Union Luminaires & Décor

General information

Union began in 1914 when Aaron Naimer began selling lighting on Old Montreal soon after arriving in Canada from Roumania. As his four brothers joined the business, he changed the company name from Star Gaslight and Electric Company to Union as in a “Union” of siblings.

“There were seven families back then running the business,” says present-day president Bram Naimer, whose late grandfather Hyman was Aaron’s brother. “Today my two brothers and I represent the third generation and we envision another 100 years of existence. Lighting represents our first priority, but we’d like to introduce other products.”

The Naimers meet regularly with decorators and attend exhibitions for lighting products, accessories and home décor. “We shop across the world, including Dallas, the capital of shows of this type,” he says.

Union Lighting presently breaks down its sales as 35 percent residential and 65 percent commercial. In 1999 the company opened up a decorative and architectural hardware division.
This includes lighting control system and electronic blinds and the use of smartphone technology.

As both a retail and wholesale supplier of residential, commercial and industrial lighting products, Union`s clientele on the commercial side is composed of national retailers, business owners, electricians and builders, general and electrical contractors, designers, architects, members of the hotel industry and general consumers. A new Union website now under construction will allow purchases to be made online

Naimer notes with pride that his headquarters has become a true Montreal design center, with 22 tenants, a one stop shop for designers where they can find garden furniture, upscale merchandise, carpets, kitchens, granit, appliances, flooring, plumbing supplies, furniture, staircases and even a gym with a café. There is also plenty of free parking. The renovated main showroom features many new lighting galleries.

The industry of lighting products changes continually, notably with LED (light-emitting diode) products which have a lifespan and electrical efficiency that is several times better than bulbs.

For the commercial department, Union has developed a concept of furnishing lighting devices according to the needs of its clients. This is a service oriented business and one has to be very familiar with the domain. We make sure our sales team remains informed about any new developments so that they are in a position to inform architects and builders. Technology is very advanced in this industry. We work with multinational suppliers such as General Electric, Philips, Silvania, Cooper, Accuity and Juno, which invest in research and development in efficient energy saving products. We encourage manufacturers who implement responsible procedures related to the environment

The goal of the Naimer brothers is to pass things on to the fourth and fifth generations

“Our staff specialize in identifying the needs of clients and then effectively delivering the product that will help meet their needs,” Naimer adds.

Union works with some of the largest retail chains on the continent. These corporations spend a substantial amount of their research dollars creating the perfect environment to achieve their goals, one of which is to increase sales.

Since 1914, the name "Union" has become synonymous with quality lighting. Over the last decade, Union Lighting has also expanded its offering to include an architectural hardware division. Throughout the past century, the Union team has been dedicated to building relationships with both suppliers and clients. Their philosophy is to provide a level of service that will foster trust and create a sustainable relationship, always with an emphasis on value. It is this alliance that allows us to keep clients "in the know" about new technology and trends available in the industry.