This year, LSI celebrates
its 50th anniversary.
To mark the occasion, we’re sharing the story of our company decade by decade, from a small lighting shop in Cincinnati to a 23-facility manufacturer generating nearly $1 billion in annual revenue, serving customers across North America. We hope this series gives our customers, partners, and communities a deeper look at how LSI became who we are today.
As Americans adapted to the self-service model of refueling their vehicles, Ready noticed that many gas stations in those early years were poorly lit or not lit at all, limiting owners’ ability to operate safely at night and grow their businesses. With a vision, a small shop, and a plan, he set out to change that, and in the process built one of the most respected and recognized lighting companies in America.
Throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s, LSI experienced significant growth. By 1980, the company had outgrown its original space and moved to a larger location. To inject additional capital into the business, LSI went public in 1985, beginning to trade on the NASDAQ Stock Market under the ticker symbol LYTS, less than a decade after opening its doors.
The determination of the employees and customers who believed in Ready’s vision during those early years created the foundation LSI continues to build on today.
Throughout the mid-to-late 1980s, LSI expanded well beyond its petroleum industry roots, growing into landscape, commercial, and industrial indoor lighting solutions, as well as pole manufacturing. In 1989, the company moved into its current Cincinnati, Ohio, headquarters, a home base that has anchored its operations ever since.
During this same period, the acquisitions of Abolite Lighting and SGI Graphics marked the beginning of LSI’s progression into graphics and signage manufacturing. It was a novel business concept at the time, and it allowed LSI to differentiate itself in the marketplace and deliver additional value to customers.
By 1994, LSI had added metal fabrication, stamping, and powder coating to its capabilities, and by 1995 the company was manufacturing drive-thru menu boards, further proof of its growing versatility. Toward the end of the decade, LSI revolutionized the petroleum industry with the introduction of the first Scottsdale canopy fixture. It quickly became the gold standard within the industry and the company’s bestselling product at the time.
This decade laid the groundwork for the innovation and diversification LSI is known for today.
Within these ten years, LSI welcomed new companies into its family, including Grady McCauley, a graphics provider, and ADAPT, a project management services company. These additions allowed LSI to offer retail lighting and graphics solutions at scale, and much of the decade was spent consolidating these business units and building the ability to offer comprehensive project management services to customers across America.
The biggest change, however, came early in the new century, when LSI moved away from bulb and lamp technology and began manufacturing high-performance, energy-efficient LED lighting solutions. LSI installed its first digital signage solution in 2003, entering a new market it continues to succeed in today.
The work put into bringing these companies together, and into pioneering LED technology before it became an industry standard, set LSI apart from the competition.
In 2009, LSI acquired ADL Technologies, which allowed the company to begin producing many of its own LED circuit boards and offer an array of wireless lighting control solutions, capabilities that remain central to LSI’s business today.
This decade marked an important shift for LSI as it took the next steps toward becoming a true one-stop-shop provider. Together, these acquisitions positioned LSI as a leader in high-performance LED lighting and integrated control solutions, a position the company continues to build on today.
In 2018, LSI named James A. Clark as President and CEO, and the company refocused on its vertical market strategy. That renewed focus paid off quickly: LSI earned $100 million in new business from one of America’s leading QSR chains, a project that included manufacturing, program management, and post-sales support, and one of the biggest wins in company history. During this period, LSI also reduced its debt from $40 million to zero, positioning the company for the growth still to come.
Despite the headwinds of the COVID-19 pandemic, LSI kept moving forward. The company acquired JSI Store Fixtures in 2021, adding to its offerings in the grocery, convenience store, and retail markets, and launched more than 40 new or enhanced lighting products that same year, a pace of innovation it has continued every year since. LSI also became the official lighting partner of the USA Pickleball Association, cementing its place as a leader in outdoor sports lighting.
Building on its vertical market approach, LSI introduced its Fast Forward plan for continued growth, anchored by a robust product development process, an elevated Professional Services business, and sustainability efforts driven by eco-friendly ideas. In 2024, LSI acquired EMI Industries, an award-winning metal and millwork manufacturer serving the convenience store, grocery, and restaurant industries, deepening its reach into those key markets. In 2025, LSI added Canada’s Best Store Fixtures, furthering its reach into grocery, C-Store, and specialty retail while growing its presence in the fast-growing Canadian market.
Then, in 2026, LSI acquired The Royston Group for $325 million, marking a transformational expansion of its integrated retail solutions platform. Georgia-based Royston brings vertically integrated capabilities across store fixtures, signage, and refrigerated and heated display cases, along with more than 900 employees and five U.S. facilities. The acquisition strengthens LSI’s ability to deliver end-to-end solutions and deepens its presence in key verticals including refueling, grocery, and quick-service restaurants, advancing its Fast Forward strategy even further.
Today, LSI operates 23 manufacturing facilities across the North America, employing close to 3,000 people. That scale allows the company to supply everything from lighting and graphics to store fixtures and circuit boards, a far cry from the seven-person team that started in a small shop in Cincinnati 50 years ago.
As LSI closes out this chapter and looks ahead to the next 50 years, the company recognizes the customers, partners, and employees whose commitment and dedication have carried it to this milestone.
Thank you for being part of 50 years of perseverance, innovation, and progress.