The latest report from LEDinside, a division of TrendForce, finds the total value of the global LED market (include both visible and non-visible LED products) arrived at US$14.32 billion in 2015, representing YoY growth of -3%. The market witnessed its first annual decline in value last year mainly because of the price war among the LED manufacturers, with the ASPs of some mainstream LED packages suffering a drop of 40% or more compared with 2014. The rising U.S. dollar also resulted in falling revenues for many manufacturers.

Lighting Science®, a global leader in next-generation LED lighting solutions, today announced that it received 35 new patents from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in 2015. These new patents – covering the fields of biologically adjusted and corrected lighting, light spectrum control, micro-electric optics, and advances in roadway infrastructure and other lighting fixtures – demonstrate that Lighting Science continues to set the global standard for light emitting diode (LED) and related innovation. “This new set of patents expands Lighting Science’s vast portfolio of issued patents to 366, with many focused on spectrum control and its effect on human health. Our research and development team, led by founder and Chief Technology Officer, Fred Maxik, set a high standard for innovation in 2015 of which we are extremely proud,” said Lighting Science CEO Ed Bednarcik.

The latest report by LEDinside, a division of TrendForce, revealed that the global average price of 40W-equivalent (equiv.) LED light bulbs arrived at US$10.6 in December 2015, down 1.6% from November. The global average price of 60W-equiv. LED bulbs for the same month also dropped 0.7% to US$14.5.

The lighting industry has been steadily developing over the last two decades, with China becoming one of the largest manufacturing base and consumer market. According to data compiled by Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) lighting products manufactured in China was up 10.7% YoY to RMB 418.5 billion (US $) in 2014.

China’s LED package market grew 19% Year-on-Year (YoY) to US $8.6 billion in 2014, according to LEDinside’s 2015 Global Sapphire and LED Chip Market Report. The lighting market has been the major growth momentum for the industry, as the LED commercial lighting and residential lighting market penetration rates soar, it has continued to stimulate market growth.

LEDinside, a division of TrendForce, projects the infrared (IR) LED market value for surveillance application during 2014 reached US$94 million in its latest 2Q15 Gold Member Report - 2015 Global LED Supply and Demand Market. This recently released analysis also estimates IR LED market scale in surveillance application will furthermore come to US$120 million for 2015. 

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has published the 2015 edition of the Solid-State Lighting (SSL) R&D Plan. A consolidation of DOE’s SSL Multi-Year Program Plan and SSL Manufacturing R&D Roadmap of previous years, the new R&D Plan was developed in conjunction with community experts through inputs received at roundtable meetings held in October 2014 and at the DOE SSL R&D Workshop, held in January 2015 in San Francisco. The discussions covered R&D needs for LED and OLED technologies, ranging from core technology research and product development, through manufacturing and applied technology R&D.

Published Date: June 2015 Format: PDF Language: Chinese / English

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recognized MaxLite with a 2015 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year Award for its leadership in reducing greenhouse gas emissions by manufacturing energy-efficient products and educating consumers about energy efficiency. MaxLite’s accomplishments will be recognized at the ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year Awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. on April 20, 2015.

Samsung Electronics will be scaling up investments in LED chip business this year, specifically in silicon substrate based LED technology, according to a Money DJ report.

Leading global LED manufacturer Nichia’s product lineup for 2015 will include UV LEDs, Mn 4+red phosphor powder, and laser diode products, company representatives revealed at a recent press conference at Hotel Okura in Taipei, Taiwan.

Japanese LED chip manufacturer Nichia’s first flip chip LED product, set to be launched in October this year, will be one ninth the size of the average flip chip, said the company’s optoelectronic division chief technology officer today at a press conference at Hotel Okura in Taipei, Taiwan.

Taiwanese LED manufacturer AOT projected significant growth in the UV LED market after recently announcing last month’s revenues, according to a Chinese-media LaoYaoBao report.

It will take some time before the effects from MOCVDs and other LED chip equipment acquired in 2014 will become evident, but it is expected the new equipment will make significant contributions to this year’s revenue growth, announced Chinese LED manufacturer HC SemiTek recently in an investor relations statement.

The latest luminaire updates for 2015 as follow:

Having established a foothold in the Egyptian market, Tamer Abol Ghar, CEO of Philips North East Africa, recently spoke Egypt media Daily News about the company’s plans for 2015.

Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai’s (BMC) plan to upgrade LED streetlights in India capital Mumbai ran into trouble as former mayor Sunil Prabhu and the opposition parties questioned the tender procedure, according to a report of The Indian Express.

Lamps Plus, the nation’s largest lighting retailer, forecasts some of the top home decorating and interior design trends for 2015. From lighting to home furnishings, the upcoming year brings numerous trends and styles for consumers to choose from when decorating their homes.

India Jaipur Municipal Corporation (JMC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ESCO Company to upgrade 70,000 or one third of its 197,000 traditional road lights to LED lights, according to a report from the Hindustan Times.

Upstream Taiwanese LED chip manufacturers including Epistar and leading downstream LED manufacturers Everlight and Lextar were upbeat about the industry’s growth in 2015, with most forecasting at least 20% growth, reported UDN.

San’an Opto is expected to fully benefit from the growing LED market value, according to a report from China Finance Media.

LG Electronics (LG) will unveil a new 4K ULTRA HD TV series with quantum dot technology as a new component of its expanded TV lineup at the 2015 International CES®, Jan. 6-9 in Las Vegas. LG's 4K ULTRA HD TVs with quantum dot technology will offer a wider color palette and improved color saturation than conventional LCD TVs and will be available in 2015 to complement LG's other ULTRA HD TV and OLED TV offerings.

Genesis Photonics Inc. (GPI), a subsidiary of the Chicony Group, recently announced at an investors’ conference that the company received big flip chips order from Samsung, and flip chips will account for 25% of the company’s 2015 overall revenue, according to an Economic Daily News report.

Epistar is reported to fully integrate with FOREPI before the end of 1Q15, with the possibility of FOREPI’s Chairman Feng-Ren Chien stepping down from the management board, according to a report from the China Times.

For many LED manufacturers, 2014 has been a prosperous and challenging year. Lighting market demands were stronger than expected in 1H14, leading to a period of LED supply shortages. Despite the positive development, the industry was impacted by clients double booking and distributors rising inventory levels during second half of the year. Many manufacturers were impacted by the markets cooling demands, and price competition as a result. As a result a lot of manufacturers’ performance in first and second half of the year was very polarized.

Epistar announced revenue last month was down, due to low blue light LED utilization rate.

Essex County Council in UK will be initiating a pilot LED streetlight project next year, according to a report by Cambridge News.

Hamilton city plans to replace 10,000 outdated streetlights with energy saving LED bulbs using provincial incentives before Dec. 31, 2015, according to a report from The Spectator.

After three months of inventory digestion, major epi-wafer manufacturer Epistar is yet expected to prolong its low utilization rate as LED market enters slack season in November and December. The company’s blue LED utilization rate is around 50% in November, according to Epistar's vice general manager Rider Chang.

LED is a fast changing industry. Asian manufacturers have taken their own paths to confront the tide of change. Japanese manufacturers are actively seeking collaboration opportunities with Taiwanese manufacturers, while Korean LED manufacturer Samsung has gradually exited the global LED market. Chinese manufacturers on the other hand are expanding production capacity on the back of government support.