"LEDforum 2014 China International LED market trend Summit Forum", organized by LEDinside, Cnledw.com and Guangzhou International Lighting Exhibition, grandly opens at the Chinese Export Commodities Fair Pazhou Complex, Area B, Room #8 on June 11, 2014. Many distinguished guests from LED industry participated in this forum; more than one thousand people attended this forum, unprecedented. This seminar brings together global famous enterprises and professional analysts from LEDinside, the sessions at the LEDforum dissects the current situati...

The lighting industry in China is not short of standards, but emerging new standards in various regions is seriously wasting resources. “China has put too much focus on LED product standards, while overlooking basic standard systems,” said Chen Yansheng, President of China Association of Lighting Industry. “This has been the root of confusion within the Chinese lighting industry.” 

Shanxi Securities recently investigated San’an Optoelectronics (San’an Opto) to gain a better understanding of the company’s production capacity and manufacturing situation. 

In an earlier report, Shanghai Institute of Quality Inspection and Technical Research (SQI) tests conducted on 27 LED luminaires showed most were safe to use and had low blue-light hazards. In the second part of the   LED lighting product’s blue-light hazard detection, blue-rich light analysis and recommendation report” by Yu Anqi, Vice Presidentreport of SQI offers recommendations to LED manufacturers in China.

More and more countries are turning towards promoting green economies as energy shortages emerge and a growing need for diversified energy saving products arise. With the European economy stabilizing, LED luminaires have seen a boom in growth. This was evident at the Hong Kong International Lighting Fair (Spring Edition) hosted by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council held on April 6 to 9, 2014. 

The Green Trade Project Office under Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs has continued to deepen its presence in the emerging Southern Hemisphere market, leading a delegation of Taiwanese LED lighting manufacturers to participate in the biennial EXPOLUX trade show scheduled to be held on April 22-26 in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in an effort to help Taiwanese companies expand business opportunities.

Two Chinese companies were booted out of the bi-annual Light+Building trade fair this year for patent infringement. China’s intellectual property rights are facing an increasingly harsher environment as the LED industry enters the golden age. Coping with international intellectual rights has become a source of contention for many LED manufacturers, and a difficult issue to deal with for the Chinese LED industry. 

Over the years, LED lighting has filtered into many different application facets, including commercial, residential, digital communications, TV displays, mobile devices, street lighting, and more. Due to its expansive array of uses and ever lowering prices, annual global sales are estimated to grow 54 percent from 2013 reaching US $24 million, according to IP fir, iRunway. 

The recently concluded Light+Building trade fair in Frankfurt, Germany has shown the LED sector will become an important momentum to bolster the Malaysian electronics sector, according to an article by Malaysian national news agency Bernama.

The biennial Light+Building trade fair in Frankfurt has come to a close today, with over 2,300 exhibitors in attendance and close to 200,000 visitors. LEDinside Research Roger Chu shared his insight while at the show, observing the trends and innovative products showcased. Stand outs included Philips, Osram, Edison Opto, Toshiba, and Zumtobel.

Market listed companies have released their March revenue reports this week with the LED industry coming out on top, according to an article by Economic Daily News. LED manufacturers had unusually good performance in January and February, a traditionally slack season for the industry. The growth trend continued into the peak season where it picked up pace in March. Order visibility already extended to 3Q14. The second half of this year is anticipated to be smooth for the industry. 

Ahead of the upcoming Lighting + Building 2014 in Frankfurt, Germany, many companies have unveiled products that will be showcased at the show. Korean companies LG and Samsung have announced plans of launching of smart light products, while Cooledge Lighting’s flexible light sheet has caught the attention of some industry insiders. Whether the same trend of smart light, OLED technology, horticultural lighting and street light seen at TILS 2014 will also be seen in Germany remains to be seen.

The SSL industry has seen substantial growth recently that is only to increase over the next few years. During the Taiwan Solid State Lighting forum at Taiwan International Lighting Show (TILS) 2014 on March 20th, industry experts shared their insight on the direction the SSL industry will take in the future. Panelists discussing the future development and challenges of SSL included Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Director and Professor Robert F. Karlicek, Jr., lighting designer and Director of Professional Lighting Designers’ Association James Wallace, Research Director for Panasonic Takuya Komoda, Chairman of Lextar Electronics David Su, and Vice Chairperson of International Affairs Committee Michael Ng.

Taiwan International Lighting Show(TILS) 2014 opened its doors on March 20, 2014. This is the first year TILS has been held jointly with LED Taiwan. The show focused on the technology and future development for LED lighting manufacturers.

March is a big month for LED lighting exhibitions. Taiwan International Lighting Show and Light + Building will open later this month and have already garnered much attention from the market, according to Economic Daily News. The LED industry has rebounded this year, with February revenue growth substantially higher compared to last year.

