Some companies talk about quality. TMS Lighting has been proving it since 1923!

As the oldest metal spinning company in North America, TMS has spent over a century perfecting a process that most manufacturers have long since automated or outsourced. At TMS, the craft is still done by hand, on the same lathes, with the same dedication, the same way it has been done for 100 years. That commitment isn't nostalgia — it's a standard.

It starts with a flat sheet of aluminum, steel, or copper. Through a process called metal spinning, skilled craftsmen take that raw material and shape it into a finished fixture on a lathe, by hand, one piece at a time. Spinners like Al — who has been doing this work since he was 18 years old — bring decades of expertise to every piece that comes off the machine. The result is a fixture with uniform lines, consistent form, and the kind of structural integrity that only comes from experience. TMS even lasers its own blanks in-house, so every component is controlled from the very beginning of the process.

Once the spinning is complete, each fixture goes through a two-stage finishing process — first powder coated to create a protective surface, then painted, because paint adheres better and lasts longer over a proper powder coat foundation. It's a detail that explains why TMS fixtures from decades ago still look sharp on buildings today.

From there, every fixture is wired, tested, and inspected before it ever reaches the shipping department. Each one is individually cleaned, blown out with an air gun, wiped down for fingerprints, and carefully packed — not stacked, not rushed, but packed with the kind of attention that keeps them arriving in perfect condition every time.

The fixtures themselves span a wide range — from the iconic RLM Calvin, one of TMS's original designs that has appeared on storefronts and in Hollywood films for generations, to the Nautic, the Moo, and a growing line of architectural and interior pieces. Available in an expansive range of colors, sizes, and materials including aluminum, steel, and copper, there's a TMS spinning for virtually every application — exterior signage lighting, commercial interiors, hospitality, residential, and beyond.

A hundred years in, TMS isn't resting on that history. They're still expanding their capabilities, still developing new spinnings, and still doing it the way it was meant to be done — with skilled hands, real materials, and genuine pride in the finished product.

The TMS Lighting team is in town this week, and Arizona Lighting Sales is glad to bring them to you. If you've ever admired a fixture on the front of a building and wondered where it came from, there's a good chance TMS made it. Now is your chance to learn more about what they can do for your next project.

Sometimes the best lighting solution is the one you barely notice — until you realize how much better the room feels. That's exactly the idea behind the T-Bar UP from JLC-Tech.

Rather than adding another fixture to an already busy ceiling plane, the T-Bar UP replaces the existing 9/16" or 15/16" ceiling grid entirely — becoming a structurally integrated component that serves as both architecture and illumination. Protruding just 3" or 6" from the ceiling, it delivers clean indirect linear light while keeping the plenum completely unoccupied.

For teams coordinating HVAC, sprinklers, and other ceiling utilities, that kind of breathing room makes a real difference on a project.

Performance specs are equally solid. Light output is customizable from 250 to 1,000+ lumens per foot, with 90 CRI and R9 greater than 70 standard across 3000K–5000K color temperatures.

Available as indirect only or direct/indirect with a variety of optic options, it adapts well to a wide range of space types. An on-board driver supports 120-277VAC with 0-10V dimming, integrated controls options are available, and a Battery Back-Up Kit can be added separately.

The T-Bar UP also meets BAA/BABA requirements and offers a genuinely sustainable approach — replacing building elements that already exist rather than adding to them. Both Armstrong and Universal mounting options are supported.

Interested in specifying the T-Bar UP for your next project? Reach out to the Arizona Lighting Sales team — we're here to help.

Lori recently had the opportunity to tour B-K Lighting in Madera, California — and it reminded her just how much quality matters when it comes to specifying lighting.

Here's what she had to share!

For those unfamiliar, B-K Lighting is a landscape lighting manufacturer credited with pioneering the modern, small-format "bullet" style landscape light. For over forty years, they've been engineering and manufacturing quality landscape lighting right here in the US — and walking through their facility made it easy to see why that matters.

But, let's talk about quality.

1. Durability worth paying for. Does the construction of the fixture actually support the expected life cycle of the project? In landscape lighting, the key concerns are corrosion, water condensation on the lens, staying consistently lit, and staying aimed. B-K has addressed and solved each of those with the way they build their fixtures. They use solid copper-free aluminum billet to precision-machine their housings — offering superior durability, heat management, and structural integrity. Their products are designed to last decades, with field-replaceable components to back that up.

2. Total cost of ownership. B-K products are designed for long-term performance and fewer failures, which means lower maintenance costs over time. The upfront investment looks different when you factor in what you're not spending on repairs and replacements down the road.

3. Consistency and performance actually matter. Lighting isn't just about brightness or hitting a footcandle number. Consistent color temperature, even light distribution, and reliable output over time are all worth taking into account. The thoughtful engineering B-K puts into every design ensures that consistency and performance are met in every single fixture.

4. Manufacturing control means fewer surprises. Because B-K designs and manufactures in the US, they control the full production process — tighter quality control, better materials sourcing, and easier customization when a project calls for it.

5. Proven track record. B-K has been in business since the early 1980s. That kind of longevity means you can expect support for your installation decades into the future. Reputation usually reflects reliability.

Quality matters — whether it's landscape lighting, linear lighting, or downlights. Paying attention to the quality of what you specify will make a difference in the end result of your project.

Check out the score board in the following weeks to see who's in the lead!

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