SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT


                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934



       Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) September 23, 2003



                             THOMAS INDUSTRIES INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)



                                    Delaware
                 (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)


              1-5426                                        61-0505332
      (Commission File Number)                 (IRS Employer Identification No.)

    4360 Brownsboro Road, Suite 300
        Louisville, Kentucky                                   40207
(Address of principal executive offices)                     (Zip Code)


               Registrant's telephone number, including area code
                                  502/893-4600



                                       N/A
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)



ITEM 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits.

                  (c)  Exhibits

                           Exhibit Number   Description
                           --------------   -----------

                                   99.1     Press Release dated September 23,
                                            2003 announcing report of earnings
                                            outlook.


ITEM 9.  Regulation FD Disclosure.

                  On  September  23,  2003,  Thomas  Industries  issued  a press
release  announcing report of earnings  outlook.  A copy of the press release is
filed herewith as Exhibit 99.1 and is hereby incorporated by reference.

                  The  information in this Form 8-K is being furnished and shall
not be deemed "filed" for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities  Exchange
Act of 1934 or  otherwise  subject  to the  liabilities  of  that  Section.  The
information in this Form 8-K shall not be incorporated by reference in any other
filing under the  Securities  Exchange Act or  Securities  Act of 1933 except as
shall be  expressly  set forth by  specific  reference  to this Form 8-K in such
filing.


                                   SIGNATURES

Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                          THOMAS INDUSTRIES INC.
                                          (Registrant)

                                          By:  /s/ Phillip J. Stuecker
                                          ---------------------------------
                                          Phillip J. Stuecker, Vice President of
                                          Finance, Chief Financial Officer,
                                          and Secretary


Dated:  September 23, 2003