Cree, Inc. (Nasdaq: CREE) announces an expansion of the XLamp® High Current LED Array family with new CMT LEDs that extend Cree’s latest metal-based chip-on-board (COB) LED technology to the most prevalent COB form factors. In addition to providing up to 45 percent more lumen density and up to 17 percent higher efficacy, all Cree® XLamp High Current LED Arrays feature an innovative metal substrate technology that delivers higher reliability than competing metal COBs. With more than 6,000 hours of LM-80 data available, the expanded family of LEDs enables lighting manufacturers to immediately upgrade their designs for DesignLights Consortium® and ENERGY STAR® eligible applications, such as track, downlight and outdoor lighting. “With the new High Current CMT LEDs, Cree has given us a full portfolio of solutions for our upcoming luminaire designs, in terms of both performance and ease of integration,” said Shawn Keeney, technology manager, Ledra Brands, a manufacturer of innovative, specification grade LED lighting fixtures and systems. “By choosing Cree, we know that we are leveraging the highest performance and best long-term reliability for COB LEDs to continue our leadership in solid state lighting design.”

Prices of LED light bulbs crept up slightly this June with the global ASP of 40-watt equivalent products rising by 1.1% compared with the prior month to US$6.6, according to the latest report from LEDinside, a division of TrendForce. The global ASP of 60-watt equivalent LED light bulbs remained constant at US$8.1.

Cree, Inc. expands its industry-leading LED bulb portfolio with the PAR38 Cree® LED Bulb family. These ground-breaking bulbs leverage the same technical innovations that made the Cree LED Bulb the best-selling LED light bulb in America – delivering a PAR38 replacement that looks and lights the way consumers expect, but uses 80 percent less energy. 

When NC State sought a lighting solution for Wolf Ridge at Centennial, the university’s first residence hall planned for LEED Silver certification, they chose industry-leading LED lighting from Cree, Inc. to help the building achieve the rigorous certification and significantly reduce energy and maintenance costs. Luminaires installed in two of the project’s six buildings are already delivering positive results. Powered by Cree TrueWhite® Technology, the luminaires deliver the industry’s best color quality, creating more inviting and better lit environments for student residents while significantly reducing the school’s operational expenses compared to outdated lighting technologies.

With the continual low price trend of  in the LED market, manufacturers are beginning to consider options for lowering productions costs. LED package free products have become the focal point of the industry in 2013 with many manufacturers actively breaking into R&D and production.

Cree, Inc.  introduces the LMH2 LED Module with sunset dimming – Cree’s game-changing dimming technology that provides a dimming experience similar to incandescent lighting. The new module enables a natural dimming profile that was previously unachievable with any other energy-saving technology. Cree’s sunset dimming technology dims smoothly from 2700 K to 1800 K, delivering rich, warm light for applications requiring a traditional style of dimming, such as hospitality and residential settings, while still achieving over 80-percent energy reduction compared to energy-inefficient incandescents.

Following international lighting giants Philips, OSRAM, and GE shift towards LED lighting, local manufacturers from various countries followed suit. CLSA Asia-Pacific Markets most recent report showed a good outlook for LED lighting market development in 2014 and believes that LED lighting demands will be the driver for LED manufacturing capital expenditures in 2014. They predict that global numbers for new MOCVD units in 2014 will increase compared to 2013, reaching an estimated 390 units.

The American Tobacco Campus, a national model for historic redevelopment, is pushing boundaries and setting new standards for energy efficiency as part of a new collaboration with Duke Energy and LED innovator, Cree, Inc.

Taiwan LED wafer manufacturer Epistar announced more good news for its market layout in LED lighting. According to a report by global financial service firm Morgan and Stanley, Epistar’s infiltration into CREE’s supply chain, controlling production of high efficiency red LED chips and mid-to-low watt sapphire wafer orders, lighting proportion within the company will continue to rise for 4Q.

Breakthrough Technology Delivers Contractors Quick Retrofit to LED Lighting Linear fluorescent lighting may have seen its last days thanks to the inventive, new Cree® UR Series LED Upgrade Kit that can deliver payback in less than two years and makes upgrading to LED lighting simple and easy. Cree, Inc. introduces a 102 lumen-per-watt linear LED upgrade kit to replace fluorescent lamps. The new UR Series is easy to install, saves over 50 percent in energy, provides better light, and lasts up to twice as long as the standard 32-W fluorescent lamps it...

The city of Huntington Park, California, is seeking bids from qualified firms to supply Cobrahead style LED streetlights for an upcoming streetlight replacement initiative. The project will replace existing high pressure sodium (HPS) streetlights with new, energy efficient LED streetlight fixtures. The Request for Proposals (RFP) is for the purchase of 380 LED streetlights manufactured by Cree, Inc. According to the bid document, existing HPS streetlights range from 175 watts to 400 watts. Specifically, those targeted for replacement include 200 – 150 w...

Building upon the success of the CR Series downlights, Cree, Inc. introduces Cree  Full Definition CR4™ and CR6™ downlights – the ideal luminaire to replace outdated incandescent four- and six-inch recessed downlights. Featuring a warm-white 2700K color temperature, dimming and better than 80 CRI, the Full Definition downlights are ideal for applications that require good light quality and low initial cost. "Cree is committed to delivering customers the LED lighting solution needed to fit their budgets and applications," said Greg M...

As the global market for LED products continues to expand, a race has developed among manufacturers to come out with cheaper versions of LED light bulbs to capture a bigger chunk of the consumer market. In early March, Cree introduced a line of low-cost LED bulbs to be sold at Home Depot . One of the bulbs, a warm white 40W replacement model, sells for less than $10 at retail. That compares with $20 for some of the other lower-priced items. Cree's announcement was followed a month later by news that German lighting manufacturer Osram will launch its own 40 watt-e...