South Korea's Samsung LED said on July 17 (2011) it had asked the US International Trade Commission to ban US imports of goods made by Osram due to a patent argument with the German lighting firm. Samsung, in a complaint filed on July 15, accused Osram of patent infringement in eight core light emitting diode (LED) technologies and also filed a suit in the US District Court in Delaware seeking damages.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Funding to Support Global Growth Plan of LED Thermal Management Specialist
AUSTIN, TX – July 19, 2011 – Nuventix, creator of SynJet® thermal management technology, announced that The Bergquist Company and GE (NYSE: GE) have contributed to a $10 million round of investment in the company which began earlier this year. The two new investors join Braemar Energy Ventures, CenterPoint Ventures, InterWest Partners and Rho Ventures in support of the fast-growing company. The funds will be used to support global expansion, and advancement of next generation SynJet cooling for LED lighting and electronics.
“We are very excited about the opportunity to invest in Nuventix,” said Jim Plewacki, CFO, Bergquist. “SynJet technology is the only credible active cooling alternative to fans, making it a high potential thermal solution for not only high brightness LEDs, but also electronics and telecommunications.”
Nuventix’ SynJet modules are currently utilized by leading LED lighting manufacturers to cool high brightness LED lights. SynJet technology is quiet, flexible and allows designers and manufacturers to build energy efficient lighting solutions without thermal constraints. In addition to reducing energy consumption, SynJet technology also ensures LED light engines run brighter and longer, up to 100,000 hours, providing the end user with better quality, longer-lasting and more cost efficient bulbs and fixtures.
The same efficiencies provided to LED light engines can also be realized by embedded computing electronics, from server rooms to set-top boxes and beyond, with the SynJet thermal management system.
“This funding will power both our global expansion and technology growth as we continue to advance SynJet technology for use in LED lighting and electronics,“ said Jim Balthazar, CEO and president of Nuventix. “We firmly believe SynJet technology is the best way to cool down hot electronics reliably, efficiently, quietly, and in the form factors designers want. With Bergquist and GE, we’ll continue to lead the market.”
Nuventix is the company that cools, providing the only process using synthetic jets to answer the growing problem of thermal management in electronics. From chips in LED lighting to embedded computing and beyond, the Nuventix SynJet offers a reliable, quiet and energy efficient cooling solution in a variety of sizes and form factors. Nuventix, with its innovative and award-winning SynJet technology product line, has been solving thermal management problems for customers around the world since 2003.
LED-Based Brush Sees Explosive Market Growth
(EMAILWIRE.COM, July 19, 2011 ) Melbourne, Australia -- The Haircare Multi laser Hair Brush continues to see growing sales in both Australia and the United States. The technology has been scientifically proven to help reduce and reverse hair loss, the affordable solution is designed for both men and women.
Although there are myriad reasons for hair loss including stress, medications and chemical deficiencies among others, the primary cause is androgenetic alopecia. This condition is commonly known as male pattern baldness, but hormonal changes, the pill and pregnancy are more common reasons for hair loss in women.
Since the 1960’s ongoing and improving research has shown that scalp stimulation can have positive impact on hair loss. In the new millennium, scientific research has found that handheld laser combs can effectively enhance the results of hair loss therapy for millions suffering from this condition.
Physician-specified light therapy has effectively treated many conditions for decades. The Haircare Multi Laser Brush harnesses meticulously engineered light emitting diodes (LEDs) and very mild laser beams to send energy to the follicles in the scalp. The Brush also has a micro current massage setting to provide a pleasant scalp massage that also increases capillary blood flow. These combined processes help to reverse hair loss more quickly.
The LEDs stimulate the follicles and help provide oxygen to the scalp as the low-level laser beams fortify the hair roots and encourage stronger follicles. The anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory effects of the light therapy also remove some of the DHT (dihydrotestosterone) that is thought to cause hair loss when it accumulates in the follicles
Monday, July 18, 2011
ProPhotonix Announces Placement of 23,250,000 New Common Shares to Raise £3.255 Million ($5.1 Million)
ProPhotonix Limited, (London Stock Exchange - AIM: PPIX and PPIR, OTC: STKR.PK), a designer and manufacturer of LED light engines and laser diodes modules with operations in Ireland and the U.K, announced the completion of a conditional placing of 23,250,000 new common shares of $0.001 each (“Common Shares” or “Placing Shares”) with institutional and other investors.
The Company, through its broker Brewin Dolphin Limited (“Brewin Dolphin”), has received commitments to subscribe for 23,250,000 Placing Shares at 14p ($0.22) per Placing Share, raising approximately £3.255 million ($5.1 million) before expenses. The Placing is, inter alia, conditional on admission of the Placing Shares to trading on AIM (”Admission”).
ProPhotonix's CEO, Mark W. Blodgett, said: “We are very pleased with the high level of demand for shares in the placing and welcome significant new institutional investors to the share register. The monies raised will assist the Company in capitalising on the opportunities available in our chosen markets through the application of our proprietary technology and expertise in relation to LED-based lighting applications and in developing our laser module business. Proceeds will be used to strengthen product management for the medical equipment market and expand the Company’s direct sales force in the U.S., Ireland, U.K. and Germany. In addition, we intend to make additional R&D investments for both the medical equipment and industrial illumination markets where our compact, high performance LED solutions are uniquely suited, “added Blodgett.
Following the Company's admission to AIM in December 2010, the Company's current strategy is to build on its strong track record of developing and manufacturing products for the technically demanding machine vision market. The Company has recently expanded into the medical equipment and homeland security markets and intends to develop and market a high power LED light engine product line for the industrial illumination market. In addition, ProPhotonix will continue to build its core skills in engineering, sales and product management, as well as supply chain management.
The Company, through its broker Brewin Dolphin, has received commitments to subscribe for 23,250,000 Placing Shares at 14p per Placing Share, raising approximately £3.255 million before expenses. The Placing is, inter alia, conditional on admission of the Placing Shares to trading on AIM ('Admission').
The Placing Shares comprise 1,071,429 Placing Shares which have been allotted at a board meeting held on 12 July to a venture capital trust (the “VCT Placing Shares”), and 22,178,571 Placing Shares which have been allotted at a separate board meeting held on 12 July to institutional and other investors (the “Non-VCT Placing Shares”).
