Chicago Lightworks
Chicago Lightworks is a privately held commercial lighting manufacturers' representative agency based in Lisle, Illinois, representing over 100 lighting brands to architects, designers, and contractors across the Chicago metropolitan area.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersLisle, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Chicago Lightworks does
Chicago Lightworks is a commercial lighting manufacturers' representative agency headquartered in Lisle, Illinois, serving the Chicago metropolitan area. Founded in 2017 and operating with 11-50 employees, the firm acts as an intermediary between lighting manufacturers and the architecture, design, and construction community, representing over 100 brands across categories including controls, lamps, architectural lighting, decorative fixtures, outdoor/site lighting, and specialty segments. Its linecard covers major groups such as Genlyte Solutions (Lightolier, Alkco, Gardco, Lumec, Day-Brite, LEDALITE, Color Kinetics, Stonco, and others), Legrand-Wattstopper, Philips, RP Lighting + Fans, EWO, and Millennium Lighting, with a dedicated Field Services offering linked to Archetype Services.
The firm earns revenue through agency commissions on sales of represented manufacturers' products, supplemented by project-level specification consultation and, via the Sourcewell cooperative purchasing partnership, access to government, education, and non-profit procurement channels. Its go-to-market is sales-led, reaching customers through direct sales interactions, quote requests, the company website, an Instagram presence, industry event participation (including NeoCon Chicago), and sponsorship of design and engineering industry associations such as IES Chicago, IIDA Illinois, DIFFA, ACE Mentor, and Arquitina. Chicago Lightworks is privately held with no disclosed funding, revenue, ownership structure, or M&A activity in the available data.
Chicago Lightworks firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Chicago Lightworks
- Legal name
- Chicago Lightworks
- Website
- https://chicagolightworks.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Chicago Lightworks is a privately held commercial lighting manufacturers' representative agency based in Lisle, Illinois, representing over 100 lighting brands to architects, designers, and contractors across the Chicago metropolitan area.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Chicago Lightworks industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Commercial Lighting Distribution
- NAICS
- Commercial, Industrial, and Institutional Electric Lighting Fixture Manufacturing (335132)
- SIC
- Electric Lighting & Wiring Equipment (3640)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Lighting Design Services (BPAHAKAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Commercial Lighting Fixture Installation (HSAOAFAM)
Keywords
Where Chicago Lightworks is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lisle
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Chicago Lightworks business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Agency commissions: As a lighting manufacturers' representative agency, Chicago Lightworks earns commissions from the lighting brands they represent by facilitating sales, providing technical consultation, and managing customer relationships for commercial lighting projects.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Chicago Lightworks product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Chicago Lightworks is a commercial lighting manufacturers' representative agency based in Lisle, Illinois. The company represents over 100 lighting manufacturers, providing specification support, sales representation, technical consultation, and application expertise to architects, designers, contractors, and commercial property owners in the Chicago metropolitan area. Revenue is earned through agency commissions from the lighting brands the firm represents.
Product overview
Chicago Lightworks is a commercial lighting sales agency representing over 100 lighting manufacturers, not a product manufacturer itself. The company serves as an intermediary providing specification support, sales representation, and application expertise to connect lighting manufacturers with architects, designers, and commercial projects. Their linecard (available as PDF download) lists represented brands across categories including controls, lamps, architectural lighting, decorative fixtures, outdoor/site lighting, and specialty lighting segments. Key represented manufacturer groups include Genlyte Solutions (Lightolier, Alkco, Gardco, Lumec, Color Kinetics, Day-Brite, Ledalite, Stonco), Legrand-Wattstopper, Philips, Eaton brands, and numerous independent specialty manufacturers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Lighting Manufacturer Representation
Companies that use Chicago Lightworks
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Chicago Lightworks technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Chicago Lightworks partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- RP Lighting + FanscoreChicago Lightworks represents RP Lighting + Fans as a manufacturers' representative in the Chicago market.
- EWOcoreChicago Lightworks represents EWO as a manufacturers' representative in the Chicago market.
- Millennium LightingcoreChicago Lightworks represents Millennium Lighting as a manufacturers' representative in the Chicago market.
- PhilipscoreChicago Lightworks represents Philips lighting products including lamps and LED products through FlexFit TLED.
- Day-BritecoreChicago Lightworks represents Day-Brite by Genlyte Solutions. Featured product is the SDS Selectable Strip.
- LEDALITEcoreChicago Lightworks represents LEDALITE by Genlyte Solutions. Featured product is DecoForm.
- Legrand - WattstoppercoreChicago Lightworks represents Legrand - Wattstopper for lighting controls products in the Chicago market.
- Genlyte Solutions (Multiple Brands)coreChicago Lightworks represents multiple Genlyte Solutions brands including Lightolier, Alkco, Gardco, Lumec, Chloride, Hadco, Color Kinetics, Stonco, and additional brands.
- Illuminating Engineering SocietyminorChicago Lightworks is a proud sponsor and partner of the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) Chicago chapter.
