The Fabric of our Society

The Fabric of Our Society column invites industry leaders to provide experience-based opinions and discussions on various topics. Diverse perspectives are respected and most welcome, but do not necessarily reflect the opinions of IESNYC or the Board of Managers. Want to contribute? Email [email protected]

June 2026

Bringing a European Lighting Brand to North America 

John Yriberri
Market Leader North America, Modular Lighting Instruments

When I stepped into my role building a North American presence for a European lighting manufacturer, I thought I understood the task. Modular Lighting Instruments had strong products, decades of credibility, and an almost cult following in Europe. On paper, the fundamentals were there. What I didn’t fully understand was how much of that foundation would need to be rebuilt for a new market. Slowly, deliberately, mostly behind the scenes.

Before lighting, I spent years as a mechanical engineer and program manager in the defense industry. That environment was structured, deeply focused on quality, and my role was specific. It also taught me that processes and redundancy matter – and that quality takes time. When I joined the Xicato startup during LED’s formative years, I learned that things can move very quickly, and how effective adopting a “fail fast” approach can be. Wearing many hats was the norm, and the experience made me optimistic about how much could be accomplished quickly in an emerging market. After 9 years at Xicato, I took on the challenge to lead Modular Lighting Instruments North America.

Different markets, different expectations

Modular had a presence in North America prior to my joining, but it was through a partner organization, and they sold more by obligation than passion. There was no legal entity, and the foundation of the business was lacking. Lead times were unreliable, product specs were hard to find, and customer service was slow.

When I asked Modular’s existing reps and specifiers what they thought of the brand, the response was consistent: “Cool products – but good luck.” It became clear that this wasn’t a US relaunch, it was an entire rebuild.

In North America, designers expect that photometrics, dimming data, certifications, and clear documentation will all be readily available. If they can’t find it quickly, they move on. In Europe, longstanding relationships and a phone call often carry that load. Here, the website and cutsheet are what lead the way.

We had to create an entirely separate North American dataset. We developed a new microsite and dozens of new cutsheets. Testing added another (expensive) layer. UL and cUL requirements often required design changes: perhaps different cables or a reengineered housing; sometimes different constructions entirely.

Optics were a whole other challenge. What European designers might call “sparkle,” North American designers often experience as glare. In many cases, we had to incorporate lenses to soften the luminance coming from the fixture and smooth out the beampattern.

Working knowledge

These lessons I did not learn overnight. They came from bringing designers (and often the Belgian CEO) into the room and letting designers say, directly, “I love the product. But I need better optics.”

Some differences were subtle, others made you laugh – or sigh. For example, a marketing campaign perfect for Europe wouldn't always translate in the US. I’d catch myself staring at the screen, shaking my head, mumbling, “That’s not gonna fly here.” Moments like that remind you that entering a new market isn’t just about specs and lead times. It’s about understanding different audiences and careful adaptation, not just translation.

The distribution channel structure is very different here too. Reps and distributors play a central role, and the manufacturer’s visibility to real-time project updates is blurry at best. Construction timelines are usually known only at a high level, and sometimes you only get an update when it’s too late. “Sorry, you’ve been VE’d.”

Additionally, as essentially a startup, I am the business leader but also the lead in technical troubleshooting, booth builder, office coordinator, furniture selector, and too many other things to add to my job description. After nearly 9 years here, I still wear many hats, which keeps things exciting but also limits my effectiveness in certain focus areas.

Manufacturing and trust

Lead times on imported products presented significant challenges back in 2017: 8 to 12 weeks made it difficult to stay competitive. To overcome this, we committed to a long-term investment in our operations: enhancing North American infrastructure; upgrading and integrating software platforms; and expanding production, warehousing, and logistics capabilities in Belgium. Over 5 years, these efforts transformed our supply chain. Since 2022, we’ve consistently maintained 3–4 week lead times and built local stock. On-time delivery now exceeds 95%, which has strengthened confidence in our ability to deliver quickly, and reliably.

Looking back, the biggest lesson is simple: credibility drives growth, and it’s not something that can be rushed.

Building a strong rep network doesn’t necessarily mean signing the biggest or most powerful agency in each market. We’ve made changes over time and found partners who believe in the brand – and whom we believe in as well. Even then, trust doesn’t arrive all at once. It takes a few orders; then a few more. You ship on-time. You respond quickly. And you fix problems without deflecting.

Collaboration

Success depends on the external relationships you build. It requires partners and customers who believe in your ability to turn potential into real results in this market. That kind of confidence takes patience, persistence, and hard work: repeating the same message over and over, and proving yourself again and again.

Internally, it means communicating clearly, sharing market realities with teams overseas, and earning decision-makers’ confidence in your understanding of the North American market. Often it means explaining the same things again and again, advocating for your team to be heard, and helping align priorities around the adaptations that matter most.

There’s frustration. There’s excitement. And there’s growth and success. But it never comes without earning the trust and confidence of everyone involved.