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Dakkota Integrated Systems Acquires Three Lighting Companies, Launches Dakkota Lighting Technologies

HOLT -- The auto supplier Dakkota Integrated Systems LLC announced the acquisition of three automotive, commercial and household lighting companies that will be combined into a new subsidiary, Dakkota Lighting Technologies LLC.

The acquired companies -- Plastomer Products Group LLC; Excel Decorating and Assembly, LLC; and Plastomer Lighting Technologies Inc. -- had common ownership and were among the world's largest bulb-in-socket manufacturers and LED interior and exterior functional and decorative lighting product producers.

Dakkota Lighting Technologies will continue to service the existing customers of the acquired companies, including global manufacturers and their Tier 1 suppliers in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, China and Russia.

Customer programs include automotive lighting, including backlighting for Instrument clusters, interior lighting, truck instrumentation, HVAC backlighting and exterior lighting; lighting applications for original and aftermarket manufacturers of marine, heavy equipment, agricultural, off-road and recreational vehicles and switches for power windows and seats and other knobs and buttons.

Moving forward, Dakkota Lighting Technologies will continue award-winning innovation into applications for emerging technologies such as LED light piping and fiber optic applications.

"We welcome the employees of Dakkota Lighting Technologies to our family and we're tremendously excited about the new capabilities they bring with them," said Dakkota Chairwoman & CEO Andra Rush. "Lighting is evolving as a core component of automotive interior and exterior design and this acquisition brings best-in-class lighting capabilities to Dakkota's work on behalf of its customers."

The Plastomer companies' areas of technology expertise included molding, painting, pad printing, injection molding, hot stamping, laser etching and foam in place for lighting products. Its plant in Rochester will continue to operate as a Dakkota Lighting Technologies manufacturing center. No changes in employment levels are currently planned as a result of the acquisition. Company leaders and technical staff will be taking leadership positions at Dakkota Lighting Technologies, with Mark Licatovich becoming vice president of sales and research of Dakkota Lighting Technologies, reporting to Dakkota Integrated Systems COO Brian McDonell.

Said Licatovich: "In discussions with Andra Rush, Brian McDonell and others, it became clear that there was a great fit in capabilities, culture and long-term strategy between our organizations. This puts our team in a position for long-term, sustainable growth in one of the most exciting parts of the automotive industry."

The transaction closed on Jan. 4, and takes immediate effect.

Holt-based Dakkota Integrated Systems is a joint venture between Rush Group LLC and Magna Decoma International. Created in 2001 to efficiently and effectively service Original Equipment Manufacturers by managing the complete assembly and sequencing of integrated automotive interiors, it has operations in Michigan, Illinois, Kentucky and Ontario, Canada. A Native American Woman-Owned Business, Dakkota was named 2012 Class IV Supplier of the Year by the Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council. For more information, visit www.dakkotasystems.com.

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