The LED industry remains optimistic despite faltering macroeconomic growth for LED products. ”LED prices will drop around 20 percent this year. Semiconductors and automotive lighting will become the most profitable sectors within the lighting industry,” said Dr. Ke Zhang, Director of Business Development and Government Affairs, Asia Pacific at Osram.

The global high brightness LED market scale reached US $14.4 billion this year and is estimated to increase to US $16.6 billion by 2018, with a compound growth rate of 4%, according to “2014 LED Supply and Demand Data Base” by LEDinside, a LED research division of TrendForce. The LED package market value for lighting applications will reach US $4.88 billion and maintain market share of 34%. 

Japanese Miriai Co. Ltd. Recently has built the world largest’s LED plant grow factory with LED lighting built-in to realize plants photosyhthesis. With a factory of  800 square meters, the LED plant grow factory now can produce 10,000 lettuces per day. 

Today Philips Lumileds launches its proprietary CrispWhite Technology, yet another quality of light breakthrough in its portfolio, making whites appear vivid and bright while colors appear saturated. LUXEON CoB arrays with CrispWhite Technology are game-changing for retail downlights and spotlights, resulting in more inviting and attractive displays. 

Designed to replace fluorescent fixtures in drop ceilings, MaxLite’s FlatMAX panels feature a slim installation depth for a flush fit and long-life LEDs that deliver a high lumen output and uniform light. The panels are fully dimmable and compatible with building controls, motion sensors, timers, and daylight harvesting systems. They are available in three sizes: a 36-watt, 1’x4’ and 45-watt, 2’x2’ and 2’x4.’

Designed as a family of architectural slim-line recessed and pendant mounted luminaires common in quality, efficiency and aperture size, Amerlux introduces the Linea 1.5" pendant and the Gruv 1.5" recessed family of LED linear luminaires that can transition nicely from walls to ceiling, to open ceiling applications, with an equally high level of aesthetics and performance. These miniature LED linear luminaires interact from multiple mounting applications in offices, conference rooms, classrooms and other institutional and commercial interiors.

The popular Tangent™ customizable lighting contour series from VoksLyte™ has been expanded to include a pair of breathtaking offerings. The sculptural lines and discreet 2-inch wide by

GT Advanced Technologies (GTAT) shares plummeted 11 percent after investment analysts downgraded GTAT stock ratings from buy to neutral on July 7, 2014.

Tridonic is concentrating its competence in pioneering LED and OLED light sources at its Jennersdorf site in Burgenland, Austria. Tridonic will be integrating successively its OLED activities, which up to now have been located in Dresden, Germany in the LED Competence Centre in Jennersdorf. 

Electrolube, the global manufacturer at the forefront of electro-chemicals technology, has developed a clear polyester resin for the LED industry that delivers the high performance of a polyurethane resin without the use of hazardous isocyanates. The flexible encapsulation resin, PE7500, completely eliminates any health risk from isocyanate exposure, proven to cause irritation to the eyes, skin and respiratory system.  PE7500 carries no health warnings and provides a vastly safer environment for operators, whilst also reducing ventilation/protection issues and costs for manufacturers.

Lexus presented the “STROBE” project – an LED spectacle in which acrobats and stuntmen suspended across Kuala Lumpur's night skyline were lit up in succession to create the illusion of acrobatic motion at impressive speed.

Larson Electronics has announced the release of a 60 watt low canopy LED light with a removable glare shield. The GAU-LB-600E offers high light output from a compact form factor that is designed to provide a more durable and longer lived alternative to 500 watt quartz lights.

Energy efficient CFL bulb’s hay day may soon be coming to an end. Chinese government CFL subsidies started in 2008 are to conclude, according to Chinese media CCTV2 on July 4, 2014. At present, the China Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Finance along with other relevant departments, are researching and promoting government subsidy policies for LED lighting products. The subsidy’s scope and amount will be adjusted according to the base characteristics of CFL lighting relative to those of LED lighting. 

U.K. based research company Context Information Security has discovered a security weak point in the LIFX smart LED light bulbs. “It is clear that in the dash to get onto the IoT bandwagon, security is not being prioritized as highly as it should be in many connected devices,” said Context Research Director Michael Jordon in an article with Electronics Weekly. 

July has been lately bearing a special meaning for the scientists of COMEDD (Center for Organic Materials and Electronic Devices Dresden): Right on that day two years ago the distinct Fraunhofer institution for research in the area of organic processes and electronics, under the name of Fraunhofer COMEDD, had been established.