Application will be made for the VCT Placing Shares and the Non-VCT Placing Shares to be admitted to trading on AIM and it is expected that Admission will occur, and dealings in the VCT Placing Shares commenced, on 18 July 2011 and that Admission will occur, and dealings in the Non-VCT Placing Shares will commence, on 19 July 2011.
Following completion of the Placing, the Placing Shares will represent approximately 30.6% of the enlarged issued share capital of the Company, which will then comprise 76,060,174 Common Shares. The Placing Shares will, when issued, rank pari passu in all respects with the existing issued Common Shares.
The Placing Shares will trade with ISIN USU743121068 under the ticker PPIR and are Regulation S restricted under US securities laws and therefore trade outside CREST.
Tim Steel, Non Executive Director, has subscribed under the Placing for 400,000 Placing Shares at the placing price of 14p per Placing Share. Following the Placing he will be interested in a total of 803,000 Common Shares, representing 1.06% of the enlarged issued share capital.
Enquiries:
ProPhotonix Limited
Mark W. Blodgett, CEO
Tel: +44 (0)12 7971 7170
ir@prophotonix.com
Brewin Dolphin Limited
Neil Baldwin
Tel: +44 (0)113 241 0130
Cubitt Consulting
Chris Lane / Alice Coubrough
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7367 5100
RD:IR
Isabel Richardson
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7492 0500
ProPhotonix Limited, headquartered in Salem, New Hampshire, is an independent designer and manufacturer of diode-based laser modules and LED systems for industry leading OEMs and medical equipment companies. In addition, the Company distributes premium diodes for Opnext, Sanyo & Sony. The Company serves a wide range of markets including the machine vision, industrial inspection, defense, sensors, and medical markets. ProPhotonix has offices and subsidiaries in the U.S., Ireland, and Europe. For more information about ProPhotonix and its innovative products, visit the Company's web site at www.prophotonix.com
Friday, July 15, 2011
LEDs 100 times smaller than conventional LEDs
Researchers at the University of Miami's College of Engineering use an array of LEDs 100 times smaller than conventional LEDs to design an LED light that is more flexible, maintains lower temperatures and has an increased life-span over existing LEDs.
In the study published by the university, the scientists focused on improving certain features of LED lights, such as size, flexibility, and temperature. Assistant professor Jizhou Song was instrumental in analyzing thermal management and establishing an analytical model that reduces the temperature of the device.
"The new model uses a silicon substrate, novel etching strategies, a unique layout, and innovative thermal management method," says Song, co-author of the study, which is titled 'Unusual Strategies for Using InGaN Grown on Silicon (111) for Solid State Lighting.' "The combination of these manufacturing techniques allows the new design to be much smaller and keep lower temperatures than current LEDs using the same electrical power."
In the future, researchers are interested in making the device stretchable, so that it may be used on a variety of surfaces, including deformable display monitors and biomedical devices that adapt to the curvilinear surfaces of the human body.
The corresponding authors are John Rogers, the Lee J. Flory Founder Chair in Engineering and professor of materials science and engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), and Ralph Nuzzo, G. L. Clark professor of Chemistry at UIUC. Yonggang Huang, Joseph Cummings professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Mechanical Engineering at Northwestern University, also is a senior author on the study. Song's findings were published online by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.
The research of the College of Engineering (CoE) is innovative and cross-disciplinary requiring collaboration among those within and outside engineering. These collaborations are typically centered on the following 3 major research thrust areas for the College.
*Sustainable Systems
*Informatics and Risk
*Health and Techno-biology
Web-Site: http://www.miami.edu/coe/
GE Lighting Solutions, LLC - 10 New Outdoor LED Lighting Products
GE Lighting Solutions, LLC expands its full-line of products for retailers and municipalities with 10 new outdoor LED lighting products that provide energy and maintenance savings with a rated life of 50,000 hours.
“GE designed these outdoor LED products with our customers in mind,” says Tim Miller, global product manager, LED Fixtures, GE Lighting. “LEDs are the future of outdoor lighting, and with these product offerings, GE is a one-stop solution for all outdoor lighting needs. We’re committed to providing the best in LED systems in terms of performance, life and energy savings.”
This new generation of GE LED lighting products provides high uniformity to effectively light outdoor areas and reduce over-lighting, resulting in shadowing and energy waste. The majority of GE outdoor LED lamps offer more than 11 years of service life (based on 12 hours of use per day) to substantially reduce maintenance frequency and expenses. They also are RoHS compliant, containing no lead or mercury.
“Many cities throughout the U.S. are making the investment in outdoor LED lighting systems for their long-term energy and maintenance savings and are replacing (high-intensity discharge) HIDs,” Miller says. “Nearly all of GE’s outdoor LEDs are assembled in the company’s North Carolina plant, which we are very proud to say.”
Area Lights:
•Evolve™ LED Contemporary Domed Area Light – A futuristic and aesthetically pleasing lighting system with symmetric and asymmetric light distribution. It yields up to a 60 percent reduction in system energy compared with standard HID systems.
•Evolve™ LED Modular Area Light – Features a modular, European design providing 34 photometric combinations in two color temperatures (4000K and 5700K). The sleek design balances the need for photometric scalability with reliable workhorse performance.
•Evolve™ LED Wall Pack & Egress Light – Delivering the same outstanding performance as the modular area light solution, the wall pack provides 10 photometric combinations in a modern “wedge” look. The same wedge platform also offers an egress option, providing a consistent look for all area lighting applications.
Flood Lights:
•Evolve™ LED Wall and Underpass Flood – Ideal for simple wall flood applications or for bridge underpass where no maintenance is required. It offers up to 50 percent reduction in system energy compared with standard HID systems, depending on the applications.
•Evolve™ LED Wide Flood, Billboard & Spot – With three optimized designs, there is a solution to fit virtually any application, such as architectural wall washing and facade lighting, sports court area lighting and more. It uniquely offers a photoelectric sensor receptacle to minimize control requirements if the application calls for a dusk-to-dawn solution.
Garage Lights:
•Evolve™ LED Garage Light –This fixture features an advanced LED optic specifically designed for applications such as parking decks with low mounting heights to provide high uniformity and excellent vertical light distribution. It also has a unique option for up-light versions, not found in other LED garage fixtures.
