Marginal improvement in the U.S. lighting fixtures market is anticipated this year, according to Market Studies, Inc.

Market Studies, Inc. is a Raleigh, N.C.-based firm that specializes in researching and analyzing industries in the United States. It has been following the lighting industry for more than 30 years.

The market specialists say that domestic manufacturers will continue to lose market share to imported products this year, but can still expect a growth of 3.1 percent annually from 2003 to 2008.

Other highlights of Market Studies' 2003 report include the following:

Overall U.S. Industry Results - Difficult conditions in all but the residential sector resulted in the second year of declining sales for lighting fixtures. Dollar volume in 2002 was $1 billion below record levels posted in 2000, but marginal improvement is estimated for 2003 as the U.S. Lighting Fixtures Market stabilizes.

Pricing - Competitive pricing pressures continued in 2002 for the sixth year as commercial and institutional prices slipped on weak demand.

Exports - Thanks primarily to a 41% surge in shipments to Mexico, exports rebounded 7.1% in 2002. Fast-growing markets also included France, the Dominican Republic, Israel and Korea.

Imports - Imports gained momentum in 2002 as unit volume climbed 12% and dollar volume increased 9.8%. Imports expanded their share of the U.S. market to 37%. China boosted its stake in the U.S. lighting fixtures market to 21%, as sales from that country soared by 23%.

Layoffs - The total workforce is down 20% since 1999. Layoffs in 2002 accelerated in 2002 across all sectors.

Margins - Aggregate corporate margins improved slightly in 2002, due to aggressive cost-cutting measures, despite lower sales.

To order "The U.S. Lighting Fixtures Market: 2003 Edition," which includes detailed information about price trends, product mix, economic indicators, coverage of 28 overseas markets and a directory of more than 2,600 U.S. lighting fixture companies with addresses and telephone numbers, visit http://www.marketstudies.com/contact.htm.