Isle firm will buy
lighting company
in Washington state

Hawaii-based Energy Industries LLC said yesterday it will acquire Quantum Lighting, a Washington state lighting and energy consulting company.

Adding Quantum Lighting is a strategically important move if Energy Industries wants to grow, said Darren T. Kimura, president and chief executive of the local company.

"We're really trying to become a large national player so this is a very important first step to broaden our market outside of Hawaii," said Kimura, who launched Energy Industries in 1994 from his hometown of Hilo on the Big Island. Since then, the company has grown to include ECH, ECH Lighting & Electrical, ECH Lighting Co., Pacific Energy Services, and eCONTROLS.

The companies design and build lighting and energy-efficient systems.

Quantum Lighting, founded in 1974, provides design services, energy savings calculations, project management and utility rebate assistance for lighting retrofits to customers in Washington, Idaho, California and Alaska.

Kimura said he learned of the company after partnering with them on several projects and he briefly served as their president in 2004. He stepped down as president of Quantum in October 2004 to begin preparing for the eventual acquisition, he said.

"Energy Industries has gained a lot of great people who are very skilled at what they do," Kimura said. "They fit our company philosophy and we gain their existing customer base."

Following the acquisition, Quantum will remain in Spokane, Kimura said. The company will serve as the Pacific Northwest main regional office for Energy Industries, which also has offices in Seattle, Portland, Ore., and Sacramento, Calif.