Post Tops:
•Evolve™ LED Avery StreetDreams™ Post Top – This fixture provides improved horizontal and vertical uniformity, reduced glare and improved lighting control in a classic, traditional style. This post top can yield up to 60 percent reduction in system energy compared with standard HID systems.
•Evolve™ LED Contemporary Conical Post Top – A more modern European post top style, the Contemporary Conical post top yields up to 60 percent reduction in system energy compared with standard HID systems and isideal for roadway, site, area and general lighting applications.
•Evolve™ LED Salem Post Top – Offers energy efficiency and quality of light in a classic, utility carriage look and style, also providing up to 60 percent in energy savings and eliminating the unsightly shadow circles commonly seen under other LED post top fixtures.
Roadway Lights:
•Evolve™ LED Medium Cobrahead– Combines more than 100 years of street lighting experience with more than a decade in designing breakthrough LED systems, featuring a contoured cobrahead shape and heat sink fin design that provides excellent thermal management and allows for water run-off for extended LED life and minimal build-up of dirt on the fixture’s exterior. Named Best-in-Class in the 2009 Next Generation Luminaires™ Competition.
About GE Appliances & Lighting:
GE Appliances & Lighting spans the globe as an industry leader in major appliances, lighting, systems and services for commercial, industrial and residential use. Technology innovation and the company's ecomagination(SM) initiative enable GE Appliances & Lighting to aggressively bring to market products and solutions that help customers meet pressing environmental challenges. General Electric (NYSE: GE), imagination at work, sells products under the Monogram®, Profile™, GE®, Hotpoint®, Reveal® and Energy Smart® consumer brands, and Tetra®, Vio™ and Immersion® commercial brands. For more information, consumers may visit www.ge.com
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
LED-Based Intelligent Street Lighting System - The Netherlands
Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) is currently testing an intelligent street lighting system on its campus, which uses up to 80% less electricity than the current systems and is also cheaper to maintain. The system consists of street lights with LED lighting, motion sensors and wireless communication. This enables the installation to dim the lights when there are no cars, cyclists or pedestrians in the vicinity. Wireless communication between the street lights and a control room is also possible. The system was developed by TU Delft alumnus Management of Technology, Chintan Shah, who won a competition in 2010 with this concept for improving energy efficiency on the university campus.
The Netherlands spends more than 300 million euros a year on electricity for street lighting. The network of street lighting also emits over 1.6 million tons of CO2 a year. The lights are always on at full power, regardless of whether there is anyone in the area. Compared with the current street-lighting system, Chintan Shah’s intelligent system can reduce energy consumption and CO2 emission by up to 80%, is cheaper to maintain and can also help solve the problem of light pollution.
Shah’s system consists of electronic gear that can be added to any – dimmable – street light. The system comprises street lights with:
- LED lighting
- Motion sensors
- Wireless communication
At first glance, it looks a lot like a widely available type of garden light with a motion sensor, but there are significant differences. In Shah’s system, all surrounding street lights light up if anyone approaches. And the lights never go out completely; they are dimmed to approx. 20% of the standard power. Passers-by move in a safe circle of light as it were. An added bonus is the fact that the lights automatically communicate any failures to the control room. This makes maintenance cheaper and more efficient than it is now.
The aim of the pilot on the TU Delft campus is to thoroughly test and fine-tune the system, to prevent swaying branches or passing cats from switching the lights to full power, for instance. Shah is working with his TU Delft spin-off company Tvilight on the market introduction of the system, which he expects to be profitable within 3-5 years. Shah: “This technology differs in certain aspects from the existing systems of other companies and all of this new technology has been patented.” TU Delft is also curious to know the results of the pilot. Professor of Wind Energy, Gijs van Kuik, is actively involved in making the campus more sustainable: “We are delighted with this development. This is a promising opportunity to save energy on street lighting.”
The realization of this campus pilot was the prize Chintan Shah won in March 2010 in the Campus Energy Challenge, a competition for TU Delft students with ideas on improving energy efficiency on the university campus. The competition was initiated by the Delft Energy Initiative. This is the gateway to all energy research and education at TU Delft. It also promotes new projects in the field of energy.
See Video via the Internet:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CZy0fnspnQ
See Video via the Internet:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CZy0fnspnQ
More information:
Chintan Shah, Tvilight. Tel: +31 (0) 624 558 520, e-mail: c.shah@remove-this.tvilight.com
Ineke Boneschansker, wetenschapsvoorlichter TU Delft. Tel: +31 (0)15 278 8499, e-mail: i.boneschansker@remove-this.tudelft.nl
About TU Delft TU Delft cooperates with many other educational and research institutions, both in the Netherlands and abroad. The high quality of their research and teaching is renowned. TU Delft has numerous contacts with governments, trade associations, consultancies, industry and small and medium-sized companies.
TU Delft was founded in 1842 as the Royal Academy by King Willem II. It has been known as the Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) since 1986. In the annual report, TU Delft looks back at developments within the organization, teaching, research and in the field of knowledge valorization. Support processes and financial reporting are also part of the annual report.
TU Delft has made a number of fundamental decisions concerning education, research, knowledge valorization and organization. In the years to come, these directional decisions will be further developed in order to strengthen TU Delft’s position as a leading university of technology. Source Web-site: http://home.tudelft.nl/
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
LumiGrow Closes Series A Funding from Clean Pacific Ventures
San Francisco, CA – July 12, 2011 – LumiGrow, Inc. (www.LumiGrow.com) announced that it received an undisclosed sum in Series A financing from Clean Pacific Ventures, a leading venture capital fund with a specialization in clean technology companies related to energy, water, agriculture and materials. The financing will accelerate the market expansion of energy-efficient LumiGrow® lighting solutions for commercial agriculture and horticultural research. Clean Pacific Ventures’ General Partner and Chief Investment Officer Sean Schickedanz will join LumiGrow’s Board of Directors.
“Agriculture hasn’t seen a breakthrough this exciting in decades,” said Mr. Schickedanz. He explained, “More and more of our crops are grown in illuminated greenhouses, yet legacy lighting technologies frequently cost more to operate than they contribute to the bottom line in yield gains. Growers are moving quickly to replace these inefficient lighting fixtures with LumiGrow solutions to improve yield and cut electrical expenses. It’s because of this no-compromise value proposition that LumiGrow is rapidly emerging as the clear leader in a market segment on the brink of exponential growth.”
