS&L in event and entertainment LED fixture categories.
• 4Wall Entertainment: Large entertainment lighting supplier and rental house serving live events, broadcast, and themed environments. Comparable as a broader incumbent providing lighting solutions to many of the same end customers DS&L serves.

Others

• Renesas (formerly Intersil): Not a direct competitor, included as an adjacent ecosystem participant; LED driver and power component supplier to the lighting industry. Included for industry adjacency rather than direct competition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/TheDSLGROUP
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/in/display-supply-lighting-inc-b2aa7625

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Display Supply & Lighting