COVER STORY
SMART HIGH BAY RETROFIT
TRANSFORMS
Bridget Leary
S M A R T H I G H B AY R E T R O F I T T R A N S F O R M S M A N U FA C T U R I N G C A M P U S / / M AY 2 0 2 6 / / L M & M
Manufacturing Campus
Large-scale manufacturing facilities across North America are facing the same issue: aging high bay systems that no longer meet modern performance expectations. A recent four-building retrofit in Windsor, Ontario shows how contractors can upgrade lighting, improve visibility, and significantly cut energy use—without disrupting operations. Centerline Windsor Ltd., a global automation manufacturer, recently completed a full lighting upgrade across its campus, replacing outdated high bays that had been in service for more than a decade. The project offers practical lessons for contractors working in active industrial environments.
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WHEN MAINTENANCE BECOMES THE PROBLEM The existing system—linear high bays installed in 2009— had reached the end of its useful life. Light levels had dropped, fixtures were failing, and maintenance teams were constantly relamping and renting lifts. Even after cleaning, performance gains were minimal. Average light levels hovered around 27 foot-candles—well below what is needed for precision manufacturing tasks like CNC machining and robotic assembly.