“LumiGrow technology is a giant and irrevocable leap forward for horticultural lighting, and this investment from Clean Pacific Ventures allows us to bring our solutions to new customers faster,” said LumiGrow CEO Kevin Wells. He added, “We’re thrilled to welcome Mr. Schickedanz to our board. His expertise in guiding clean technology companies to rapid and sustainable growth makes him a tremendous asset to the LumiGrow team.”
Common industry practice among greenhouse growers is to supplement sunlight with high-intensity discharge (HID) lighting to boost crop growth and extend growing seasons. But traditional lighting fixtures were designed for general illumination. Most of the light they produce is unusable for photosynthesis; the rest is energy waste. Greenhouse growers are often the leading energy users in their local utility service areas.
LumiGrow LED lighting systems consume 50 percent less energy than the outmoded lighting fixtures they replace because they emit only the color spectrum essential for photosynthesis and healthy plant growth. Energy bill savings, utility subsidies and financing options frequently make a LumiGrow installation a cash-positive or cash-neutral investment that provides substantial savings, year after year.
LumiGrow, Inc., the leading provider of high-efficiency LED lighting solutions for horticulture, enables commercial growers and agribusinesses to achieve operational efficiencies, reduce energy consumption and improve crop yield. LumiGrow offers a range of third-party proven solutions for use in greenhouses, indoor farms and scientific research chambers. LumiGrow solutions are eligible for energy efficiency subsidies from Pacific Gas & Electric, Puget Sound Energy and other utilities. The Company’s 500 commercial and institutional customers include Dow AgroSciences, Duke University and the USDA. Headquartered on Treasure Island in the San Francisco Bay, LumiGrow is privately owned and operated. For more information, call (800) 514-0487 or visit www.lumigrow.com.
About Clean Pacific Ventures
Clean Pacific Ventures is a venture capital fund that invests in promising early stage clean technology companies. Clean Pacific focuses primarily on clean technologies related to energy, water, carbon reduction, agriculture and materials. In addition to LumiGrow, the portfolio includes Carbonflow, Clean Power Finance, HydroNovation, Marrone Bio Innovations and SunLink. For more information, visit www.cleanpacific.com.
Conference Announcement: China International Optoelectronic Exposition (CIOE 2011)
The 13th China International Optoelectronic Exposition (CIOE) in 2011 will be on September 6 to 9, held at Shenzhen Convention & Exhibition Center.
Last year, there were attendees from the United States, Germany, Japan, France, Italy, Russia, Switzerland, South Korea and Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and others (a total of 52 countries were represented).
Products Interests: Optical communication and laser infrared optical communication system equipment exhibition, optical components (active device, passive components), optical communication equipment, network engineering auxiliary equipment and materials, digital video optical transceiver lasers and laser application, laser processing equipment/auxiliary equipment and accessories, photoelectric infrared sensor, light/infrared thermal imaging device, and infrared night vision, infrared measuring temperature, photoelectric attached and photoelectric equipment precision optical exhibition optical materials, optical element, optical instrument, optical processing testing equipment, optical coating, machine vision LED exhibition LED components and materials, the LED encapsulation/module, LED semiconductor lighting and application, LED manufacturing/testing equipment global electronic product sourcing fair consumer electronics
Web site: http://www.cioe.cn/
E-mail: cioe@cioe.cn
Tel: 13824323204 / 0755-86290852
Fax: 0755-86290951
EUR 50 million “Green Investment”
For over six months now, SPAR’s two climate-friendly supermarkets in Engertstrasse, Vienna and Murau in Styria have been open for business and feeding back information on how their “green” technology is working in practice. The initial findings on the new technologies are now available and the company’s high expectations have been met in full. Among the facts that emerged was that, along with the HVAC systems, the lighting is proving a major energy consumer. SPAR promptly responded by triggering an investment of EUR 50 million in energy-efficient lighting solutions from the Zumtobel Company of Austria.
When SPAR opened two climate-friendly SPAR supermarkets in Austria on September 29 and 30, 2010 – one in Vienna and the other in Murau in the Styria region – the company had clear goals in mind: “First of all we wanted to try out new technologies at these locations to see how they performed in everyday operation before considering a roll-out at all SPAR locations in Austria. That’s in line with our goal of using new technologies to cut energy consumption by at least a third at every SPAR outlet that we open or renovate. Secondly, we were out get the message across to our customers that climate protection now affects each and every one of us and is a key topic for the future. And finally, of course, we were out to save energy at these locations from the outset and thereby reduce our CO2 footprint,” said SPAR board member Hans K. Reisch explaining the thinking behind the two climate-friendly SPAR supermarkets.
Six months on, the feedback on the technical performance as well as from SPAR’s customers has been very positive. “The budgeted savings of 80 (Murau) and 50 (Vienna) tonnes of CO2 a year are looking perfectly feasible, although it remains to be seen what the summer months will bring before we draw any conclusions about full-year operations across all four seasons,” said Reisch. “We’ve also encountered substantial interest among our customers at these locations and there’s been quite an echo in the national and international retail trade.” At the beginning of 2011, for example, a delegation of US building experts visited the climate-friendly SPAR market in Vienna and said they couldn’t think of a single supermarket in the United States that could currently match it for technical innovation.
Ever since they opened, the two climate-friendly SPAR supermarkets have been under ultra-close technical observation, with ongoing monitoring of the climate-related impact of the energy- and resource-saving measures employed. “It soon emerged that light is second only to the HVAC system in terms of energy consumption,” said SPAR board member Reisch. “That’s why the board of SPAR Austria decided to make a ‘green investment’ in our future.”
SPAR Austria has awarded an order worth EUR 50 million to the Zumtobel company of Austria. The project includes fitting the – globally unique – Tecton LED continuous row lighting system in all newly-built or renovated SPAR stores in Austria. SPAR is also considering rolling out this future-proof lighting concept at its Eastern European locations as well. Zumtobel has been partnering with SPAR for many years now and ranks among the global innovation leaders in the professional lighting field. The LED-based continuous row lighting system employed at the two climate-friendly SPAR supermarkets not only provides better quality of light but also reduces the energy consumption for the entire artificial lighting of the average supermarket location by 25 percent.
