The Orion Story

Light Years Ahead™

Overview
Orion was founded in 1996 by our CEO Neal Verfuerth with a focus in agricultural lighting sales and compact fluorescent technology. Today, Orion is a leading power technology that designs, manufactures and deploys energy efficient technology for commercial and industrial business throughout North America.

Innovation
In 2001 Orion President and CEO Neal Verfuerth designed and patented the Illuminator - one of the first high intensity fluorescent technologies on the market. This technology can double light levels while reducing lighting electricity by more than 50% when replacing traditional high intensity discharge lighting. Orion's expanded product and service line now includes energy efficient lighting, intelligent wireless control systems, direct renewable solar and photovoltaic technology.

Validation
In 2001 Orion deployed its lighting technology in its first major manufacturing facility - Toro Manufacturing. In 2002 Orion retrofitted the Bemis Manufacturing Sheboygan campus and alarmed the local utility company when 7% of the energy consumption suddenly dropped off the grid. The technology platform was further validated when Quad Graphics retrofitted their facilities across North America throughout 2003.

Growth
Manufacturing operations began at Orion's Plymouth, WI facility and in 2005, Orion acquired a 266,000 square foot section of the old Mirro building in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. The plant opened with one employee who was hired to oversee the development of the manufacturing floor. Orion now employs more than 250 and reported revenues of $72.6 million for fiscal year ended March 31, 2009.

The Company We Keep
In 2005 Orion began lighting retrofits at General Electric facilities. In 2006 Orion signed a national contract to retrofit more than 500 Coca Cola facilities throughout North America. Now, Orion does business with over 120 of the Fortune 500 customers across North America including Kraft Foods, SYSCO Foods, Toyota and Newell Rubbermaid.

Orion has been recognized by some of the leading manufacturing, technology and environmental organizations including Platts Global Energy, the Alliance to Save Energy, MIT, the National Society of Professional Engineers and Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce to name a few.

Going Public
In December of 2007, Orion completed an initial public offering of 8,846,154 shares of common stock and is now traded on the NASDAQ under the symbol OESX.