A SPOTLIGHT ON VISTA
Lighting the Way
Welcome to Vista Professional Outdoor Lighting, one of the leading suppliers and innovators in the architectural and landscape lighting industry. In business and expanding its operations for almost 25 years, Vista designs, manufactures, and supplies a wide range of distinctive lighting fixtures, transformers, HID ballasts and accessories for the lighting professional. Vista manufactures products for both the low voltage and line voltage lighting markets. Vista has a well-established reputation among lighting designers, engineers, architects, distributors, contractors, and property owners for high quality products and outstanding customer support. Vista’s range of innovative designs and finishes are an ideal compliment to residential, commercial, public area, resort and institutional applications. All Vista products are manufactured at the company’s headquarters in Simi Valley, California in a verticallyintegrated manufacturing process that custom-builds and ships each fixture in less than 24 hours from the receipt of the distributor’s order. Over 2,000 distributor locations worldwide stock Vista products and provide local product support.
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Customers First
Vista’s rapid growth and leadership positions in innovative design, product quality and overall customer service have come from listening directly to customer needs and then responding with a full range of solutions and helpful in-field support. Vista continually gathers feedback in customer sessions held at its factory and through countless industry events and gatherings to determine the types of features needed by the customers. The active involvement of customers guarantees new products and improvements match the exact market needs. Vista works hard to ensure the success of all of its customers. No other architectural and landscape lighting manufacturer does more to educate and support professional installers. In the last decade, Vista has educated thousands of professional contractors on designing and installing reliable lighting systems for residential and commercial properties. By providing a wide range of educational programs, technical support, in-the-field site visits, specification assistance and contractor business development, Vista stands out as a leader in total customer support.
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A Tradition of Innovation
With Vista’s intimate understanding of the needs of the professional contractor, the company develops new product solutions that are rugged, easy-to-install and flexible in design. In addition, Vista carefully tracks trends in the architectural, landscape design and home decor markets to develop fresh new models that are relevant and aesthetically pleasing. Vista has been a pioneer in incorporating new technology into its product offerings. The company was the first manufacturer to introduce the all-halogen concept across its entire line of low-voltage lighting fixtures. Vista recently introduced a complete range of energy-saving LED fixtures that have a fraction of the power consumption of similar traditional incandescent fixtures. The company also pioneered the use of fiber-reinforced industrial composites in the manufacture of lighting fixtures, enhancing their performance, durability and longevity. An on-site product development laboratory allows Vista to continually test its products and those of its competitors against a wide variety of key performance criteria. All Vista product designs are subjected to a strict regimen of climatic, weather, electrical and life cycle testing before going into production. In addition, the on-site laboratory assures that all products meet the stringent standards of Underwriters Laboratory so they receive the marks of UL and CUL approval. All products are also tested for conformity with European Community (CE) standards. 5
Quality and Durability for Lasting Satisfaction Quality products backed by outstanding support are the cornerstone of any company that wishes to develop a reputation as a leader in the years to come. Vista has set the industry benchmark for when it comes to what customers care about most: personalized service, quality, fast delivery, reliability, design, value and ease of installation. Since the beginning, Vista has prided itself on being one of the most vertically integrated manufacturers of architectural and landscape lighting products, carefully controlling each step of the manufacturing process at its facilities. This approach has proven to be a significant advantage in both quality and response time.
Because Vista performs all of the steps needed to convert raw materials into complete finished products in less than 24 hours, the company can quickly respond to custom orders for over 320 different product styles and 13 different colors.
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Customized to Your Needs Vista prides itself on its ability to respond to custom orders. Whether the need is for a specific custom height, stem length, color, lens or lamp, Vista stands ready to create the specific fixture needed to meet the project needs. In fact, many custom requests can still be implemented and shipped within the company’s usual 24 hour production window, thanks to the wide range of in-house capabilities. Vista can also custom design and engineer specific architectural or landscape lighting solutions for projects with unique requirements for specific aesthetics or performance.
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People with a Passion
Few manufacturers, regardless of industry, location or longevity, can boast the energy and enthusiasm of the workforce at Vista. Vista’s people are talented, intelligent and focused on their true passion for the architectural and landscape lighting business. Driven to be the leader, the people at Vista take a hands-on and “can-do” approach to working with customers. At the company’s Simi Valley, California, headquarters, just west of Los Angeles, Vista promotes a closely-knit and creative atmosphere that is results-oriented. More than just a motivated workforce, Vista has the contagious esprit-de-corps of a dedicated team. This spirit carries through in the service and support they provide each day in the factory and out in-the-field.
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Why Landscape Lighting?