“We’re delighted at being awarded this order by SPAR Austria and consider it a major milestone in the breakthrough of LEDs as the technology of the future for general purpose lighting,” said Zumtobel Group CEO Dr. Harald Sommerer. “For us this project represents the first substantial roll-out of innovative LED luminaires across a wide geographical area. Three factors were decisive in winning the order: our innovative capabilities, our long-standing excellent relations with SPAR and the successful pilot projects in Murau and Vienna.”
The Tecton LED continuous row lighting system was developed by Zumtobel in cooperation with SPAR Austria and has since been included in the brand’s standard portfolio. The LED version of this proven Zumtobel product offers high quality of light generated by energy-efficient light sources. Effective thermal management within the luminaire ensures a long service life for the LEDs. This in turn leads to a dramatic reduction in maintenance cost and effort. Volume production will start at the Zumtobel plant in Dornbirn in July 2011. Together, development costs, new production equipment and tooling represent an up-front investment of around EUR 1 million.
The positive impact of this major order from SPAR will be felt most at the Zumtobel plant in Dornbirn. Tecton LED will give the brand’s leading product family – accounting for around 20% of revenues – crucial new impetus in terms of innovation. The further enhancement of this series, which is built at the Zumtobel Group’s home base in Dornbirn, means job security for many employees, in addition to which the production of Tecton LED will generate around 10 new jobs over the next two years.
Another innovative product from Zumtobel featured in SPAR markets in Austria is the Vivo Tunable Food LED spotlight. With this spotlight, specially designed for the illumination of fresh food such as vegetables, bread or meat, Zumtobel illustrates the innovative potential of LED technology, which is replacing complex conventional technology with its assorted reflectors and filters. Other advantages of this LED spotlight include lower heat emissions, no infra-red or ultra-violet radiation and outstanding colour rendering. “SPAR Austria and Zumtobel are united in striving for innovative and energy-efficient solutions. With this major order we are making an important contribution to climate protection and we are all looking forward to taking our collaboration forward in the future,” Reisch and Sommerer agreed.
(Source: http://www.zumtobelgroup.com/en/index.htm )
Panasonic group to focus on LED sales in China
GUANGZHOU, China--Panasonic Electric Works Co. hopes growing demand for energy-saving light-emitting diodes will lift its group lighting equipment sales more than five-fold in China. The Panasonic group plans to raise sales to 3 billion yuan (37 billion yen) in fiscal 2015, more than five times the fiscal 2009 figure, officials said in June (2011).
LED lighting will account for more than 60 percent of overall sales by fiscal 2015, they said. "We will steer our company squarely toward LEDs," Senior Managing Director Kuniaki Matsukage told a news conference on the sidelines of the Guangzhou International Lighting Exhibition.
Panasonic Electric Works expects China's lighting equipment market will continue to grow 10 percent or more annually. The percentage of LED lighting is expected to jump from the current 10 percent to more than 50 percent in 2015 because the government is providing subsidies and establishing standards.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Research Paper: Influences of excitation-dependent bandstructure changes on InGaN light-emitting diode efficiency
Bandstructure properties in wurtzite quantum wells can change appreciably with changing carrier density because of screening of quantum-confined Stark effect. An approach for incorporating these changes in an InGaN light-emitting-diode model is described. Bandstructure is computed for different carrier densities by solving Poisson and k\cdotp equations in the envelop approximation.
The information is used as input in a dynamical model for populations in momentum-resolved electron and hole states. Application of the approach is illustrated by modeling device internal quantum efficiency as a function of excitation.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
AkzoNobel: High Purity MetalOrganics (HPMO)
The HPMO business, part of Business Unit Functional Chemicals, is a leading producer of semiconductor grade Indium-, Gallium-, Aluminum and Zinc- and Magnesium-based metalorganics which are used as precursor materials in the production of light emitting diodes (LEDs), solar cells and other semiconductor devices.
In June 2010 AkzoNobel doubled its production capacity for Trimethyl Gallium. The capacity of this unit has been quickly doubled again in January 2011, and the new capacity has been successfully ramped up during the past four months, making AkzoNobel the largest global producer of this specialty chemical.
“Our customers’ response to these expansions has been very positive, and their continued strong demand keeps absorbing our recently enlarged capacities” says Michiel Floor, Global Business Manager of the HPMO product group. He adds: “We firmly believe in significant long term growth of the LED and III/V solar cell industries, so we have decided to advance our plans for further major capacity additions with two new world-scale production units.”
The company plans to build a large new production plant for Trimethyl Gallium, which will be three times the size of the existing unit. With this expansion, AkzoNobel’s total capacity for Gallium based metalorganics will exceed 100 tons per year, from two independent production lines. This project is already well advanced; construction of the plant will start in 2011 with completion in 2012.
A large second production unit for another key LED precursor, Trimethyl Indium, will be built as well, giving a 400% increase of capacity. Construction of this unit is already in progress and will be completed by December 2011.
Both units will be built at AkzoNobel’s Laporte (Texas, US) manufacturing site, which serves the global plastics, pharma and electronic industries with large scale, fully integrated bulk metalorganics production plants.
These major capacity additions will further enhance AkzoNobel’s position as the leading global producer of semiconductor grade metalorganics.
The company will also enhance its global distribution network by establishing regional transfilling capabilities in Asia.
“These continued investments in the HPMO business show AkzoNobel’s commitment to support the LED industry in the coming years. Our capacity additions will enable our customers to maintain their growth pace, which will be increasingly driven by general lighting applications, says Jan Svärd, Managing Director of Functional Chemicals. “This business also supports our efforts in sustainability, by focusing on applications that drive energy efficiency and lower energy usage, like LEDs and solar cells”.
Toshiba International Corporation (TIC) - LED Lighting
Long-lasting, high quality, energy-efficient lamps primarily for commercial use Toshiba International Corporation, March (2011) -Toshiba International Corporation (TIC) announced the release of its newest long-lasting, high quality, energy-efficient lamps primarily for commercial use. These newly updated LED lamps are designed to meet Energy Star® standards and are currently undergoing testing for final certification. The lamps include enhancements such as dimming capabilities and are now available for purchase.
