NOMA was a company best known for making Christmas lights. It was once the largest manufacturer of holiday lighting in the world. As of 2021, the rights to the brand in Canada and the United States are owned by Canadian Tire, which sells NOMA-branded products through its namesake stores in Canada, and through an e-commerce website in the United States.

History

Background

Electric Christmas lights were first used in 1882, but were not commercially available until around 1901, with pre-wired sets available by 1903.

In 1921, Lester Haft filed a patent for a system to interconnect multiple strings. Several small companies licensed the patent from Haft's employer, C. D. Wood Electric. The Haft patent () was granted in 1924, and Propp's () in 1926. Before either was granted, some companies licensed the Haft patent, while others developed their own systems that may have been in violation of one or both pending patents. and Albert Sadacca of the Haft patent licensees, In 1928, Propp agreed to merge his company into NOMA, and displaced Block as its president in 1929.

Growth and decline

The company survived the stock market crash of 1929 and subsequent economic contraction with clever marketing proposed by Propp. Their advertisements made Christmas lighting seem like an essential part of the holiday, and the holiday celebrations essential in such trying times. The campaign worked, and NOMA was successful from 1929 through the depression years, despite its product being previously viewed as a luxury item.

On Propp's death, Henri Sadacca became president. His family owned one of the original companies that formed NOMA.

By the early 1960s, the company faced increasing competition from cheaper, imported miniature light sets. Ward was replaced by Morris Goldman for 1963. The company began a policy of reducing manufacturing and relying on cheap buyouts of stock from other companies in the industry as they failed in the face of the cheap imports. Sales still fell in the following two years, and NOMA Lites filed for bankruptcy in 1965, and started using cheaper components, while still assembling in the United States factory, under the name "NOMA Worldwide, Inc." In 1967, this was renamed simply "Worldwide, Inc."

In February 2007, Electrical Components International (ECI) purchased GenTek's wire and cable assembly business known as NOMA Corporation. ECI owns the NOMA brand but is not involved in the design, sourcing or manufacture of these products.

European business

NOMA's British affiliate was founded in 1939, as a joint venture of NOMA's Toronto subsidiary and various European interests. The operation was called Noma Electric Company Ltd. It continued to succeed independently as the American company failed.

In 1969, after a private buyout, the name changed to NOMA Lights. The LeisureGrow company purchased it in 2014, and it was downgraded to a brand, though LeisureGrow claims the title, via NOMA, of oldest Christmas company in the UK and possibly the world.

References

  • NOMA (U.S.) website
  • NOMA (UK) website – not affiliated with NOMA North America