Atar Capital Acquires Universal Lighting and Douglas Lighting Controls from Panasonic

LDS ULT Douglas 400

March 22, 2021

Atar Capital, a Los Angeles-based global private investment firm, announced today it has completed the acquisition of Universal Lighting Technologies and Douglas Lighting Controls from parent company, Panasonic Corporation. 

Universal Lighting Technologies manufactures and markets innovative LED lighting solutions for the commercial market with solutions that range from LED upgrades and retrofits to connected lighting solutions and IoT digital services. Douglas Lighting Controls develops advanced control systems and end-to-end energy-efficient digital lighting control solutions for commercial buildings, campuses and sports complexes. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Through the change of ownership, the businesses will be renamed Universal Douglas Lighting Americas, Inc. and will operate as one company to address the needs of the market for a broader and more integrated suite of products and solutions.

This is Atar Capital’s seventh platform acquisition in just over four years. Commenting on this latest acquisition, Cyrus Nikou, founder and managing partner of Atar Capital, said, “Commercial lighting is an industry that is rapidly evolving with exciting new technology that is transforming the future of lighting and how we view it and use it. The acquisition of these two highly respected companies offers a huge opportunity for us to support greater innovation and growth in this industry. We are excited to complete this transaction and look forward to continuing to build upon the success of both companies.”

Robert Lezec, senior managing director at Atar, added, “The commercial lighting industry is in the midst of a significant transformation as cost-efficient LED light sources are now being supplemented by increasingly sophisticated controls, sensors and networking functionalities. Smart IoT lighting not only helps to drive incremental cost savings, but it also provides a platform for many valuable features within commercial spaces, including data collection and tracking, among others. We see numerous opportunities for these companies to capitalize on this industry-wide trend and we are excited once again to be at the heart of where technology meets sustainability.”

Through this acquisition, Atar confirms the position of Ty Anderson as chief executive officer of both companies. “With this acquisition we have the opportunity to significantly enhance our ability to continue to create an exciting future for the field of commercial lighting. Our relationship with Atar Capital will give us the support needed to drive further innovation in the development of lighting solutions that meet the evolving needs of our customers,” said Anderson.

Nikou led the Atar investment team that also included Senior Managing Director Lezec, Managing Directors Vijay Mony and Stanley Huang, Director T.J. McCaffrey and Senior Associate Roman Zelinsky. Dykema provided legal counsel to Atar Capital. FGI Finance provided financing and GCA Advisors was the sell-side investment bank.

Source

Related Articles


Changing Scene

  • July 10, 2025 - Mac’s II Agencies Announce Addition to Project & Specification Sales Team

    Mac’s II Agencies Announces Addition to Project & Specification Sales Team

    Mac’s II Agencies is pleased to announce that Drazen Jerkovic will be joining their Project & Specification Sales team in the Lighting Division later this fall. With over 25 years of experience in the lighting and electrical industry, Drazen is a highly respected consultant known for his technical knowledge and deep understanding of project delivery. His recent role… Read More…

  • Noramco-Announces-Samantha-Boernsen-as-New-Regional-Sales-Manager-Winnipeg

    Noramco Announces Samantha Boernsen as New Regional Sales Manager, Winnipeg

    Please join Noramco in welcoming Samantha Boernsen as Regional Sales Manager, Winnipeg! Samantha brings a wealth of experience in the electrical industry, with a strong focus on lighting, marketing strategy, and customer engagement. She has built her career on connecting technical expertise with real-world application, making her a trusted partner to clients and colleagues alike.… Read More…


Design


New Products

  • Axis Lighting: MikroLite Sketch 2 Surface Lighting System

    Axis Lighting: MikroLite Sketch 2 Surface Lighting System

    The Sketch 2 now integrates MikroLite, providing unparalleled precision and flexibility in lighting design. MikroLite optics are available in any radius over 18” in single-cell increments of 1.45.” Sketch 2 with MikroLite can be used to create complete low-glare fixtures or as a set of curved downlights, giving you a wide range of design options to suit any space. Read More…

  • BeLuce: Nova UAC-P 2500W Emergency Lighting Power Supply – Pure Sine Wave

    BeLuce: Nova UAC-P 2500W Emergency Lighting Power Supply – Pure Sine Wave

    The Nova UAC-P 2500W is a larger emergency lighting power supply which allows standard lighting to also be used as Emergency Lighting. The Nova UAC-P 2500 will transfer up to 2500W of true sine wave power in the event of a power failure to support egress lighting for 30 minutes. As with the standard Nova… Read More…