Today’s homeowners see their landscapes as a source of pride, a refuge for relaxation and a place to enjoy good times with family and friends. Vista products bring these spaces to life after the sun goes down, providing an unmatched aesthetic effect while adding safety and usability. Landscape lighting provides these important benefits:
BEAUTIFICATION: Focal points stand out and become more beautiful. Textures not seen in daylight become eye-catching detail. Architectural features can be accented, which brings the building and the landscape together for a resort-like feel.
USABILITY: Landscape lighting enjoyably extends the time spent outdoors. Now patios, pools and children’s play areas become entertainment venues, or just relaxing places to unwind.
SAFE PASSAGE: Hazards such as steps, low-hanging or thorny vegetation, abrupt changes in elevation or debris in a walkway can all be avoided with properly placed landscape lighting. Guests can be safely guided away from hazards.
SECURITY: It’s a proven fact that a well-lit landscape will deter potential intruders by eliminating dark areas and shadows that would conceal movement around the property.
VALUE: Landscape lighting not only brings a property to life, it also provides excellent return on investment by creating a stunning first impression when viewed by visitors. 9
Why Architectural Lighting?
The addition of architectural-grade landscape lighting to a project adds a new dimension of beauty, safety, security and usability. Whether the application is commercial, industrial, institutional or public area, Vista products can help today’s professional designers deliver on the toughest requirements. Vista’s impressively designed and solidly constructed architectural luminaires and ballast enclosures include choices for lighting of plantings, signage, architectural features, pathways and more, providing a coordinated family of options that can be customized to the client’s specific tastes. Each Vista architectural-grade fixture is designed for maximum efficiency and easiest ongoing maintenance for the lowest total cost in both installation and everyday use. 10
Why Choose Vista? •
HIGHEST QUALITY: Each Vista fixture, HID ballast and transformer is robustly constructed of the highest-grade materials for outstanding durability and lasting satisfaction. As a verticallyintegrated manufacturer, Vista carefully controls each step of manufacturing in its own facilities for outstanding quality.
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WIDEST FIXTURE SELECTION: To compliment landscapes of all types and sizes, Vista offers a broad line of fixture styles, finishes, lamps and mounting options. Designers can choose from over 320 fixture designs in aluminum, brass, copper, stainless steel or industrial composites. Most fixtures can be custom-fitted to the project with choices of finishes, lamps, accessories and mounting options.
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FASTEST TURNAROUND: No other manufacturer can deliver orders as quickly as Vista. Vista can produce any fixture style with choice of lamp, finish, accessories and mounting options in 24 hours from receipt of the customer’s order.
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PEOPLE THAT CARE: At its heart, Vista is a customer-focused manufacturer that understands that it takes more than great products to ensure total customer satisfaction.
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Our History
At Vista, our heritage is built upon the wisdom and work ethic of an electrical contractor, our founder, Daniel F. Cuñado. After installing and working with other brands of landscape fixtures in the mid-1980’s, Mr. Cuñado realized that he could build a more reliable, durable and better-looking line of fixtures himself. Initially building these handsome fixtures for use on his own projects from his garage, he quickly discovered that landscape contractors and landscape architects were interested in obtaining his fixtures for their own projects. The start-up operation soon expanded into a full-time business as professional wholesale distributors signed on to carry the product line. Distribution expanded initially across the United States and later into Canada, Europe, South America, the Caribbean, the South Pacific and Asia. In developing Vista’s manufacturing processes, Cuñado adopted important principals from larger companies. Specifically, he focused on processes and systems that would allow the company to offer customers both variety and fast delivery. Cuñado’s goal was to offer the widest variety of options in fixture styles, finishes, lamps, mounting and accessories and to deliver all of the millions of different combinations in an amazingly quick 24 hour turn around. Using what he terms a “pizza parlor process” Vista stocks raw materials (like pizza ingredients) in large quantities. Then through an efficient process of die casting, machining, powder-coating and final assembly, these stock materials are rapidly combined into custom-made finished 12
products in less than 24 hours. The process also allows for a high level of modification and customization which allows the company to rapidly deliver on special orders for high-end projects. To achieve this level of productivity and through-put, the company has vertically-integrated many critical manufacturing functions that are typically outsourced, like die-casting and powder coating. This in-house control of these processes provides a higher level of quality control and delivery flexibility. In addition to helping the company produce and deliver rapidly, the efficiencies gained from this process have also permitted continued manufacturing of all products in the United States. Domestic manufacturing with skilled labor is virtually non-existent in the lighting industry. In the last 10 years, the company has rapidly expanded in Simi Valley, California. It now occupies three large manufacturing plants building lighting fixtures, transformers, HID ballasts and accessories. An onsite product testing laboratory tests fixtures for long term durability in a variety of weather and climatic conditions. The testing facility also assures all products meet the standards of Underwriters Laboratories and international standards like CUL and CE. In addition, an on-site training center educates designers and contractors that visit the facility on innovative design and installation principals. As Vista approaches its 25th year in business, the company has earned a solid reputation for product quality and service and is poised for continued rapid growth. 13
Corporate Chronology 1985
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1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1985
The first Vista fixtures produced, beginning with the 2001 and 2516 up-and-accent lights and the 4202 and 5202 pathlights. Early products are manufactured in Mr. Cuñado’s home.
