ATLANTA - January 16, 2017 - Acuity Brands, Inc. (NYSE: AYI) today announced that it is showcasing its latest advancements in Internet of Things (IoT) technology for Smart Retail at the Microsoft Retail Industry Group booth during the National Retail Federation's (NRF) 2017 Annual Convention & EXPO, January 15-17, in New York City.
Acuity Brands delivers embedded Indoor Positioning technology within wirelessly controlled LED luminaires, allowing retailers to save considerable energy and maintenance costs, while deriving highly accurate, real-time location of loyal customers, employees and critical assets. Acuity Brands has leveraged the Microsoft Azure cloud platform to deliver an affordable, scalable and secured IoT infrastructure to address multiple business needs.
"We've made considerable progress in the retail market, having deployed our fully commercialized Indoor Positioning System (IPS) solution in nearly 40 million square feet of working retail space," said Greg Carter, Acuity Brands Lighting Vice President and General Manager, IoT Business Unit. "We are excited about the opportunities to continue to enhance our offerings that will allow retail companies to provide more tailored, personalized and mobile-enabled omnichannel shopping experiences for their customers."
Acuity Brands IPS employs both Visible Light Communications (VLC) and Bluetooth® low energy (BLE) technology with accuracy less than 10 centimeters for VLC and a meter with BLE. The Company's smart retail solution supports existing and new mobile loyalty apps through a licensed software development kit for Android and iOS devices. In addition, it uses the Azure integrated cloud services platform that generates data analytics to help retailers make better decisions, strengthen customer relationships, and improve store operations.
"For retailers, mobile-first is no longer the exception - it is the rule - and offering personalized marketing through mobile devices is the best way to foster a deeper level of customer engagement and enhance the shopping experience," said Brendan O'Meara, senior director of Worldwide Retail at Microsoft Corp. "Acuity Brands continuously updates and improves its IPS technology, powered by our Azure cloud services solution, and it is this steadfast commitment to innovation that enables retailers to unlock the power of their data for in-store personalized marketing that is comparable with online retailers."
To see a demo of Acuity Brands' IPS solution during NRF, visit the Microsoft Retail Industry Group Booth 2803 at the Javits Center. Click here for more information on Acuity Brands' IoT and lighting-based indoor positioning services.
About Acuity Brands
Acuity Brands, Inc. (NYSE: AYI) is the North American market leader and one of the world's leading providers of lighting and building management solutions. With fiscal year 2016 net sales of $3.3 billion, Acuity Brands currently employs approximately 12,000 associates and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia with operations throughout North America, and in Europe and Asia. The Company's products and solutions are sold under various brands, including Lithonia Lighting®, Holophane®, Peerless®, Gotham®, Mark Architectural Lighting(TM), Winona® Lighting, Juno®, Indy(TM), Aculux®, Healthcare Lighting®, Hydrel®, American Electric Lighting®, Carandini®, Antique Street Lamps(TM), Sunoptics®, Distech Controls®, Acuity Controls(TM), nLight®, ROAM® and Sensor Switch®. Visit us at www.acuitybrands.com.
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