Offering a broad range of color temperatures and beam angles, the new series includes a total of 45 products including MR16 GU5.3, MR16 GU10, PAR20, PAR30 Short Neck, PAR30 Long Neck, and PAR38 lamps. Most of the lamps in the series are available in 2700K, 3000K, and 4000K as well as 8°, 25°, and 35° beam angles. Key advancements within the new lineup include:
· All lamps in all color temperatures are designed to meet Energy Star® standards
· Five-year warranty provided on all lamp types
· All lamps are dimmable
· All lamps are UL-approved
· All lamp shapes comply with ANSI C78.24-2001 & ANSI C78.21.2003 standards
· Excellent lumen output for a 3000K PAR30 at 800 lumens
· Excellent lumen output for a 3000K PAR38 at 1000 lumens
While Toshiba LED Lighting is relatively new to North America, Toshiba is one of the largest lighting companies and LED lamp manufacturers in the world. The first product Toshiba ever produced was an incandescent light bulb in 1890, and since then the company has been a leader in lighting fixtures and lamps in Japan.
“We are committed to producing high-quality products that deliver the best light quality possible,” said Masao Omori, Director, LED Lighting. “We have pushed the envelope to create a portfolio of lamps that exceed customers' expectations. Lighting is ingrained within our corporate culture, and our new line of LED products for the US market is simply an extension of that historic lineage.”
In a bold move demonstrating the company’s commitment to helping make LED technology the future of lighting, Toshiba abandoned production of incandescent lamps in March 2010. Toshiba is the first major lighting manufacturer to proactively discontinue the production of incandescent lamps.
Peter DallePezze, Director of Marketing and Product Development, stated, “We have created a commercial line of LED lamps that provide customers what they are looking for—exceptionally long-lasting, energy-efficient lighting without compromising color quality or uniformity.” DallPezze went on to add, “Toshiba will continue to create superior replacement options for incandescent halogen, metal-halide, and CFL lighting. LED lighting is essentially the marriage of computer technology and lighting. No other company is better positioned to provide the latest in LED lighting solutions than Toshiba – the same company who brought laptop computers to the mass market and has over 120 years of lighting experience.”
Toshiba unveiled its first generation of LED lighting products for the U.S. market at LIGHTFAIR® International in May 2010. Toshiba will make additional announcements throughout 2011 about an ever-expanding selection of long-lasting LED lighting solutions that provide superior light intensity and color quality for both commercial and consumer applications.
Toshiba International Corporation (TIC) is a Toshiba America Inc. (TAI) Group Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Toshiba Corporation. The LED Lighting Department is headquartered at TIC in Houston, Texas. TIC offers a broad product line for a variety of industries ranging from LED lighting and SCiB™ rechargeable batteries to electric motors and adjustable speed drives. More information about TIC is available at www.toshiba.com/ind
About Toshiba International Corporation’s LED Lighting Department
The Toshiba International Corporation LED Lighting Department provides the North American market with a variety of high‐efficiency LED products. Drawing upon Toshiba’s 120‐year heritage of lighting innovations in Japan and world‐class electronic and semi-conductor technologies, TIC is emerging as a leader in solid state lighting. TIC is committed to providing lighting solutions that enhance the quality of life and meet the diverse needs of its customers. Further information is also available online at www.toshiba.com/lighting
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
LED-Based 50W Equivalent MR16 Lamp (LEDnovation)
June 28, 2011 – LEDnovation expanded its EnhanceLite® LED MR16 line to include the first in a series of 50W equivalent (50W Eq) replacement MR16 lamps. The initial offering boasts a center beam candle power (CBCP) of 7360 Candelas at 7.9W and an efficacy of 57 lumens/watt. With a narrow spot beam angle of 11°, this 50W Eq EnhanceLite® LED MR16-50 is an optimum replacement for energy wasting, low-voltage halogen MR16 lamps widely used throughout the gaming industry in casinos and other hospitality venues. An LED lighting first, it offers true 50W equivalent performance, Energy-Star compliance, and standard ANSI form factor fit. As with all EnhanceLite® LED MR16 products, the new 50W Eq offers an industry-best level of quality in a package that is sized for exact fit into any standard MR16 fixture and is compatible with most transformers.
Israel J. Morejon, CEO and President of LEDnovation, commented, “Our new 50W Eq LED MR16-50 is the culmination of an extensive period of research & development in which we achieved new heights of efficiency in optical, electrical and thermal design. To handle the increased power and required heat dissipation, our engineers coupled system-specific passive thermal management with a high performance driver and efficient optics.” Mr. Morejon continued, “The result is an impressive lamp with tight zonal distribution and beam angle, excellent CBCP, and Energy Star compliance. It represents the very best in LED lighting design, providing high-quality LED light with true 50-watt halogen MR16 equivalency. The progressive nature of this design will adapt well to upcoming models of the EnhanceLite® LED MR16-50 lamp.”
LED lighting continues to gain acceptance for a growing number of applications by providing superior performance, higher efficacy and longer lifetimes. High quality LED lamps, such as the EnhanceLite® LED MR16-50, are delivering improved lighting performance while reducing electricity consumption by over 80% when compared to the inefficient, heat-wasting halogen reflector lamps that they replace. With more than 15 times the lifetime of an equivalent halogen MR16 lamp, LEDnovation’s energy efficient EnhanceLite® LED MR16-50 reduces the frequency of replacement, an important attribute for the 24 hour world of gaming and hospitality.
LEDnovation’s EnhanceLite® line comes with a performance backed, 3-year warranty, which assures customers will see the kind of product lifetime and performance they expect from an LED lamp.
The EnhanceLite® LED MR16-50 lamps are available now in a 11° narrow spot beam angle with additional beam angles available soon. The EnhanceLite® MR16 offers a warm white 3000K color temperature, and high color rendering index (CRI) of 80.
EnhanceLite® LED MR16-50 GU5.3 Lamp Details
EnhanceLite® MR16 LED – 7.9W, 450lm, 7360 CBCP (11° beam angle) - designed for applications currently served by 50W halogen lamps.
