About LSI Industries

LSI Heritage

Proud Past, Bright Future

1970s: The Start
Founded in 1976 in Greater Cincinnati by entrepreneur, Robert Ready, LSI Industries began as a lighting supplier to the petroleum industry. As Americans began adapting to the self-service model of refueling their vehicles, Mr. Ready noticed that many of the gas stations in those early years were either poorly lit, or completely unlit – impacting their owners’ ability to operate safely at night and grow their businesses. With a vision, a small shop and a plan, Mr. Ready set out to change all of that. In the the process, he created a one of the most respected and recognized lighting companies in America.

1980s: The Early Years
Throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s, LSI experienced significant growth. To inject additional capital into the business, the company was taken public and began trading on the NASDAQ national market in 1985 under the ticker symbol LYTS. It was during the 1980s that LSI expanded its business to include a variety of landscaping, commercial and industrial indoor lighting solutions, as well as pole manufacturing. During this period, the company also began manufacturing graphics and signage solutions. It was a novel business concept, and it allowed the company to differentiate itself in the marketplace and deliver additional value to its customers.

1990s: Expansion
Throughout the 1990s, LSI continued to grow exponentially, both organically and through acquisitions. It was during this decade that the company revolutionized the petroleum industry when it introduced its first Scottsdale canopy fixture. The Scottsdale quickly became the gold standard within the petroleum industry, as well as LSI’s best selling lighting product at the time. The decade also saw LSI begin to manufacture drive-thru menu boards and offer retail lighting and graphics solutions on a large scale.

2000s: The Future
The new century ushered in a number of important changes at LSI. During this time period, the company consolidated all of its business units and began offering comprehensive project management services to customers all across America. The biggest change, however, took place early in the decade when LSI moved away from bulb and lamp technology and began manufacturing high-performance, highly energy-efficient LED lighting solutions. In addition, the company began producing many of its own LED circuit boards and offering an array of wireless lighting control solutions.

At LSI, we are proud of our heritage, as well as our solid track record of adapting to rapid technological and regulatory changes. Today, under the leadership of LSI’s President and CEO, James A. Clark, the company is on a transformational path. LSI is financially strong, fit to grow and recognized all across America for quality, reliability and innovation. We are committed to building upon our legacy of excellence that began nearly 50 years ago. Indeed, the future is bright for LSI, and the future is now.