The LED industry took a hit in Feb. 2014 from fewer work days, due to Chinese Lunar New Year. Many manufacturers saw a dip in revenue from Jan. 2014. In comparison to the previous year manufacturers are seeing higher revenues due to increased demands in LED lighting. LED chip manufacturers Epistar and Epileds showed atypical growth in revenue this Feb. 2014 despite the traditional slack season, demonstrating  outstanding operational performance. 

LED stocks delivered the strongest performance on the Taiwan bourse on March 4, 2014, according to a report by Chinese-language Commercial Times.  The report attributed the performance to rising LED market penetration rates and China’s environmental policies discussed at two conferences. Taiwanese LED manufacturers Unity Opto, LedTech Electronics, Tekcore and other stock prices soared, while other LED companies also saw stocks rebound.

CSI Chemical is the authorized reseller distributing CANADA SILICONE INC. LED encapsulants, LED die-attachment adhesive, LED lens material, along with LED dam adhesive all offered at competitive market price. CSI is more than capable of satisfying market demands for high brightness LEDS by providing product solutions for the light emitting diode industry.

LED package manufacturer Advanced Optoelectronic Technology (AOT), subsidiary of Foxconn Group, has released their financial report for fiscal 2013, the company’s  Earnings Per Share (EPS) NT $5.29 (US $0.79) last year, according to Commercial Times. This is not only the highest in the company’s history, but also has earned them the top spot in the LED industry.

Chinese research institutes have been interviewing listed companies after the Chinese New Year to get a better picture of the 2014 “investment guide,” according to Chinese media Sina.com report. As the industry rebounds, investors are also following research institute’s lead of entering into specific manufacturing fields to explore opportunities and determine whether the industry will generate a new gold wave. 

As countries kick off incandescent bulb phase out policies, soaring LED lighting demands has attracted market attention. Credit Suisse latest report is optimistic that the LED industry will enter another expansion phase in 2014. In addition, LED stocks will also be on the rise this year. 

Xiaomi has established itself within three years, manufacturing electronic hardware products such as smartphones, set top box, television, and routers all under the leadership of Lei Jun, Founder, Chairman, and CEO. The company focuses on smart household appliances, but in the future plans to ultimately turn towards smart living room and bedroom.

Elec-Tech revealed on January 14th plans to establish a joint venture focused on LED production in Bengbu city, Anhui Providence. The joint venture will have a registered capital of RMB 1.4 billion (US $231.4 million), of which RMB 1 million is provided by Elec-Tech through funds, materials, and intangible assets. The company will own 71.43 percent in shares. The other 28.57 percent is owned by Bengbu City Holding Corporation who invested RMB 400 million.

Unity Opto Chairman Wu Ching-huei during the company’s year-end celebration on the 13th stated that LED lighting will be a thriving industry in 2014, according to the Economic Daily News. The company’s lighting revenue will double this year with January having the opportunity to increase 30 percent month on month (MoM) in revenue.

Initial public offerings (IPOs) have reopened after a more than one year temporary break. China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) has approved five companies on December 30th which include one company to be listed on Shanghai’s main board, one listed on Shenzhen SME board, and three GEB companies.

LED industry’s supply and demand is likely to reach equilibrium sooner than predicted as price falls ease in price falls in 2013 due to exodus of Chinese LED manufacturers, said David Chung, Genesis Photonics Inc. (GPI) chairman during the Sustainable Green Development Global Green Business Outlook 2014 conference held by the Ministry of Economic Affairs on December 17th, 2013. The LED industry could see a rebound after the 2014 Lunar New Year.

How long can LED lasts? As product prices are reduced, are LEDs lifespan also becoming much shorter? Some in the LED industry have boldly stated: “A person only needs a single LED lamp through their entire life. But in this fast paced consumerism era, do we really need such long lasting products? This is an issue the LED industry has repeatedly encountered during its development, so should we not reconsider LEDs market positioning? Is one LED lamp per person that can last through a person’s entire life span suitable for a consumer product like LED?”

Refond announced the establishment of a new holding subsidiary in Changzhou on December 10th, 2013 through joint investments with Li Yanpeng and Pan Hongme to strengthen the company’s competitiveness in the LED industry.

After a year full of strife in 2013, the LED industry has finally seen signs of market rebound. As China gradually establishes national LED standards, leading enterprises have also increased R&D. The LED industry’s oversupply frozen state is gradually being melted away, and the industry is opening up to a new phase of explosive growth, according to a Chinese Business News report.

The story behind LED development—only the 4th lighting technology developed in human history—is remarkable. The potential ahead of LED lighting to deliver real and measurable advantages—to save energy, last years longer, significantly lower bottom-line costs—is limitless.  But for it to be the next great defining feature of the lighting landscape, LED lighting needs to work.