Note: All specifications are typical values
All LEDnovation lamp models are tested for photometric performance in accredited third-party labs according to IES LM-79 requirements, and the company posts its reports online. These commercial-grade models are rated for a minimum 35,000-hour lifetime, carry a 3-year warranty and unlike many LED replacement lamp offerings, fully conform to ANSI standard form factors to assure compatibility with existing fixtures. The EnhanceLite™ MR16-20, MR16-35, and MR16-50 models are in production and shipping now.
Monday, July 4, 2011
Everlight: New Generation of LED Products
Everlight showcased various LED products like LED components and fixtures for using in all kinds of LED applications at the Guangzhou International Lighting Exhibition (June 9-12, 2011) and Taipei World Trade Center Nangang Exhibition (June 14 to 16, 2011).
Everlight Electronics Co., Ltd. presented a new Chip-on-Board (COB) LED series to offer a solution that addresses important issues in general lighting replacement applications. Competing to previously dominating standard discrete low power, mid power, and high power LED components, Chip-on-Board LEDs are predicted to take on a third of all LED A-lamp applications in 2011.
Besides LED components, this year Everlight SSL introducied a variety of LED lighting fixtures for different lighting applications including outdoor street, commercial place, office, storage, parking lot and home. For outdoor street usage, Everlight presents the second generation of Dolphin street lights with dimming function to save even more energy than with its original LED street lights. With a new modulized LED light source design, Everlight also provides a new LED street light, which can change the outer shell of the fixture. The advantage is that users can simply choose the suitable outer shell for different environment conditions but with the same excellent heat management characteristics. For office and indoor use, Everlight provides a series of fixtures with T5 tubes and fixtures especially for tunnel or interior parking lots.
The series of LED retrofits gives living and business areas an ECO and even brighter ambience. Using LED retrofits instead of conventional lamps can save more than 80% of energy. Beyond energy savings, Everlight also considers the design of fixtures in desk lamps by cooperating with DEM Design Inc. The resulting “Wing fun” is an energy saving LED desk lamp, and at the same time a decoration.
Dialight Japan begins trading
| July 1, 2011 – Dialight plc, the innovative global leader in LED lighting technology, is pleased to confirm that further to its announcement on 14 June 2011 its acquisition of the assets and contracts of I-Spec Limited, its Japanese distributor, has completed and that trading as Dialight Japan KK has commenced with immediate effect. Dialight Japan KK is based in Hamamatsu in the industrial heartland of central Japan. The industrial and hazardous lighting segment is highly regulated and there are in excess of 50,000 industrial facilities in Japan making this one of the world's largest industrial / hazardous lighting markets; http://www.dialight.co.jp Dialight plc is leading the lighting revolution for industrial users across the world. Applying leading edge LED technology it produces retro-fittable lighting fixtures designed specifically for hazardous locations, obstruction lighting, traffic and rail signalling to vastly reduce maintenance, save energy, improve safety and ease disposal. Versions of these high specification luminaires are also produced for more general commercial, industrial and outdoor situations. The company is headquartered in the UK and listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE:DIA.L,GB0033057794) with operating locations in the UK, Australia, USA, Denmark, Germany and Mexico. More information is available at www.dialight.com | Share | | |
CRS Electronics Reports 2011 First Quarter Financial Results
June 29, 2011, Welland, ON – CRS Electronics Inc. (“CRS” or the “Company”), (TSX-V:LED)
(OTCQX:LEDCF), a developer and manufacturer of LED lighting, today reported financial results for the three month period ended March 31, 2011.
For ongoing financial reporting, the Company has successfully transitioned to International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). As such, all figures from January 1, 2011 onwards will be expressed in US dollars, unless otherwise specified, and will incorporate IFRS. Comparative information for 2010 has been
restated in US dollars and in accordance with IFRS.
For the three months ended March 31, 2011, the Company reported a sales decrease of 14% to $540,693 from $628,600 for the same period last year.
Revenue from the Company’s commercial LED MR16 increased 27% while sales from bus lighting and contract manufacturing decreased resulting in the overall
sales reduction. Decreased bus lighting and contract manufacturing sales are a result of difficult economic times and budget cut-backs in the sectors. Net loss for the quarter was $516,683 or $0.02 per share versus a net loss for the comparative period 2010 of $476,093 or $0.02 per share. Cash at March 31, 2011 was $212,054 and working capital was $409,931.
“Most noteworthy during the quarter, as we target high-volume sales channels, is the securing of our agreement with Energizer. Having the Energizer brand name behind our products is a testament to our quality and provides commercial and retail consumers with a recognized name they can trust,” said Scott Riesebosch, President of CRS Electronics. “CRS staff have been working hard to ramp up production and we have begun negotiations with several key North American retail partners to begin shipping later this year and into 2012, as stocking requirements and timelines are determined. We look forward to announcing retail
partners in the coming months.”
Cooper Lighting Design Excellence
HOUSTON, June 30, 2011 – Products from Cooper Lighting and Cooper Controls, divisions of Cooper Industries plc (NYSE: CBE), have been selected as 2011 Award for Design Excellence (ADEX) winners. This year, Cooper Lighting received a total of eleven product awards, including four Platinum awards, three Gold awards and four Silver awards, while Cooper Controls received one Platinum award.
The ADEX Awards are the largest awards program for product design of furniture, fixtures and finishes marketed to the design trade. This year, the number of companies that entered the ADEX Awards increased by more than 22 percent, making it the most competitive judging to date. An anonymous panel of professionals from the design industry judges each entry, awarding points in several categories. Each category has the potential for three award levels of Platinum, Gold or Silver. Design Journal Magazine sponsors the annual ADEX Awards.
“At Cooper, we are always striving to develop innovative products that outperform our competitors, while never forgetting the importance of integrating unique design elements,” said Mark Eubanks, President, Cooper Lighting. “We are pleased to receive this prestigious honor from Design Journal’s judging panel. Receiving an award for design excellence is a great testament to our commitment to product development.”
