When you walk into a Hubbardton Forge showroom, you're witnessing craftsmanship carved into metal and light. Every chandelier, pendant, or sconce tells a story of precision, passion, and possibility. With over 850 SKUs and more than 30,000 configuration variants in the lighting catalog, no two fixtures are exactly alike.

“Each product is touched by 40 sets of hands before it leaves our facility,” said Andrew Knapp, VP of Sales at Hubbardton Forge, in a recent podcast interview. “Customization is core to our identity, and that means complexity.”

That complexity is beautiful, but it also creates a unique challenge: how do you equip a 160+ strong team of independent sales reps to sell something this tailored, this intricate, and this personal at scale?

The answer, according to Knapp, lies in a tool that changed everything: SuperCat.

From live quoting in the field to showroom tagging and personalized presentations, SuperCat for Hubbardton Forge is the digital backbone of their entire go-to-market operation.

In this article, we’ll explore how Hubbardton Forge scaled its custom lighting sales without sacrificing craftsmanship and how SuperCat empowers every rep, every order, and every conversation.

Challenges in Lighting Sales Before SuperCat #

Before SuperCat, Hubbardton Forge encountered significant challenges at every stage of the lighting sales process, ranging from product presentation to representative enablement.

Outdated catalogs left reps empty-handed #

With over 30,000 product configurations, paper lighting catalogs and static PDFs quickly fell behind. Reps couldn’t show customers the full range of finishes, sizes, and design options in real time.

Quoting was slow and disconnected #

There was no way to build or adjust quotes in real time. Reps had to call the office, fill out forms, or wait for someone to respond. That slowed things down and often cost them the sale.

Limited customer visibility hurt consultative selling #

Without access to order history, preferences, or what was in stock, reps couldn’t make smart recommendations or upsell with confidence.

Sales materials were all over the place #

Product updates, spec sheets, and promotions weren’t centralized. Materials were hard to find, outdated, or never made it into the field, creating inconsistency across reps.

Too many reps, not enough support #

With over 160 sales reps in the field, it was nearly impossible to keep everyone on the same page. There was no simple system to track what was working or share new content fast.

“When I started, I’d been a rep for years. The first thing I did was focus on arming our team with the tools they actually needed to win”

said Andrew Knapp, VP of Sales at Hubbardton Forge.

How SuperCat Transforms Lighting Sales Enablement #

To grow its complex product line without losing the quality or customer care it’s known for, Hubbardton Forge brought in the full SuperCat sales software. Now, their team uses three key SuperCat tools to support consultative B2B selling and data-driven decision-making:

• eCat iPad App gives over 160 field reps the ability to filter, present, and quote custom lighting products on the spot without the need for Wi-Fi.
• eCat Online offers 24/7 access to the full lighting catalog for office staff, trade buyers, and design teams looking to explore, price, and place orders from their desktops.
• Sales Portal equips sales reps and leadership with real-time visibility into customer activity, order history, best-selling products, and rep performance across regions and territories.

Even non-sales teams benefit. QC and warehouse staff use SuperCat to validate product specifications, ensuring what’s sold aligns with what’s built.

“With SuperCat, reps don’t just ‘look’ more professional, they are more professional. They’re faster, better informed, and more consultative.”

 

— Andrew Knapp, VP of Sales

Impact of Lighting Sales Enablement with SuperCat #

Implementing SuperCat impacted Hubbardton Forge’s ability to scale its complex lighting sales operation.

Sales Growth Tied to Rep Enablement #

One of the most immediate outcomes of using SuperCat was a significant increase in sales driven by faster quoting, online lighting catalog, more polished presentations, and higher rep productivity in the field. Notably, the data shows that the top-performing reps are also the most active SuperCat users, making the connection between enablement and revenue crystal clear.

Consistent Rep Performance at Scale #

With over 160 independent reps in the field, onboarding and consistency were once significant challenges. SuperCat streamlined the process, making it easy to train new reps and ensure everyone has access to up-to-date content. New product launches, spec sheets, and promos can now be deployed instantly, without relying on email threads or outdated PDFs.

Fewer Errors, Faster Fulfillment #

By giving reps access to real-time product imagery, pricing, availability, and documentation, order errors have dropped, and customer service follow-ups have decreased. Reps are better equipped to answer questions, provide accurate quotes, and close deals on the spot.

Actionable Insights from Field Data #

SuperCat also provides leadership with a rich layer of field data, revealing emerging trends in finishes, product categories, and customer preferences. This insight is now used to guide product development, merchandising, and marketing campaigns, creating a tighter feedback loop between sales activity and business strategy.

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Support at Every Step of the Lighting Sales Journey #

At the discovery stage, SuperCat makes it easy to navigate an online lighting catalog. Reps and buyers can filter products by finish, price, or simplify the process of exploring over 30,000 configurations.

During presentations, the eCat iPad App helps reps showcase visuals, build quotes, and share spec sheets on the spot, even without internet access. It’s fast, polished, and personalized.

When it’s time to purchase, orders can be created and submitted instantly, whether on the showroom floor or from a desktop.

After the sale, SuperCat ensures smooth follow-through. Reps can access install documents and product modification files in seconds, helping them support customers quickly and professionally.

For sales leadership, the Sales Portal provides clear insights: what products are trending, which reps are most active, and where new opportunities are emerging. It turns frontline activity into strategic advantage.

“From order building to post-sale support to showroom tagging, SuperCat is everywhere.”

 

— Andrew Knapp

Why SuperCat Is the Future of Lighting Sales Enablement #

Hubbardton Forge proves what’s possible when premium craftsmanship meets modern sales technology. What started as a need for better quoting tools has evolved into a complete lighting sales software platform driving growth, improving consistency, and transforming how reps engage with every customer.

Ready to simplify sales like Hubbardton Forge?

Try SuperCat in Action