Recent studies by different research organizations in China show lighting manufacturers’ orders are on the rise as industry moves closer to peak season in March. Chip manufacturers, however, remain indecisive about expanding production. LED chip supply and demand will be more optimistic compared to last year.  

Join the DOE and lighting industry experts representing the entire SSL supply chain at the sixth annual SSL Manufacturing R&D Workshop in San Deigo California on May 7th -8th. 

The LED industry has experienced a recent surge with no signs of stopping. Large global manufacturers such as Philips and Osram, as well as LED manufacturers from China, Korea, and Taiwan are all scrambling to take advantage of the booming market, and have increased investments in  LED lighting sector as they uphold positive outlooks on the sector performance.

The Zhaga Consortium is pleased to announce the appointment of Musa Unmehopa as its new Secretary General, effective from April 1, 2014.

Many cities have been making the switch to LED traffic lights to save on electricity bills. It was not until winder was in full force that the downside of LED light became apparent. 

Chinese LED manufacturer Honglitronic announced company board of trustees approved plan to “Deregister Shenzhen subsidiary Ledia Lighting Technology” in April, 9, 2013 is now effective, according to a report from Chinese-language financial news website Hithink RoyalFlush Information Network.

The LuMini is back and ready to party. TABU Products originally launched the LuMini, a small, colorful and affordable Bluetooth bulb, on Kickstarter in February. The LuMini is an LED RGB (Red, Blue and Green) bulb that’s ideal for mood lighting. It’s 50% smaller than traditional LED bulbs and will fit most lamps. The Kickstarter campaign helped TABU Products figure out what backers wanted, and they decided to revamp the project and re-launch the campaign, which starts today.

The BayArena is a football stadium with a multifunctional complex of VIP lounges, training rooms and an official fan shop for the German football club, Bayer Leverkusen. Renovated in 2009 and holding over 30,000 seats, the BayArena is one of the more modern stadiums of the German Football League. 

Revolution Lighting Technologies, Inc. (Revolution Lighting), a provider of advanced LED lighting solutions, announced financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2013.

Diodes Incorporated, introduced the AL8807B dimmable buck LED driver. The AL8807B enables a reduction in component count and PCB size in 12V and 24V LED lighting systems and MR16-type LED lamps. This is a hysteretic driver with an integrated power switch and operates at a switching frequency of 1MHz.

UltraLux LED, an EverLast® Lighting, Inc. brand, a manufacturer of energy-efficient lighting solutions for roadway, parking structure, facility and area lighting applications launched its highly anticipated LED line earlier this month. "One of the first explosion proof LED fixtures to come to market, the UltraLux LED canopy fixture boasts a Class I & II, Div. II rating and is ideal for most hazardous locations," commented Alex Orr, VP of Sales at EverLast® Lighting, Inc.

LIGHTUP LED has introduced its new LED wall washer light collection to its customers.

The LED industry is benefitting from Chinese government policies, as the country puts environmental pollution issues high on its agenda and highlights energy efficient and environmentally friendly industries, according to a report by Chinese-language media Sing Tao. Chinese LED manufacturer NVC Lighting announced earlier it expected increased profits in 2013, which led to rising stock prices. As LED lighting industry becomes the next major trend, high growths are expected ahead.

Most modern electronics, from flat-screen TVs and smartphones to wearable technologies and computer monitors, use tiny light-emitting diodes, or LEDs. These LEDs are based off of semiconductors that emit light with the movement of electrons. As devices get smaller and faster, there is more demand for such semiconductors that are tinier, stronger and more energy efficient.

Toshiba International Corporation (TIC) of Houston, Texas has announced a reorganization affecting its LED Lighting Systems Division. Toshiba Lighting and Technology Corporation (TLT), headquartered in Yokosuka, Japan, is responsible for Toshiba’s global lighting businesses and is implementing a reorganization of international operations. As a result, the LED Lighting Systems Division within TIC will discontinue most operations by March 31, 2014. 

Spurred by rising demands for safety certification of LED lamps, the Korean government released a new amendment for LED lamp retrofits for fluorescent lamps on Feb. 28th, according to China WTO/TBT National Notification and Enquiry Center. 

