Arri Denies It Is Exiting Lighting Business Despite Closing Two Lighting Facilities
Last week, reports surfaced that showed the company was closing two facilities, both of which primarily focused on producing lighting equipment. An Arri spokesperson has denied that Arri is exiting lighting manufacturing, but did not comment on any reductions in manufacturing capability.
As initially reported by Bloomberg and then by PetaPixel, Arri announced that it will cut jobs and close two locations primarily focused on producing lighting equipment. These facilities would close by the end of 2025, Bloomberg added.
In an email from Arri, the company confirms that both these facilities will be closed by the end of the year, but it is part of a consolidation effort and not an indication that the company would be exiting the lighting manufacturing business. The company specifically denies the assertion that it would be bowing out of the space entirely.
“Arri is not exiting lighting: like many companies in the film industry, Arri is undergoing a significant transformation to address lasting shifts in market demand while reinforcing its core strengths, and lighting remains a central pillar of our business,” Kevin Schwutke, Senior Vice President, Corporate Development, Brand & New Business at Arri Group, tells PetaPixel.
“In line with this, we have made the strategic decision to centralize the research, development, and product management of our Lighting Business Unit at our Munich headquarters and, by the end of 2025, operations at our Stephanskirchen and Brannenburg development and production sites will be discontinued.”
PetaPixel asked if Arri was reducing production capacity in lighting in any way as a result of this move, as it would be difficult to foresee how it could maintain its current production capacity given the downsizing. Schwutke did not respond to this request for comment.
This past summer, reports surfaced that Arri was contemplating a sale. At the same time, news broke that the company was working with the consultancy AlixPartners to “streamline its business.” As PetaPixel has reported, it is easy to connect the dots between these efforts and Arri’s new decision to close lighting factory, repair, and distribution operations in Stephanskirchen and Brannenburg in Germany. A company that is looking to get acquired would do its best to make its business as attractive as possible for that.
Image credits: Arri