Stars and starlets gathered in the Bavarian capital. The Munich Film Festival is taking place this year for the 32nd time, and once again the program contains some exceptional films packed with famous names. The award for the best international production, to the value of 50,000 euros for particular ARRI products or services, will be presented for the second time jointly by Osram and ARRI. The Munich Film Festival, the second largest film festival in Germany after Berlinale, has been welcoming the Who's Who of the film world since 1983. Last year it attracted more than 70,000 visitors to the cinema screens, and this year's program promises a similar success story because in addition to independent productions from around the world there will be some major names there. A total of thirteen movies, including ones from cinema legends Jean-Luc Godard and Jean-Pierre Dardenne, featuring such stars as Nicolas Cage, Scarlett Johannson and Juliette Binoche, will be competing for the  ARRI/OSRAM Award in the CineMasters category. Famous names alone are no guarantee of awards, however, as was shown last year when the highly respected jury voted for "Heli", a gripping Mexican drug gang thriller from director Amat Escalante, as the best international film. The winner of the highest accolade this year will be revealed at 7 pm on July 5 at the Gasteig center in Munich. A long tradition in the film business "We have been working closely with the film industry for many years. Our products are used not only to put actors in the right light on set but also to project films onto cinema screens. Our passion for light is as fierce as the passion film-makers have for their productions. With the ARRI/OSRAM Award we want to add a little extra charisma to outstanding performances", said Hans-Joachim Schwabe, CEO Special Lighting at Osram. "As a traditional Munich-based company with almost 100 years of history in the film industry, ARRI has been a partner of the Munich Film Festival for many years. ARRI is a predominantly international company, so it is fitting that the first award, presented in 2008, was for the best foreign film. This year ARRI will be presenting the award together with Osram for the second time. We want the ARRI/OSRAM Award to encourage international producers to take on their next, hopefully successful project and build up a long-term relationship with us", said Franz Kraus, Managing Director of the ARRI Group.       ARRI, as a specialist in professional camera and lighting equipment and provider of film-making services, and Osram, as a lighting and projection expert, have been deeply rooted in the cinema and film industry for many years. This is borne out by the fact that Osram lamps are used in one in three cinema projectors throughout the world and that ARRI spotlights are used on every film set the whole world over. For their services to the medium of film both companies have been awarded a number of Oscars.

LED chip manufacturer Epistar sudden announcement of absorbing FOREPI sent shockwaves throughout the industry this week. LEDinside gives a comprehensive overview of the benefits and potential issues surrounding this important industry merge of the year. Philips also announced on June 30, 2014, restructuring of LED component business Philips Lumileds with automotive lighting business. For more please check out below:

While most factories had closed their doors for the night yesterday, over 300 San’an Optoelectronic (San’an Opto) employees were hard at work burning the midnight oil, to pump out new wafers to meet increasing demands. 

The merger between LED chip manufacturer Epistar and FOREPI has generated much discussion in the industry. Industry insiders have different views on the trend of large LED upstream manufacturers dominating the market. While foreign investment firms are optimistic the merger will create a win-win situation for Epistar and FOREPI, other market insiders are concerned it will have a negative impact on downstream manufacturers.

Since Epistar’s announced the merger with Taiwan based LED manufacturer FOREPI, the industry has been concerned about rival San’an Optoelectronics (San’an Opto) potential to undermine Epistar’s management.  

GT Advanced Technologies (GTAT), announced a realignment of its manufacturing, engineering and supply chain resources to optimize effectiveness across its increasingly diversified business portfolio. The actions taken will align previously centralized personnel and operational resources directly with the company's various businesses, which include the rapidly ramping Arizona based sapphire materials business and expanding equipment businesses with applications ranging from solar and LED to power electronics, consumer electronics and industrial.

Royal Philips, the global leader in lighting showcases the world’s largest installation using luminous textiles, measuring 37 square meters at the Centrum Galerie shopping mall in Dresden.

Osram, in collaboration with the Munich luminaire manufacturer Markgraf Licht, has developed an LED track spotlight that requires no external control unit. The product was developed in a record time of merely six weeks. The Coma L LED is based on the Prevaled Core AC light engine from Osram with the control unit integrated in the LED module.

NDS Surgical Imaging (NDSsi) has released its new Dome® S6c widescreen color 6MP diagnostic display, now in production. The newest member of the S-series product family, the Dome S6c offers LED-backlight technology, grayscale and color imaging, and 30-inch widescreen viewing.

The new Interlace LED suspension light fixture by LBL Lighting was chosen as the “Indoor Decorative” category winner at the 2014 LIGHTFAIR Innovation Awards®. Held this year at the Las Vegas Convention Center, LIGHTFAIR® International (LFI®) is the world’s largest annual architectural and commercial lighting trade show and conference.

Larson Electronics has announced the release of a pedestal mounted explosion proof light that is a low voltage lighting solution which uses advanced LED technology and an industrial grade design to provide operators in hazardous locations with excellent illumination and low voltage operation.

Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) new LED energy efficiency standard has been in effect since July 1, 2014. According to the ministry, Taiwan is the first Asian country to implement minimum energy efficiency standards for LED bulbs. The new standard will be applicable for both imported and domestic products.

Honglitronic released their 2014 half year results on July 2, 2014, reporting an increase in net profit of 35-60 percent from last year. The company expanded production capacity to take advantage of booming LED lighting demands in the second half of 2014. 

Lattice Power may not be a household name now in the LED chip industry, but the China based startup is already creating cheaper LED technology that could give large international manufacturers a run for their money. The company has ambitious development plans, recently securing US $80 million in financing to advance production and establish a U.S. based R&D center.   

Besides obscuring the stars, light pollution can also disrupt the reproduction of light-sensitive animals. French scientists have shown that light pollution can override the natural reproductive cycle of some animals, making them sexually active out of season.