The 2025 Q4 Pulse of Lighting report revealed that many lighting manufacturers, lighting agents / manufacturer reps, and electrical distributors feel that lighting controls will be an important driver to helping them achieve their 2026 lighting goals.

Lighting Controls Key Driver of 2026 Lighting Growth

The key with selling lighting controls is, at least, two things:

1. They are speced, which infers that that the “user” of the system understands the benefit of controlling lighting and is seeking to provide an “experience” within their facility.
2. Lighting controls are “desired” and, to ensure that they are not VE’d out a cost-effective, easy to install system (and hence supported by the contractor) will be proposed.

There are dedicated lighting control manufacturers, there are quality lighting manufacturers that have a lighting control line, and then there are those who offer lighting controls (and are sourcing them) who have limited commitment to this segment of the market.

To drive lighting control sales, distributors need to work with companies focused on lighting controls … not price chasers.

The Story Behind Satco’s Launch of Domino

Satco, a distributor favorite, recently launched their new Domino NLC system. This platform, supported by Satco quality and their brand, can help distributors capitalize upon the lighting control opportunity.

In Linda Longo’s recent article for US Lighting Trends, a sister publication of ElectricalTrends and a service of Channel Marketing Group, she takes readers behind the scenes of SATCO’s latest innovation: the Domino Networked Lighting Controls (NLC) system. For electrical distributors focused on growing their lighting business, and specifically their controls business, the article highlights how SATCO is bridging the gap between high-end control capabilities and “off-the-shelf” simplicity.

The key takeaway is SATCO’s strategic shift from residential “smart” products (like their Starfish line) to a robust, commercial-grade Bluetooth Mesh platform. Unlike many legacy systems that rely on vulnerable central hubs, Domino utilizes a hub-less architecture where every fixture acts as an intelligent node. This design eliminates single points of failure and simplifies installation—a major win for contractors looking to reduce labor costs.

Key features of Domino include:

• Inventory Efficiency: Many Domino fixtures come with sensors already built-in and pre-wired. This means a single SKU can cover most project needs, reducing the complexity of managing separate components.
• Universal Compatibility: While the system is optimized for SATCO fixtures, it features phase-dimming modules that can control fixtures from other manufacturers (120-347V), making it a versatile solution for retrofit projects.
• Advanced Features Made Easy: The app allows for on-the-fly CCT tuning and circadian rhythm scheduling, removing the need for physical dip-switch adjustments once a fixture is installed.
• Scalability: The system supports everything from basic energy code compliance to high-level IoT analytics, including wayfinding and critical asset tracking for healthcare or retail environments.

By combining “plug-and-play” hardware with sophisticated software, SATCO is positioning Domino as a go-to solution for distributors who need to provide code-compliant, scalable controls without the traditional headaches of complex commissioning.

For more information and to read the full interview with Rick Hurst, SATCO’s VP of Connected Lighting, click here for the full article.

Takeaways

If you represent / sell Satco, I encourage you to read the article (and if you are going to be at the upcoming NAED Western or Eastern, or at NEMRA, ask Satco about Domino.

While you are reading the article, subscribe to US Lighting Trends to receive insights to help you share ideas and sell lighting to lighting specifiers and contractors (who are core to the US Lighting Trends readership.)

And if you are a lighting manufacturer who wants to reach the US Lighting Trends audience, reach out to me to learn more.