In just one year, the Cree® LED Bulb has become the best-selling LED bulb in America, enabling more than US$1 billion* in lifetime energy savings for consumers. Cree and The Home Depot®are continuing the successful formula of delivering innovative products at a price that gives consumers more reasons to replace their energy-wasting incandescent bulbs by lowering the prices of the Cree LED Bulb product line by as much as 23 percent. 

As more cities try to save energy and reduce carbon footprint with LED traffic lights, those located in colder climate might need to consider installing additional heating devices to avoid car accidents during heavy snow.

Barbados, an island country located in the Caribbean is a place most LED manufacturers overlook as a potential market, but not for Caribbean LED lighting (CLL).

Organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, the sixth edition of the Hong Kong International Lighting Fair – Spring Edition will run from 6-9 April 2014 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. With record-breaking participation, the fair will assemble more than 1,000 exhibitors from 13 countries and regions, who will display diverse and creative lighting products with trend-setting elements or innovative design, catering to both the consumer and the commercial markets.

Royal Philips, the global leader in lighting, announced it is illuminating the interior of Notre-Dame de Paris with LEDs that will show off the cathedral’s gothic features as never seen before. Philips is placing LED technology at the service of 850 years of history, paying tribute to the architecture of this Gothic masterpiece. A total of more than 400 luminaires were used, with an installed capacity of just 30 kW, compared with almost 140 kW previously – reducing energy consumption by 80 percent.

Quantum Materials Corp. announced it has placed purchase orders for the proprietary equipment necessary to  commence increased production of inorganic quantum dots. The equipment is scheduled for delivery and deployment, on or before the end of the third quarter of 2014. In recent news, QMC announced obtaining equipment funding and reporting that the Los Alamos National Laboratory's (LANL) Thick-Shell technology will be integrated with a variety of QMC's composite tetrapod quantum dots to develop a line of advanced high performance quantum dots.  

Lighting and technology manufacturer, GlacialTech, will be exhibiting its latest energy efficient GlacialLight LED luminaries and GlacialPower LED drivers at the biennial Light+Building fair at Messe Frankfurt in Germany from 30 March to 04 April 2014. GlacialTech will be in Hall 10.1, booth #C10J in the Technical Lighting and Lamps area.

LEDtronics, Inc. announces the newest member to its series of high-brightness, energy-efficient LED replacement bulbs. The dimmable LED R40/BR40 bulb-style floodlight is ideal for indoor use in architectural/décor lighting, commercial applications, facilities, plants, hotels and resorts.

The Leizhou peninsula loop highway will be getting a makeover thanks to a RMB 150 million (US $24.4 million) agreement between Electricity Facilities Guangri Company (subsidiary of Guangzhou Iron and Steel Co.) and Nanhai Zhong Dong Group. 

The Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) of Taiwan has recently signed an agreement with Taiyo Nippon Sanso Corp (TNSC) for use of TNSC’s AP (atmospheric pressure) MOCVD to develop UVA LEDs on GaN substrate. 

UL announced the introduction of the Type TL Program, which offers a set of certification guidelines designed to create a more efficient path for manufacturers in developing new LED luminaire products. Through the flexibility of the UL Recognized Component program, LED drivers, an electrical device which regulates power to an LED or string of LEDs, are often designed with varying constructions and are tested in a variety of ways. This approach helps ensure LED drivers are interchangeable in most cases without the need for additional testing. 

Today Philips Lumileds launched a mid-power LED, the LUXEON 3535 HV, which allows lighting manufacturers to design in high voltage drivers that are diminutive in size compared to standard drivers, enabling simplified design and lower total cost of the overall lighting solution. The company’s high voltage mid-power portfolio is available in industry leading 24V and 48V parts.

The Lexington Art League unveiled a new interactive LED sculpture in Triangle Park in the heart of downtown Lexington, Kentucky on Feb. 21st. New Moon, a moon shaped lighting sculpture, was designed by Canadian artist-in-residence Caitlind r.c. Brown and Wayne Garrett as an ode to the celestial bodies above us. 

A young South African designer Michael Suttner has launched a new solar LED light aimed at improving the lives of those in the developing world, according to a recent Gizmag article. The product is targeting low income families in particular.