Lighting is something every home, office, and street depends on every single day. A small group of companies make most of the light bulbs, fixtures, and lighting controls used across the United States.

Some of these companies started right here in America over a century ago. Others came from Europe and grew into trusted names in American homes and businesses.

In this article, we’ll discuss the top 10 lighting companies in the United States, based on their history, ownership, and the kind of products they are known for.

Quick Comparison

Rank	Company	Founded	Owner / Founders	US Headquarters	Core Focus
1	Signify (Philips)	2016 (roots to 1891)	Spun off from Philips; publicly listed, led by CEO As Tempelman	Rosemont, Illinois	Smart Bulbs & Commercial Lighting
2	Acuity Brands	2001	Spun off from National Service Industries; publicly listed, led by CEO Neil Ashe	Atlanta, Georgia	Commercial & Architectural Lighting
3	Hubbell Lighting	1888	Founded by Harvey Hubbell; part of Hubbell Incorporated	Shelton, Connecticut	Industrial & Commercial Lighting
4	GE Lighting (a Savant company)	2020 (as part of Savant)	Founded by Savant’s Robert Madonna; privately held	Cleveland, Ohio	Home & Smart Lighting
5	Lutron Electronics	1961	Founded by Ruth & Joel Spira; privately held, family-owned	Coopersburg, Pennsylvania	Lighting Controls & Dimmers
6	Feit Electric	1978	Founded by Aaron Feit; privately held, family-owned, led by CEO Aaron Feit	Pico Rivera, California	LED Bulbs & Smart Lighting
7	Cooper Lighting Solutions	1957	Founded as part of Cooper Industries; now owned by Signify	Peachtree City, Georgia	Commercial & Outdoor Lighting
8	LEDVANCE	2016	Spun off from Osram; owned by MLS Co, China	Wilmington, Massachusetts	LED Bulbs & Lighting Systems
9	Kichler Lighting	1938	Founded by Leonard Kichler; part of Masco Corporation	Solon, Ohio	Decorative Home Lighting
10	Cree Lighting	1982 (as Ruud Lighting)	Founded by Alan Ruud; owned by Advanced Lighting Technologies & Feit Electric	Durham, North Carolina	LED Commercial Lighting

1. Signify (Philips) – The World’s Largest Lighting Company

• Founded: 2016 (roots to 1891) 
• Owner: Spun off from Philips; publicly listed, led by CEO As Tempelman 
• Headquarters (US): Rosemont, Illinois

Signify’s story actually begins in 1891, when Philips opened its first lightbulb factory in the Netherlands. The lighting division stayed part of Philips for over a century, helping shape modern electric light. In 2016, Philips spun off its lighting business into its own separate public company.

The new company took the name Signify in 2018, though it still sells products under the well-known Philips and Philips Hue brand names. Signify makes both simple household bulbs and large commercial lighting systems. As Tempelman now leads the company as chairman and CEO.

What Signify does: Makes smart bulbs, commercial lighting, and lighting control systems.

Services: Smart home lighting, commercial and outdoor lighting, and connected lighting systems.

2. Acuity Brands – North America’s Largest Lighting Company

• Founded: 2001 
• Owner: Spun off from National Service Industries; publicly listed, led by CEO Neil Ashe 
• Headquarters: Atlanta, Georgia

Acuity Brands traces its roots to Lithonia Lighting, a company that had been making lighting fixtures since 1946. In 2001, its parent company split apart, and the lighting business became its own separate public company called Acuity Brands. The company grew further by adding well-known names like Holophane and Peerless to its lineup.

Acuity Brands is now considered the largest lighting company in North America by sales. Neil Ashe took over as CEO in 2020, leading the company through the shift toward LED and smart lighting technology. Acuity Brands supplies lighting to offices, schools, and commercial buildings across the country.

What Acuity Brands does: Makes commercial and architectural lighting fixtures and controls.

Services: Commercial lighting fixtures, lighting controls, and smart building technology.

3. Hubbell Lighting – A 19th-Century Name Still Lighting Buildings Today

• Founded: 1888 
• Owner: Founded by Harvey Hubbell; part of Hubbell Incorporated 
• Headquarters: Shelton, Connecticut

Hubbell Lighting is part of Hubbell Incorporated, a company started way back in 1888 by inventor Harvey Hubbell. He first made his name with electrical plugs and switches before the company expanded into lighting fixtures. That long history in electrical products gave Hubbell strong engineering roots.

Hubbell Lighting today focuses mainly on lighting for large buildings, warehouses, and outdoor spaces rather than home decor. The company moved its headquarters from Orange to Shelton, Connecticut, in 2010. Hubbell remains a trusted name among electricians and commercial building owners.

