Relume adds staff to fill LED orders

Relume continues to turn its march to change incandescent streetlight bulbs to energy-efficient LEDs into more jobs in Oxford.

The 16-year-old firm is capturing sales across the nation to the extent that it is adding sales staff in places like Pennsylvania and California. It has also attracted a shot of venture capital to grow its headcount to 50 people.

"We have plans to add even more," says Rick Nelson, vice president of sales for Relume, adding he expects the firm to move to a larger production facility but stay in northern Oakland County.

LED lights are 30-40 percent more efficient than standard incandescent bulbs. Demand has become higher and higher as energy efficiency becomes more en vogue with public and private organizations.
Streetlights have become a popular fit for LEDs, which local governments are employing with increasing frequency as they look to capitalize on lower energy bills and good publicity.

The city of Ann Arbor has been a pioneer in that category. It has changed all of the streetlights in its downtown to LEDs over the past couple of years and is now working to incorporate them in other lights throughout the city. It has recently placed another order with Relume.

"Ann Arbor, as is often the case with it, is on top of this," Nelson says. "They have kept their eyes on things. They're early adopters."

Source: Rick Nelson, vice president of sales for Relume
Writer: Jon Zemke
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