- International Interior Design AssociationminorChicago Lightworks is a proud sponsor and partner of IIDA Illinois Chapter.
- Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS (DIFFA)minorChicago Lightworks is a partner of DIFFA Chicago, supporting the design industry's charitable efforts.
- ACE Mentor ProgramminorChicago Lightworks supports the ACE Mentor Program for architecture, construction, and engineering students.
- ArquitinaminorChicago Lightworks partners with Arquitina to raise licensed Latina architects in the US.
- SourcewellcoreChicago Lightworks has a partnership with Sourcewell, a cooperative purchasing organization that provides contracting options for government, education, and non-profit entities.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Chicago Lightworks competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Signify (formerly Philips Lighting): Global lighting manufacturer and a principal Chicago Lightworks represents (Philips/FlexFit TLED). Comparable as the dominant supplier in the same commercial lighting specification channel, though Signify's distribution is global and direct while Chicago Lightworks is a regional sales intermediary.
- ERCO Lighting: International architectural lighting manufacturer with a strong specification-driven business model and US rep network. Comparable as a premium architectural lighting principal in the same commercial specification channel as Chicago Lightworks.
- Legrand (Wattstopper): Major lighting controls manufacturer and a principal Chicago Lightworks represents via Legrand-Wattstopper. Operates in the same specification-to-controls value chain for commercial projects and competes/co-sells alongside the agency.
- Acuity Brands: Parent of Genlyte Solutions, whose brands (Lightolier, Alkco, Gardco, Lumec, Chloride, Color Kinetics, Day-Brite, Ledalite, Stonco) Chicago Lightworks represents. A national lighting manufacturer that Chicago Lightworks' commercial specification work is built around, sharing the same Chicago A&D channel.
- Eaton (Cooper Lighting Solutions): Major commercial lighting manufacturer whose portfolio overlaps Chicago Lightworks' linecard in commercial and outdoor luminaires. Comparable as a national manufacturer with direct rep forces operating in the same Chicago commercial specification channel.
- Hubbell Lighting: Large US commercial and industrial lighting manufacturer competing for the same architectural specifications. Comparable as a lighting principal that is both a partner candidate and alternative specification choice for the same Chicago A&D customers.
Emerging players
- The Lighting Quotient: Architectural lighting manufacturer explicitly referenced in Chicago Lightworks' Instagram (a joint 'All Day With Ona' event). Comparable as a niche specification-driven principal that depends on rep agencies like Chicago Lightworks for Chicago A&D access.
- Axis Lighting: Independent architectural LED luminaire manufacturer focused on commercial and healthcare specifications. Comparable as a specialty lighting principal that competes for the same Chicago specification slots and could plausibly be added to or compete with Chicago Lightworks' linecard.
- Vode Lighting: Architectural linear LED lighting manufacturer explicitly referenced in Chicago Lightworks' Instagram (a Sonoma trip with Vode was highlighted). Comparable as a niche, specification-driven architectural lighting brand that relies on rep agencies like Chicago Lightworks for Chicago-market penetration.
Direct peers
- Indiana Lightworks: Indiana-based lighting representative agency explicitly referenced in Chicago Lightworks' own Instagram posts as a sister agency ('Lightworks University' training included Indiana Lightworks staff). Directly comparable as a multi-manufacturer lighting rep serving the architecture and design community with the same go-to-market motion.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Chicago Lightworks social profiles
Digital presenceChicago Lightworks financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Chicago Lightworks leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Chicago Lightworks funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Chicago Lightworks 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 Chicago Lightworks
What does Chicago Lightworks do?
Chicago Lightworks is a commercial lighting manufacturers' representative agency based in Lisle, Illinois. The company represents over 100 lighting manufacturers, providing specification support, sales representation, technical consultation, and application expertise to architects, designers, contractors, and commercial property owners in the Chicago metropolitan area. Revenue is earned through agency commissions from the lighting brands the firm represents.
Is Chicago Lightworks a public or private company?
Chicago Lightworks is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Chicago Lightworks founded?
Chicago Lightworks was founded in 2017. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Chicago Lightworks based?
Chicago Lightworks is headquartered in Lisle, United States, in the North America region.
How does Chicago Lightworks make money?
One revenue line is on record: agency commissions.
Who are Chicago Lightworks's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Signify (formerly Philips Lighting), ERCO Lighting, Legrand (Wattstopper), Acuity Brands, Eaton (Cooper Lighting Solutions) and Hubbell Lighting. Emerging players are The Lighting Quotient, Axis Lighting and Vode Lighting. Indiana Lightworks is listed as a direct peer.
Does Chicago Lightworks have an API?
No public API is recorded for Chicago Lightworks.
What industry is Chicago Lightworks in?
Chicago Lightworks's product category is Commercial Lighting Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAJ, Lighting Design Services, with a secondary code of HSAOAFAM, Commercial Lighting Fixture Installation. Its NAICS code is 335132 and its SIC code is 3640.