What Hubbell Lighting does: Makes industrial and commercial lighting fixtures.

Services: Commercial lighting fixtures, outdoor lighting, and lighting controls.

4. GE Lighting (a Savant Company) – A Historic Brand Under New Ownership

• Founded: 2020 (as part of Savant) 
• Owner: Founded by Savant’s Robert Madonna; privately held 
• Headquarters: Cleveland, Ohio

GE Lighting’s history traces back to Thomas Edison and General Electric’s earliest lightbulb business from the 1800s. The GE Lighting brand stayed under General Electric’s ownership for well over a century. In 2020, smart home company Savant Systems bought the entire lighting business from GE.

Savant itself was founded in 2005 by Robert Madonna, focused on smart home technology and automation. Acquiring GE Lighting gave Savant a well-known consumer lighting brand to pair with its smart home products. GE Lighting products are still sold under the familiar GE name in stores today.

What GE Lighting does: Makes home light bulbs and smart lighting products.

Services: LED light bulbs, smart bulbs, and home lighting fixtures.

5. Lutron Electronics – The Inventor of the Modern Dimmer Switch

• Founded: 1961 
• Owner: Founded by Ruth & Joel Spira; privately held, family-owned 
• Headquarters: Coopersburg, Pennsylvania

Lutron was started in 1961 by a husband-and-wife team, Ruth and Joel Spira, working out of a small New York apartment. Joel invented the first solid-state dimmer switch, a small device that let people adjust how bright their lights could be. That single invention created an entirely new category within the lighting industry.

The company grew steadily while staying privately owned by the Spira family and its employees. Lutron later expanded into smart shades and whole-home lighting control systems. The company remains one of the most trusted names in lighting controls for homes and businesses.

What Lutron Electronics does: Makes dimmer switches, smart shades, and lighting control systems.

Services: Dimmer switches, smart lighting controls, motorized shades, and home automation.

6. Feit Electric – A Family Business Behind Millions of Light Bulbs

• Founded: 1978 
• Owner: Founded by Aaron Feit; privately held, family-owned, led by CEO Aaron Feit 
• Headquarters: Pico Rivera, California

Feit Electric was started in 1978 in a small warehouse in California, importing basic lighting products like bulbs and flashlights. Aaron Feit built the company slowly into a major supplier for large US retailers over the following decades. Feit Electric later expanded heavily into energy-efficient LED and smart home lighting.

The company remains family-owned today, still led by founder Aaron Feit as CEO. Feit Electric added the LIFX smart lighting brand in 2022 and later acquired the residential Cree Lighting lineup in 2025. Its products are widely sold at major stores like Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Walmart.

What Feit Electric does: Makes affordable LED bulbs and smart home lighting products.

Services: LED light bulbs, smart bulbs, security lighting, and decorative lighting.

7. Cooper Lighting Solutions – A Historic Name Now Owned by Signify

• Founded: 1957 
• Owner: Founded as part of Cooper Industries; now owned by Signify 
• Headquarters: Peachtree City, Georgia

Cooper Lighting Solutions traces its lighting roots back to 1957, as part of the larger Cooper Industries company. Over the decades, Cooper built a strong reputation for lighting used in offices, factories, and outdoor spaces. The lighting business later became part of Eaton, another large electrical equipment company.

In 2024, Signify bought Cooper Lighting Solutions from Eaton, adding it to its own growing lighting business. The brand kept its own name and product lines even after the ownership change. Cooper Lighting Solutions continues focusing mainly on commercial and outdoor lighting projects.

What Cooper Lighting Solutions does: Makes commercial and outdoor lighting fixtures.

Services: Commercial lighting fixtures, outdoor and street lighting, and lighting controls.

8. LEDVANCE – A German Brand Now Owned by a Chinese Company

• Founded: 2016 
• Owner: Spun off from Osram; owned by MLS Co, China 
• Headquarters (US): Wilmington, Massachusetts

LEDVANCE was created in 2016 when German lighting company Osram sold off its traditional lamp business as a separate company. The new company kept selling products under the well-known Osram and Sylvania brand names in the US. This gave LEDVANCE instant recognition among American shoppers already familiar with those names.

A Chinese company called MLS Co bought LEDVANCE shortly after it was formed. LEDVANCE continues focusing on LED bulbs and lighting systems for homes and businesses. The company still operates its US business under the familiar Sylvania name on many products.

What LEDVANCE does: Makes LED bulbs and lighting systems under the Sylvania brand.

Services: LED light bulbs, commercial lighting, and smart lighting products.

