For the Week of April 2nd

Management Change:

W2 Architectural Lighting (Garden City, N.Y., lighting manufacturer) has appointed Anna Schast Eastern territory sales manager.

Acquisition:

Pipp Mobile Storage Systems Inc. (Walker, Mich., provider of movable shelving systems) has acquired Denstor Mobile Storage Systems Inc. (Farmington Hills, Mich.).

Business Briefs:

Artitalia Group (Montreal fixture manufacturer) has launched the Artitalia Experience Group (aXG), a separate unit that will focus on design strategy for retail. The company has hired Ron Vish to lead aXG.

The Shops in Desert Passage (Las Vegas shopping center) will begin operating as Miracle Mile Shops in May. Miracle Mile Shops, named in part to promote the 1.2 miles of retail space the mall covers, signals the center’s transformation to a sleeker, more urbanized and contemporary space. The makeover focuses on de-theming the original design and coincides with the re-branding of the Aladdin Resort and Casino into the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino.

Konica Minolta Holdings Inc. (Tokyo provider of products and services for digital imaging environments) has signed a strategic alliance agreement with the General Electric Co. (Niskayuna, N.Y.) to accelerate the development and commercialization of organic light emitting diodes (OLED) devices for lighting applications.

Marco Retail Group (Northville, Mich., retail strategy, planning and design company), formerly known as Cubellis Marco Retail, has re-launched as an independent company and dissolved its association with Boston architecture firm Cubellis.

Awards:

Dillon Works Inc.! (Mukilteo, Wash., design and fabrication company) has been nominated for a Thea Award for Outstanding Achievement for its design and fabrication of exhibits at Zoomazium at Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle. The awards are presented by TEA, an international non-profit association representing creators, developers, designers and producers.