Phoenix Lighting acquires Rig-A-Lite to expand industrial lighting reach
What's the deal? Phoenix Lighting, a Milwaukee-based industrial lighting manufacturer backed by JMC Capital Partners, has completed its acquisition of Rig-A-Lite LLC, a Texas-based maker of industrial and commercial lighting products. The transaction closed on May 14, 2026.
Rig-A-Lite specialises in specification-grade lighting for hazardous locations, industrial sites, and commercial applications. It sells through a nationwide network of electrical distributors and representative agencies.
Rig-A-Lite will keep operating under its own brand from its Houston facilities, with its leadership team and employees staying in place.
Why now? Phoenix Lighting, founded in 1892, serves ports, mining, marine, aviation, and government markets. Adding Rig-A-Lite gives it a complementary footprint in hazardous-location and commercial lighting — filling gaps in its existing portfolio without overlap.
"Bringing together two long-standing US manufacturers of harsh and hazardous industrial lighting creates a stronger company with greater breadth, depth, and expertise to serve our customers and partners," said Rick Rosser, chief executive officer of Phoenix Lighting.
What could go wrong? Integrating two manufacturers with distinct product lines and customer bases always carries execution risk. Maintaining Rig-A-Lite's brand identity and distributor relationships while capturing synergies will be the key challenge. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, making it hard to assess whether the acquisition was priced for success.
The signal: The deal reflects ongoing consolidation in niche industrial manufacturing, where private equity-backed platforms are rolling up specialised players to build scale. In lighting specifically, the shift to LED and smart systems has created opportunities for companies that can offer broad, specification-grade product ranges across demanding environments. Combining two US-based manufacturers also hedges against supply chain disruption — a persistent concern in industrial markets.
Goodwin Procter LLP advised Phoenix Lighting on the deal, while Baker & Hostetler LLP represented the seller, AIS Holding Company LLC.
Read more: globenewswire.com