9. Kichler Lighting – A Family-Run Decorative Lighting Brand

• Founded: 1938 
• Owner: Founded by Leonard Kichler; part of Masco Corporation 
• Headquarters: Solon, Ohio

Kichler Lighting began in 1938 as a small decorative lighting business started by Leonard Kichler in Cleveland, Ohio. In 1954, businessman Sam Minoff bought the company but kept the original Kichler name out of respect for its founder. The Minoff family then ran and grew the business for decades afterward.

Kichler became known for stylish chandeliers, pendant lights, and outdoor fixtures found in many American homes. In 2018, the company was bought by Masco Corporation, a larger building products company. Kichler still keeps its headquarters in the Cleveland area today.

What Kichler Lighting does: Makes decorative lighting fixtures for homes.

Services: Chandeliers, pendant lights, ceiling fans, and outdoor decorative lighting.

10. Cree Lighting – A Brand With a Complicated but Storied History

• Founded: 1982 (as Ruud Lighting) 
• Owner: Founded by Alan Ruud; owned by Advanced Lighting Technologies & Feit Electric 
• Headquarters: Durham, North Carolina

Cree Lighting’s roots trace back to Ruud Lighting, a company started in 1982 by Alan Ruud. LED chip maker Cree Inc. bought Ruud Lighting in 2011 and eventually renamed the fixture business Cree Lighting. The brand became known for some of the earliest widely used LED light fixtures in the industry.

Ownership of Cree Lighting has changed hands several times since then, moving between different companies over the years. As of 2025, the commercial lighting business belongs to Advanced Lighting Technologies, while the residential bulb lineup now belongs to Feit Electric. Despite these changes, the Cree Lighting name remains associated with strong, dependable LED lighting.

What Cree Lighting does: Makes LED lighting fixtures for commercial and residential use.

Services: LED commercial fixtures, outdoor lighting, and residential LED bulbs.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Which is the largest lighting company in North America?

Acuity Brands is considered one of the largest lighting companies in North America, supported by its well-known Lithonia Lighting brand and broad portfolio of lighting products and solutions.

2. Which companies are originally American businesses?

Hubbell Lighting, Lutron Electronics, Feit Electric, Cooper Lighting Solutions, and Kichler Lighting all have roots in the United States. Signify and LEDVANCE, meanwhile, originated from European lighting businesses.

3. Which company invented the modern dimmer switch?

Lutron Electronics is widely credited with developing the first solid-state electronic dimmer switch in 1961. The company’s innovation helped transform lighting control in residential and commercial spaces.

4. Which company is now owned by a Chinese company?

LEDVANCE, which sells lighting products under brands including OSRAM and Sylvania in various markets, is owned by MLS Co., a Chinese lighting manufacturer.

5. Which brand recently changed hands between two different owners?

Cree Lighting underwent a change in ownership in which its commercial lighting business was acquired by Advanced Lighting Technologies, while its residential lighting business was acquired by Feit Electric.

6. Are lighting companies in the USA regulated?

Yes. Lighting products sold in the United States must comply with applicable safety and performance requirements. Products may be tested or certified under standards from organizations such as UL, while energy-efficiency requirements can also apply under federal and state regulations.

7. Which company focuses mainly on decorative home lighting?

Kichler Lighting is known for decorative residential lighting, including chandeliers, pendant lights, ceiling fixtures, landscape lighting, and outdoor fixtures designed for homes.

8. Which company recently changed ownership from GE to a smart home company?

GE Lighting was acquired by Savant Systems in 2020. The acquisition brought the GE Lighting business under a company focused heavily on smart-home technology and connected-home solutions.

9. Which company owns both the Philips and Cooper Lighting brands?

Signify owns the Philips lighting brand. Cooper Lighting Solutions, however, is a separate business and is not owned by Signify; it was acquired by GE Current from Eaton and later by a private-equity-backed ownership group. Therefore, Philips and Cooper Lighting Solutions should not be described as being owned by the same company.

10. Why do these ten companies matter to everyday people?

These companies matter because their products and technologies are used in homes, offices, retail spaces, industrial facilities, public areas, and streets. They contribute to everyday lighting through bulbs, fixtures, controls, smart lighting systems, and energy-efficient solutions.

Conclusion

America’s lighting industry is a significant marketplace; here, the giants of the industry engage in a competitive struggle with up-and-coming companies that occupy the forefront of the connected lighting space. Such industry giants as Hubbell, Lutron, Feit Electric, Cooper Lighting Solutions, Kichler, and many others have their roots deeply planted in the U. S., while European LEVANCE and Signify are known to have significant experience in the lighting field.

These ten corporations will continue to shape America’s Lighting market for decades to come, as they supply millions of lighting fixtures for American homes, businesses, streets, and stores. Smart lighting and energy-efficient lighting solutions will be critical components of the future of America’s lighting industry.