The idea for Special FX Lighting began in 1984, in Sandpoint, Idaho. Founder Robin DuCrest, the local community theater director, was tasked to design the lighting for a local antique car museum. Due to the expensive nature of traditional theatrical lights and the short term life of gel, a long life lightbulb that has a transparent color coating was the solution he came up with. From this thought, Special FX Lighting was born.
In 1986 the company made the move to Spokane, Washington, where Special FX provided color coated light bulbs to restaurants, improving the ambiance. Coating techniques continued to be tweaked and perfected. In 1987, the company moved again to Las Vegas and became incorporated. Special FX made continuous improvements, adding flat glass to the product line as well as color filters for outdoor floodlights.
The business continued to grow through the 1990s and early 2000s. After Robin passed away in 2004, Beth Lock, his longtime collaborator and co-founder, carried the company forward. Today, she serves as President & CEO.
As the business expanded into powder coating, metal fabrication, and monuments, the FX Industries name brought these capabilities together. Special FX Lighting remains dedicated to the color, glass, and lighting products that started it all.
Through more than four decades of growth, family-run FX Industries has become a business that proudly offers American-made custom products and services. While each division can operate independently, customers can also find a start-to-finish American manufacturer that can utilize a combination of these offerings to create imaginative new products.
For Beth, the best part of the business is still the people. She stays involved in the day-to-day work at Special FX Lighting, preparing quotes, answering questions, and helping customers work through their projects because she truly loves doing it.
As a co-founder, Beth brings a deep connection to the company and its products to every conversation. She enjoys helping an idea take shape and remains a source of knowledge, encouragement, and perspective for customers and coworkers alike.
Teressa leads the coatings side of Special FX Lighting, where color and finish are central to the work. Her role connects the look a customer has in mind with the hands-on process of coating each piece.
She also helps customers with technical questions, offering guidance on our products and coatings as they work through the details of a project.
She and her husband, Trenton, both work in the company, each leading a different part of production. Their place on the team adds another family connection to the Special FX story.
Trenton leads production at Special FX Lighting, helping move projects from an idea into finished products. His role brings the daily work together, keeping the team focused on what needs to happen next.
With Teressa leading coatings and Trenton leading production, the husband-and-wife team contributes to two closely connected parts of the business.
John supports Special FX Lighting through data systems, work order preparation, and the thoughtful use of AI. He prepares work orders that help turn project details into clear information for the team, and uses AI to improve processes, explore new ideas, and help move the company forward.
That support connects the craft of making products with the systems that help a business run, giving the people doing the work a stronger foundation.
Christian supports logistics at Special FX Lighting and readily steps in wherever the team needs him. His background as an electrician brings valuable practical knowledge to the company, helping the team work through technical questions and solve problems. That versatility and willingness to lend a hand make him a valued part of the day-to-day operation.
His role is an important part of the follow-through behind each project, helping coordinate the movement of materials and finished work.
Special FX Lighting is part of the FX Industries family of companies. Beth and Wil guide the broader business together, pairing the perspective of a founder with a focus on new opportunities, stronger operations, and long-term growth.
Beth Lock brings a founder’s perspective to the leadership of FX Industries and its family of companies. From the beginnings of Special FX Lighting in 1984, she has helped shape a business grounded in craftsmanship, customer relationships, and care for the people doing the work.
As President & CEO, Beth provides continuity and direction as the company grows. Her experience, practical wisdom, and support for employees connect the company’s history with its future.
Wil DuCrest brings experience across all aspects of business, from launching new ventures to refining operations and shaping long-term strategy. As Vice President of Strategy & Development, he helps guide the future of FX Industries and its family of companies.
His focus is on turning ideas into practical opportunities, strengthening the way the businesses operate, and supporting the teams behind them. Wil combines an entrepreneurial outlook with a hands-on understanding of what it takes to build a business that lasts.