1986-1987
First wholesale electrical and irrigation distributors begin stocking the new line. Sales are brisk as contractors discover the quality of the design and construction.
1987
Company moves to a dedicated facility in North Hollywood, California in 600 square feet.
1991
The first version of today’s popular 2216 up-andaccent light is introduced. This fixture incorporates the MR-16 lamp in a compact and user-friendly design. The fixture quickly becomes a best-seller and is continuously improved thereafter.
1993
Rapid growth requires relocation of manufacturing to a new space in Sun Valley, California of 5,000 square feet.
The first composite fixture, the 5203, is introduced to the market. In the coming decade, composite fixtures grow to be a significant part of Vista’s product offering.
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1994
Vista begins die-casting its own fixtures in-house. The first mold is for the company’s flagship 2216 up-andaccent light.
Vista becomes the first manufacturer to offer an allhalogen line, converting from less-efficient older-style lamps across all of its low voltage fixtures.
1996
Vista moves its headquarters to the present location on Surveyor Avenue in Simi Valley, California. In this location all assembly and corporate operations are unified into one integrated facility. The new facility includes an on-site die casting operation and a stateof-the art polyester powder coating line to allow inhouse powder coating of multiple finishes.
The integrated manufacturing operations and careful process controls allow Vista to begin offering its famous 24 hour shipping guarantee. The company states that it will build and ship fixtures to the customers specification within 24 hours from the receipt of the distributor’s order.
1998
Vista introduces its first copper lighting fixtures in the Elegante line. This line expands into the Copper Series in 2001 with the introduction of multiple new fixture styles.
1998
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Corporate Chronology (Continued) 1999
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2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2000
Vista adds the Royal Avenue building to its manufacturing complex providing a dedicated facility for die-casting and machining. The Surveyor Avenue building becomes the powder-coating, assembly and shipping center. The Royal Avenue building also contains a state-of-the-art training center for customer education and a fully-staffed product testing laboratory to test new designs and to monitor compliance with Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and European Community (CE) standards. The UL laboratory is formally certified on December 11, 2000.
The same year, Vista debuts its complete line of line voltage architectural luminaires. This line is quickly accepted by architects, engineers, lighting designers and electrical distributors for commercial, institutional and public area projects.
2005
Vista makes a significant investment in additional CNC (Computer Numeric Controlled) machining equipment which adds a high degree of precision and automatic processing to repetitive machining tasks. The company launches an in-house metal fabricating department with the installation of multiple Amada robotic turret punch and bending presses. These new machines offer high volume capabilities for in-house production of metal component parts and for production of transformer cabinets.
2005
2006
2007
2008
Recognizing the need for environmentally-friendly, energy-efficient fixtures, Vista introduces a complete family of long-life LED fixtures. These units quickly become popular both for their long lamp life and for their low energy consumption.
2006
Vista expands again by adding the Voyager Avenue building to its complex, expanding capacity by over 50%. The company occupies over 75,000 square feet for its operations. Assembly, powder coating and shipping operations move into this new facility, which is laid out for optimal efficiency in assembly operations. As part of this new facility, a new stateof-the-art powder coating line is activated to support increased production.
2008
Vista expands its educational efforts for lighting professionals. First, a state-of-the-art customer training center opens in the Voyager Avenue building, significantly expanding the available space for training. Second, the Light Your Way to More Profits seminar series is expanded with new courses on advanced lighting design, marketing and job estimating. Courses are offered in both English and Spanish.
Vista becomes the first company in Simi Valley, California to receive a zero-discharge waste permit that recognizes the company’s commitment to environmentally-responsible manufacturing practices. 17
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Vista Professional Outdoor Lighting 1625 Surveyor Ave. Simi Valley, CA 93063 Tel: (800) 766-8478 Fax: (888) 670-8478 Internet: www.vistapro.com E-mail: email@vistapro.com Š2008 Vista Professional Outdoor Lighting, Inc. LT0831 10/08