SUPPLY CHAIN SIMPLICITY:
INTRODUCING 120V—480V
By Randy Reid
Supply chain management has become one of the most critical—and frustrating—aspects of the lighting business. Contractors, distributors, and ESCOs are all feeling the pressure: fewer stocked items, longer lead times, and more complexity on the jobsite. In that environment, any product that reduces variables is more than a convenience—it’s a competitive advantage. One of the clearest examples of this shift is the growing importance of luminaires that operate across a full voltage range, from 120 through 480 volts. According to Dan Sorensen of Litetronics International, this is a newly developed technical capability—one that also delivers
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huge supply chain advantages. Dan, who has spent his entire 20-year career with the company and now serves as Vice President of the Midwest, has watched the industry evolve from lamp-based systems to today’s highly engineered LED platforms. What stands out to him now is how much the conversation has shifted away from pure performance and toward logistics. “The goal,” Dan explained, “is to remove voltage from the list of things a contractor has to worry about. If you can do that, you simplify everything—from ordering to installation.”