ROLLINSFORD, NH (BRAIN)—New Hampshire based distributor IBEX Sports is going dealer direct in the United States with Exposure Lights starting this month.
Five years ago when IBEX Sports first brought Exposure Lights into the U.S market it was best to go consumer direct, according to IBEX Sports owner and CEO James Penfold. But much has changed in the lighting world since that time when HID lights still ruled the roost for most companies, except Exposure, owned by the British company USE.
“Everyone else was still pushing HID systems,” Penfold said of that time period. “They were the first to market with high-powered LEDs. There were very few companies, if any in the world—even outside of bicycles—that were manufacturing a finished product with high powered LEDs. It was really the early days for LEDs.”
IBEX dealers weren’t quite on board because Exposure was ahead of the curve from a technology perspective. “It was such early days with the technology that it was expensive for the value they perceived,” Penfold said. “We had a situation where we had consumers that we’re interested in it, but the dealers were still thinking and buying HIDs from [American companies].
“We had to go consumer direct to serve the demand for the product,” he added.
But as LEDs have now become more mainstream—and with HID systems pretty much dead—the timing was right for IBEX to go dealer direct. “Now there’s a critical mass of dealers we’re hearing from that are starting to get behind the product,” Penfold said. “The time is right where we have enough dealer interest to serve the consumer demand for it. We’re happy to say that we’re transitioning back into the dealer network.”
Besides being one of the early pioneers of LED technology, Penfold said Exposure Lights are unique in that the battery and light are housed in a self contained unit, meaning no cables necessary.
“Worldwide, especially in the UK, they are blowing the socks off every other lighting company,” Penfold said of Exposure. “It’s more of a level playing field in the UK, in their home market, with the American companies like NiteRider and Light & Motion.”
(PICTURED: Exposure Maxx D 1200L)
—Jason Norman
jnorman@bicycleretailer.com
