Xiaolan, a small town with a population of 157,000 residents located in Guangdong Province in Southern China has seen its LED industry market value balloon in a short span of 8-years, reported Zhongshan Daily.

Taiwanese IC driver manufacturer Macroblock has successfully developed LED drivers for small pitch displays, and is eyeing driver solutions for an innovative display technology next year, reported China Post.

German MOCVD manufacturer Aixtron and Chinese investor Grand Chip Investment are determined to complete the acquisition business transaction despite objections raised by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS).

U.S. LED manufacturer Cree has filed a lawsuit against another LED competitor MaxBrite over design patent and trademark infringement last week, reported Triangle Business Journal.

Boston Electronics Corporation (BEC), a leader in the distribution and advanced electro-optical products and solutions, announces a new partnership with Nikkiso USA.  This partnership combines Boston Electronics’ presence in the ultraviolet (UV) market with Nikkiso’s advanced ultraviolet light emitting diode products (UV-LED).  Under the new agreement BEC will distribute Nikkiso’s UV-LED products into the North American market.

NIPSCO announced plans to convert existing street lights to LED)technology through its LED Street Light Program. NIPSCO-owned street lights will be changed at no additional cost to participating communities. This program is the first of its kind in Indiana.

Latest developments in Germany this week are making a Chinese investor takeover of Osram, and the outlook of the approval of IDG Capital consortium’s acquisition of LEDVANCE appear rather dim. Germany’s biggest labor union has become one of the latest advocates against a Chinese merger of Osram, as it seeks to keep factory jobs and others in the country.

Since early November, many Chinese carton factories began to reject new orders or restrict orders. The situation has been ongoing till now, with factories in Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai areas responded the most. As many as 18 local large and medium-sized carton factories issued emergent notices of the rise in price on the single day of November 12. Paper suddenly became in short supply. Carton factories couldn’t buy base paper even with cash in hand, causing a chain reaction of the entire manufacture industry.

Apple is asking some of its key iPhone suppliers including Foxconn and Pegatron to shift production to U.S. following President Donald Trump’s policies promoting “made in America,” reported Nikkei Asian Review.

Exiting from cut-throat price competitions in the blue LED lighting segment, LED epitaxial wafer and chip manufacturer Arima Optoelectronics (Arima) has halted manufacturing of blue LED chips altogether and shifted to AlGaInP production, reported DIGITIMES.

Philips Photonics, a wholly owned business of Royal Philips announced that it is doubling capacity at its laser-diode facility in Ulm, Germany, to provide the key components for some of the latest developments in data communication, consumer sensing and industrial thermal processing.

Littelfuse  announced that Gordon Hunter, Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer, will transition to the role of Executive Chairman, effective Jan. 1, 2017. Dave Heinzmann, Chief Operating Officer, will assume the position of President and Chief Executive Officer at that time and will join the company’s board of directors, bringing the size of the board to eight members.

Last night at the Printed Electronics USA conference in Santa Clara, Calif., Kateeva’s YIELDjet™ FLEX inkjet printing system was named the winner of the prestigious Technical Development Manufacturing Award. Presented annually by conference organizer IDTechEx, the award honors the most significant development of a manufacturing device process or production plant in the printed electronics industry over the previous 24 months. In particular, manufacturing developments that optimize the process of lab-scale or mass-scale production by improving productivity, quality, reliability, uniformity, or scale.

The LED market’s downturn resulted in net losses for certain manufacturers, such as Taiwanese LED die manufacturer Genesis Photonics Inc., leading to rumors that it is on the brink of a shutdown, reported Apple Daily.

Apple’s developments in the market are a hot topic in the technology industry, market rumors that next generation iPhones would be using OLED displays ushered in a large wave of investments in the sector in China. OLED, which was a niche market product, became a hot commodity this year because of Apple’s interest in adapting the technology in next-generation iPhones.

The European Photonics Industry Consortium (EPIC) and China Solid State Lighting Alliance (CSA) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to strengthen their partnership, reported Novus Lighting.

On Oct.19, 2016 and Oct. 28, 2016, Nichia  filed a request for three preliminary injunctions in Germany at the Düsseldorf District Court against Everlight Electronics (“Everlight”), alleging that the white LED products “334-15/X1C5-1QSA”, „334-15/T2C2-1TVB“ and „XI3535-KT577J1-03201-000P“ manufactured by Everlight and distributed in Germany infringe Nichia's YAG patent EP 936 682 (DE 697 02 929).

Lighting Science announced a collaboration agreement with iHome, a division of consumer electronics manufacturer SDI Technologies. Under the terms of the two-year agreement, the two technology leaders will explore the incorporation of Lighting Science’s patented spectrum control technology into iHome’s Zenergy product line. The agreement also includes co-marketing provisions, including the endorsement of nationally-renowned sleep expert Dr. Michael J. Breus, who currently serves as a member of Lighting Science’s Scientific Advisory Board.

The City Energy Project, a joint effort of the Institute for Market Transformation and Natural Resources Defense Council, announced the addition of ten communities that have committed to reducing energy waste in buildings.

Situated in Connecticut, U.S, and home to a population of 60,000 people, Meriden will be replacing its sodium bulb streetlights with LEDs through a citywide upgrade, reported myrecordjournal.

Jiangxi Luye Auto Lighting launched the first automotive lighting LED module plant in Nanchang Optical Valley in China, reported Xinhua.

German’s largest labor union IG Metall announced it will prevent any attempts made by Chinese investors to acquire lighting giant Osram, indicating the escalating backlash against Chinese involvement in the nation’s high-tech sector, reported Financial Times and other media last week.

Cree has filed a complaint against E. Mishan & Sons, Inc. (“Emson”) with the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts for infringement of Cree’s patented LED technology in Emson’s flashlights, such as the Bell + Howell Taclight.

Idemitsu Kosan and Merck concluded a collaboration agreement that allows each party to use the other party’s OLED material-related patents in certain areas.

Small to mid-sized display manufacturer Japan Display Inc. (JDI) third quarter financial results were in the red, due to lower demands than expected from Chinese clients and its largest client Apple, reported Chinese-language media Money DJ.

The ZigBee Alliance is in continuous communication with its member companies to develop and maintain its suite of market-relevant standards for the IoT. The Alliance is aware of the issues raised in the Weizmann Institute / Dalhousie University report referenced in multiple press articles this week.

Tall Trees LED Company is pleased to announce that the company has completed the acquisition of Dallas Lighting & Photonics and Tall Trees LED. Both companies are pioneers in the light engine design and engineering business, enhancing the company's potential for accelerated growth through diversification.

An Arizona-based LED luminaire manufacturer Optolum is suing top U.S. LED manufacturer Cree over patent infringement, reported The News & Observer.

The Canadian government recently announced it will be subsidizing in total CA $82 million (US $62.2 million) over a five-year period to National Optics Institute (INO) to support research in optics and photonics for industrial applications.

More than 23,000 sodium streetlights will be replaced with LEDs in a large streetlight project rolled out in Sunderland city in UK.