DMF Lighting is among the premier lighting fixture suppliers in the industry. Recently, CE Pro chatted with DMF’s Mike Libman, national sales director, about the company’s latest products, dealer support, and trends in the lighting sector.

Can you please tell us about DMF’s latest lighting solutions?

DMF announced the launch of Artafex, the new product line of indoor and outdoor solutions exclusive to DMF’s Custom Integrator Partners. Making its official debut at Lightapalooza 2024, DMF Lighting is replacing the iX Series and DID Series for custom integrator modules with the Artafex line that now includes 2-inch modules, 4-inch modules, premium trims, flangeless housings and select outdoor lighting options.

The Artafex 2-inch line replaces the iX Series and the Artafex 4-inch line will complement the DID Series in the short term. Artafex modules will feature DMF’s premium color rendering technology, True Spectrum.

How do these products provide integrators with the flexibility to meet clients’ demands?

The Artafex line incorporates premium performance and aesthetics with the exclusive True Spectrum technology, more efficient optics, and additional trim offerings including Hyperbolic and Pinhole options. The demand for differentiation in the CI channel is critical and the Artafex line offers unprecedented and industry-leading versatility with superior aesthetic options purpose-built to simplify the installation process.

Lighting is more than just brightness; it’s about capturing the true essence of color and creating spaces that resonate with authenticity. 

2024 Lighting Controls and Fixtures Report

Lightapalooza took place in late February, and the growth of the event has mirrored the rapid ascension lighting fixtures and controls.

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What are the trends your dealers are reporting being more requested by interior designers, architects and clients?

DMF brings a creative approach to lighting and offers industry-leading technology that sets the bar for quality and flexibility. With a focus on aesthetics and performance, DMF’s modular solutions allow for beautiful color, smooth dimming, and aesthetic flexibility to achieve the right light for the right place. DMF LED downlights produce accurate color rendering and smooth dimming and have low power consumption. They complement and enhance how a room looks and feels without sacrificing energy efficiency.

The True Spectrum technology for all Artafex line modules goes beyond the eight color samples that traditional CRI (Color Rendering Index) takes into account. True Spectrum considers the TM-30 system of measurement which studies 99 variations of light that aren’t typically represented in CRI to provide industry-leading color rendering and richness. 

Providing a progression of scenes that highlights layering, color rendering, dimming performance, and CCT can have a meaningful impact on how lighting affects the home.

–Mike Libman, DMF Lighting

Now the artwork and finishes that were so carefully selected in the home will be able to reach their full potential beauty. At DMF, we understand that light is more than illumination; light is what makes a space beautiful, useful, and ultimately, enjoyable.

How do successful DMF dealers showcase the lighting fixtures in their showrooms and demonstrate to customers? 

The most effective demo is to show how a single space changes under different lighting conditions. Providing a progression of scenes that highlights layering, color rendering, dimming performance, and CCT can have a meaningful impact on how lighting affects the home.

We have seen this accomplished in different ways, whether in a dedicated lighting space, or using an area such as a listening room to illustrate that progression.  

Should lighting demos be done in the evenings, and are there best practices for creating ‘wow factor’ moments?

Showing a lighting demo at night is ideal but not always possible. Demos have more impact when isolated from natural light. This can be achieved with shades so that you can still meet with clients and designers during the day.

How does DMF support integrators with trainings, project designs, on-site assistance, etc.?

The DMF Promise guarantees reliability, compatibility and support.

Industry-Best Warranty of 10 Years – DMF provides outstanding products and solutions that are tested with the most rigorous engineering protocols with an industry-best warranty of 10 years. This warranty supports our commitment to delivering downlights with superior quality, performance and dependability.

Universal Dimming Compatibility – Our integrated driver was designed in-house to ensure compatibility with every popular control system specified by our customers. We guarantee our products to be seamlessly compatible with every major lighting control system, local and centralized.

Direct Tech Support – In addition to our existing customer service number for general inquiries dealers can directly contact a DMF engineer for technical questions. Not a customer service rep. Not an outsourced technical support center. One of our in-house engineers in our Los Angeles office who helped design the actual product.

Additionally, DMF offers in-house design services for their dealers. DMF Lighting is one of the first companies to advocate for custom integrators to adopt light fixtures as part of their business model and is a recognized leader in the industry. The DMF Promise is a natural extension of our commitment to the CI channel.

DMF Lighting’s Dealer Loyalty Program for the custom integration channel includes a Co-Marketing Dealer Program for our Power and Elite Dealers funded entirely by DMF Lighting and delivered by One Firefly.

The program, developed by DMF and One Firefly, is designed to support our CI channel dealers with a robust targeted marketing campaign to attract new customers to their businesses. This complimentary program is provided to our Power Dealers for three months and extended to six months for our Elite Dealers.

DMF Lighting also offers its dealers a complimentary VITAL Affiliate Membership that guides business leaders through education, data and experience. VITAL is a business excellence platform for the Custom Integration industry that has helped over300 custom integrators optimize their businesses using technology, benchmarking and personal guidance. The complimentary Exclusive Partner Access program is funded entirely by DMF providing resources for custom integration dealers to meet their long and short-term goals.

DMF has earned the respect of the CI community and most recently was named the 2023 Lighting Vendor of the Year for ProSource. And HTSA presented an Innovation Award to DMF Lighting at their Fall Conference, 2023 along with naming Mike Libman, National Sales Director, Residential Systems, DMF Lighting as the Person of the Year!

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