Acuity Brands Announces Agreement with Ushio America, Inc.

Atlanta, June 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Acuity Brands, Inc. (NYSE: AYI) today announced it has entered into a strategic alliance agreement with Ushio America, Inc.(Ushio). Ushio has agreed to supply Acuity Brands with its Care222® UV disinfection module, which uses filtered excimer lamps to generate 222nm far-UVC light capable of inactivating viruses and bacteria on indoor surfaces.  Acuity Brands plans to incorporate these lamps in a range of its products, including its ceiling and wall-mounted lighting fixtures that can operate in occupied or unoccupied spaces, to reduce pathogens. The agreement is exclusive to Acuity Brands for general illumination uses throughout North America.  Acuity Brands also has non-exclusive rights to use the Care222 disinfection module worldwide (except Asia) for lighting and other uses.When incorporated in Acuity Brands products and used with its control systems, which are commonly installed in spaces such as offices, classrooms, restaurants, retail stores, restrooms and other public facilities, the Care222 lamp module will emit intermittent pulses of the 222nm UV light to reduce pathogens on surfaces. The mercury-free Care222 excimer lamps produced by Ushio feature a specially designed short pass filter, based on groundbreaking research and technology developed by Columbia University, which filters out from the lamp the longer UV wavelengths that are harmful to humans. The result is a narrow band 222nm wavelength of UV light that can inactivate viruses and bacteria, effectively preventing them from replicating.  Results from laboratory testing and clinical studies suggest that the filtered UV light emitted from the Care222 lamp can reduce pathogens on surfaces without posing a health risk to human skin or eyes when used within appropriate parameters. In contrast, possible acute and chronic damage to eyes and skin may result from the more generally employed 254nm UV wavelength used in many germicidal lamps, although this UV wavelength can be used in interior spaces under certain conditions that sharply limit human exposure. In addition, although lamps in the 405-430nm wavelength range can also be used in occupied spaces, they are not as effective against viruses as lamps with lower-range UVC wavelengths.“In recent years, it has become increasingly paramount to find new, safer methods of reducing pathogens on surfaces throughout the day,” said Acuity Brands Lighting Senior Vice President, Rick Earlywine. “We are excited about incorporating the Care222 UV light module into our lighting fixtures for use in both occupied and unoccupied spaces. Using this module in our leading lighting fixtures installed in a space represents a significant advancement in protecting public areas against bacteria and viruses.”“Ushio America, Inc. is pleased to partner with Acuity Brands to bring this powerful germicidal technology to customers in North America,” said Ushio President, William Mackenzie. “With recent research suggesting that repetitive irradiation with 222nm UVC does not cause skin or eye damage, we are excited about Acuity Brands being able to integrate Care222 modules in their general lighting products to simultaneously illuminate and reduce pathogens on surfaces in occupied spaces.”Acuity Brands expects to introduce lighting fixtures featuring the Care222 module in late calendar 2020.  For more information about the properties of 222nm UV light, Care222 excimer lamps, and products using these disinfection technologies please visit our web site and the specifications sheets of specific products as introduced.About Ushio America, Inc.Ushio America, Inc. is a vertically integrated solutions company for lighting systems and components utilizing xenon short arc lamps, lasers, ultra-high-pressure lamps, excimer, metal halide, LEDs (specialty sensing and general illumination), halogen, fluorescent, and miniature incandescent lamps serving semiconductor, printed circuit, video projection, cinema, medical, life sciences, UV curing, germicidal, horticulture, general lighting, graphic arts, scientific medical, infra-red heating, lamp and laser drivers, systems and services, and numerous other applications. Established in 1967 as a subsidiary of Ushio Inc., in Tokyo, Japan, Ushio America offers a full spectrum of over 2,500 products and services to its customers. Vist www.ushio.com for more information.About Acuity BrandsAcuity Brands, Inc. (NYSE: AYI) is a market-leading industrial technology company.  The Company designs, manufactures, and brings to market products and services that make the world more brilliant, productive, and connected including building management systems, lighting, lighting controls, and location-aware applications.  Acuity Brands achieves growth through the development of innovative new products and services. Through the Acuity Business System, Acuity Brands achieves customer-focused efficiencies that allow the Company to increase market share and deliver superior returns.  The Company looks to aggressively deploy capital to grow the business and to enter attractive new verticals.Acuity Brands is based in Atlanta, Georgia, with operations across North America and in Europe and Asia. The Company is powered by over 12,000 dedicated and talented associates.  Visit us at www.acuitybrands.com.All trademarks referenced are property of their respective owners.#  #  #  #  #   Forward-Looking Information   This release contains forward-looking statements, within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements that may be considered forward-looking include statements incorporating terms such as “expects,” “believes,” “intends,” “estimates”, “forecasts,” “anticipates,” “could,” “may,” “should”, “suggests,” “remain,” and similar terms that relate to future events, performance, or results of the Company and specifically include statements made in this press release regarding (a)  Ushio America, Inc. and its Care222® UV disinfection module ability to enhance Acuity Brands’ market position in commercial lighting, (b) our growth through the development of innovative new products and services, as well as (c) our ability to achieve efficiencies, increase market share,  deliver superior returns, or deploy capital. Forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the historical experience of Acuity Brands and management’s present expectations or projections. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, customer and supplier relationships and prices; competition; ability to realize anticipated benefits from initiatives taken and timing of benefits; market demand; litigation and other contingent liabilities; and economic, political, governmental, and technological factors affecting the Company.  Please see the other risk factors more fully described in the Company’s SEC filings including risks discussed in Part I, “Item 1a. Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended August 31, 2019 and Part II, “Item 1a. Risk Factors” in the Company’s Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended February 29, 2020. The discussion of those risks is specifically incorporated herein by reference.  Management believes these forward-looking statements are reasonable; however, undue reliance should not be placed on any forward-looking statements, which are based on current expectations.  Further, forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and management undertakes no obligation to update publicly any of them in light of new information or future events.Media Contacts:
Acuity Brands
Neil Egan
Neil.Egan@acuitybrands.com
770-860-2957Ushio America, Inc.
Care222@ushio.com   
800-838-7446