“We are a problem-solving business,” said Michael Morris, co-founder of DuraBrite, an advanced LED lighting solutions company The company has been a staunch supporter of the Maine Lobstermen’s Association (MLA) during its legal struggle with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). In fact, DuraBrite created a “Save Maine Lobstermen” collection of marine lights specifically to benefit the MLA’s legal fund.
“We do so much business in Maine with lobstermen. We wanted to create buzz about what they were facing,” Morris said. A full 20% of the proceeds from the sale of Save Maine Lobstermen lights is donated to the MLA. “And the response has been amazing,” Morris said. “Most of the buyers are not from Maine. Commercial fishermen everywhere want to help out. They have the option to buy the exact same light but they choose the Save Maine Lobstermen light.”
Morris and his co-partner, Dr. C. J. Au, started DuraBrite ten years ago. They began by creating mobile light towers for oil and gas rigs using LED lights. “I was in LEDs for a while. I saw there were problems with [non-LED] light towers, with safety issues and power use,” Morris said. The company’s goal was to provide the most light for the least energy, and it quickly proved successful.
DuraBrite was busy providing mobile light towers for the oil industry when the price of oil dropped abruptly, and business slowed. “It went down to $33 a barrel and we were almost out of business. Then someone stuck our lights on a boat and called us to say, ‘You’ve got something here’,” Morris said. “So, we started making flood lights for tuna boats.”
The brilliant LED lights worked like a charm drawing bait fish to the tuna vessels. And from there the company took off again. DuraBrite developed a tighter beam spotlight suitable for long-distance lighting, perfect for lobstermen searching for traps. The company now has customers around the globe operating in multiple sectors. It makes lights for offshore squid fishing in California, New England scallop boats, New York Police Department harbor patrol vessels, and other vessels around the world. “We’ve got lights on everything from 14 feet to 480 feet,” Morris said.
In addition, DuraBrite’s lighting solutions are used in industrial, military and outdoor settings. Morris clearly enjoys improving the company’s products as new technology comes into use. “We have a portable light that fits in my hand and can light up an acre,” Morris explained. “The Secret Service uses it. It uses lithium batteries and it can also be solar powered.” Figuring out what customers need and developing the product that fits the need efficiently makes Morris a happy man. “I got into this and was hooked,” he said. “Everyone wins. There’s not one bad thing about this technology!”
DuraBrite
9 Vanderpool Dr.
Morristown, NJ 07960
201-915-0555
info@durabritelights.con
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