The Cooper Lighting products that were honored as Platinum winners include the io Balance Beam, Portfolio LED Downlight and Open Wall Wash Series, Lumière Boca 696 Ingrade LED Luminaire, and the McGraw-Edison Valet LED Parking Garage Luminaire. The Cooper Controls product that was named a Platinum winner is the NeoSwitch Wall Switch Occupancy Sensor. The Gold-winning products from Cooper Lighting include the Invue Entri LED Wall Mount Luminaire, Corelite i2 Series, and the Neo-Ray Panelit 52 DIP Direct-Indirect Suspended Luminaire. Products receiving Silver honors include the Invue Mesa LED Decorative Area Luminaire, Neo-Ray Luminious 282-284 Luminaires, Ametrix Arrowlinear™ LED Luminaires and Shaper 1300 High Performance High-Bay Luminaire.
www.cooperindustries.com.
The ADEX Awards are the largest awards program for product design of furniture, fixtures and finishes marketed to the design trade. This year, the number of companies that entered the ADEX Awards increased by more than 22 percent, making it the most competitive judging to date. An anonymous panel of professionals from the design industry judges each entry, awarding points in several categories. Each category has the potential for three award levels of Platinum, Gold or Silver. Design Journal Magazine sponsors the annual ADEX Awards.
“At Cooper, we are always striving to develop innovative products that outperform our competitors, while never forgetting the importance of integrating unique design elements,” said Mark Eubanks, President, Cooper Lighting. “We are pleased to receive this prestigious honor from Design Journal’s judging panel. Receiving an award for design excellence is a great testament to our commitment to product development.”
The Cooper Lighting products that were honored as Platinum winners include the io Balance Beam, Portfolio LED Downlight and Open Wall Wash Series, Lumière Boca 696 Ingrade LED Luminaire, and the McGraw-Edison Valet LED Parking Garage Luminaire. The Cooper Controls product that was named a Platinum winner is the NeoSwitch Wall Switch Occupancy Sensor. The Gold-winning products from Cooper Lighting include the Invue Entri LED Wall Mount Luminaire, Corelite i2 Series, and the Neo-Ray Panelit 52 DIP Direct-Indirect Suspended Luminaire. Products receiving Silver honors include the Invue Mesa LED Decorative Area Luminaire, Neo-Ray Luminious 282-284 Luminaires, Ametrix Arrowlinear™ LED Luminaires and Shaper 1300 High Performance High-Bay Luminaire.
www.cooperindustries.com.
Acuity Brands Reports Fiscal 2011 Third Quarter Results
ATLANTA, Jun 29, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Acuity Brands, Inc. (NYSE: AYI) ("Company") announced fiscal 2011 third quarter net sales of $458.3 million, an increase of over 12 percent compared with the year-ago period. Operating profit for the third quarter of fiscal 2011 was $50.2 million, or 11.0 percent of net sales, compared with the prior year period's $39.2 million, or 9.6 percent of net sales. Fiscal 2011 third quarter net income was $27.1 million compared with $21.3 million for the prior-year period, an increase of 27 percent. Diluted earnings per share (EPS) from continuing operations for the third quarter of fiscal 2011 were $0.62 compared with $0.48 for the prior year, an increase of 29 percent.
Excluding the impact from acquisitions, fiscal 2011 third quarter net sales rose 9 percent year-over-year. Higher unit volumes contributed approximately 5 percent to the increase in net sales reflecting growth of both luminaires and controls across multiple sales channels, primarily for smaller-size commercial projects and renovation. In addition, favorable price/mix contributed approximately 3 percent to the year-over-year increase in net sales with the remainder due to favorable foreign currency translation on international sales.
In the prior year third quarter, the Company recorded a $0.3 million pre-tax adjustment to reduce its previously recorded special charge for streamlining activities reflecting lower than originally planned employee severance and benefit costs. Adjusted operating profit for the third quarter of fiscal 2010 was $38.9 million, or 9.5 percent of net sales.
Mr. Nagel, Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Acuity Brands, commented, "We are pleased with our fiscal 2011 third quarter results as we continue to execute extremely well in a demanding and competitive environment. We believe our strategies to drive profitable growth are progressing well as we continue to gain market share. Higher sales volumes, favorable price/mix, and productivity improvements all contributed to the year-over-year 130 basis points improvement in gross profit margin and 150 basis points improvement in adjusted operating profit margin."
Mr. Nagel continued, "During the third quarter, we also enhanced our expertise and offering of high-quality, energy-efficient lighting solutions with the acquisition of Healthcare Lighting and its specialized product portfolio for the large and growing healthcare industry. Healthcare Lighting'sproduct portfolio includes specialized ambient and task lighting products for today's modern healthcare facilities, including patient and examination rooms, surgical suites and medical procedure rooms, as well as lighting products for specialized medical functions."
Year-to-Date Results
Net sales for the first nine months of fiscal 2011 were $1,299.5 million compared with $1,182.7 million for the prior-year period, an increase of approximately 10 percent. Operating profit for the first nine months of fiscal 2011 was $132.9 million, or 10.2 percent of net sales, compared with $109.7 million, or 9.3 percent of net sales, for the year-ago period. Income from continuing operations for the first nine months of fiscal 2011 was $71.3 million compared with $51.8 million for the prior-year period. Diluted EPS from continuing operations for the first nine months of fiscal 2011 were $1.63 compared with $1.17 per share for the prior-year period.
In the prior fiscal year, the Company incurred special charges for streamlining activities and recorded a loss associated with the early retirement of debt. Excluding the special charges and loss associated with the early retirement of debt, adjusted operating profit for the first nine months of fiscal 2010 was $114.9 million, or 9.7 percent of net sales, while adjusted income from continuing operations was $62.0 million and adjusted diluted EPS from continuing operations were $1.41.
Outlook
Mr. Nagel commented, "We remain very positive about the future prospects for our company and our ability to outperform the markets we serve. We continue to position the Company to optimize short-term performance while investing in and deploying resources to further our long-term profitable growth opportunities.
"We expect the economic environment for the remainder of our fiscal 2011 to remain challenging. Independent third-party forecasts continue to indicate declines for non-residential construction activity for the balance of 2011, although the North American non-residential lighting market, which includes renovation and relight, is expected to continue to rise modestly for the balance of our fiscal 2011. While we are optimistic about our future prospects and ability to outperform the markets we serve, we do see the potential for continuing volatility in demand as well as increases in material and component costs. We will continue to be as vigilant as possible in our pricing strategies to protect our margins."
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