Maxim Lighting - A Journey in Lighting Design

Maxim Lighting Logo
image from maximlighting.com

Zvi Sperling’s career in the lighting industry spans more than 40 years. As vice president of Maxim Group Companies, the umbrella organization for businesses owned by Zvi and his brother Jacob Sperling, he directs sales and finance.

Jacob launched Maxim Lighting in a small garage while in the US working on a student visa toward a degree in aeronautics. He used what he learned in his classes to design lighting products, and the business picked up clients so quickly that he needed to enlist the help of his brother.

The company grew to produce more than 150 lighting designs and move into a 100,000-square-foot warehouse by 1975. In 2004, the company launched ET2 Contemporary Lighting through its subsidiary, Lucca Concepts Inc. In 2005, the company would move into a 275,000-square-foot warehouse, later expanding to 400,000 total square feet in California. Maxim Group Companies would also acquire a 200,000-square-foot space in Atlanta that serves as a distribution facility for the East Coast.

Today, the company designs and sells indoor and outdoor lighting, including chandeliers, utility lighting, and fans.

Lighting Types

Setting up lighting
Photo by Henry & Co. on Unsplash

For over forty years, seasoned entrepreneur Zvi Sperling has contributed towards the success of Maxim Group Companies as its executive vice president. Zvi Sperling’s firm develops products spanning the three basic types of lighting: ambient, task, and accent.

Lighting has a significant influence on how a person may feel about his or her home. Lights possess the power to stimulate or relax, all depending on how they are used.

The first type of lighting, called general or ambient lighting, illuminates the room and creates a uniform level of light throughout. General lighting helps the homemaker perform tasks safely. Used indoors, general lighting may be mounted on the ceiling or attached into fixtures facing downward. Outdoor general lighting, on the other hand, provide visibility on stairs or walkways, or may be used for security purposes around the home.

The second type of lighting is task lighting, spotlighting certain spaces in a room where extra light is needed for performing tasks, such as cooking, reading, or computer work. Task lighting makes use of brighter lights that are free of shadows or glare to prevent eye strain, examples of which include pendant lighting, track lighting, and desktop or floor lamps.

The third type of lighting is known as accent lighting or highlighting. It is focused on a specific point of interest, such as a pieces of art, plants, or bookcases, to draw attention and create a desired effect. It is also used to highlight interesting architectural design, such as columns, moldings, or trims. Accent lighting provides up to three times more light on a focal point than the general lighting in a room might provide.