W Schonbek LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of WAC, acquired the assets of Swarovski Lighting Ltd., including the Schonbek Worldwide Lighting brand, the factory in New York and all associated intellectual property.
WAC was represented by Holland & Knight LLP in connection with this acquisition. In the interest of building upon a historic presence in U.S. manufacturing, W Schonbek and WAC hired more than 100 passionate employees in Plattsburgh, many of whom developed their craft during the last 30-40 years under the tutelage of two generations of Schonbeks.
For the future, Schonbek will continue its 150-year heritage, reflecting a respect for craftsmanship while elevating luxury design and reclaim its leadership position in the crystal and custom lighting industry again. There will be a period of significant investment in the new W plant in Plattsburgh to ensure that it can execute this direction and is able to support products for the WAC, Modern Forms, dweLED and AiSPiRE brands. At the end of this phase of transition, the largest introduction ever of new products under the Schonbek brand is expected to be unveiled within the next 6 months.
“It’s about the people who carried the torch and helped create the powerhouse brand we all know and love,” said Jon McMahan of KTR Associates, which has represented Schonbek for 34 years. “Schonbek was always the industry leader not only in design, but in how we treated our customers, how our customer service team was unmatched and the love affair with all partners – reps and customers alike.
“The flame is still burning in our hearts from the days when Dirk Wald and Andrew Schonbek worked side by side. We are extremely excited for this once in a lifetime opportunity. The passion and excitement for this brand goes beyond lighting.”
