As the lighting industry becomes an all-LED market, customers are separating innovations that add real value from those that offer technology for technology’s sake according to Bob Howard-Anderson, CEO of Fulham Co., Inc., supplier of LED drivers and light sources. Howard-Anderson is scheduled to be one of the Investor Forum speakers at the upcoming Strategies in Light conference, being held at the Anaheim Convention Center. He will share his insights into growth in the LED lighting market, including innovations in LED retrofits and smart lighting.
“The LED market, like every maturing market, has begun to stratify into Smart, Clever and Commodity product segments, divided along the lines of true customer value,” said Howard-Anderson. “Smart lighting applications are desired, but clever products are being more readily embraced as the market for LED products grows.”
Howard-Anderson notes that clever lighting is an emerging product segment that represents a multi-billion-dollar market opportunity. Unlike fully controllable smart lighting solutions, clever lighting fills a niche for LEDs with special design features such as low-inrush current, dim to off, programmable dimming curves, and build-in NTC thermistors. LED subsystems with these specialty features are making it easier to design more efficient luminaires that deliver better quality light and save power.
“We anticipate that sales of clever LED components will continue to increase dramatically,” added Howard-Anderson. “Most manufacturers understand that they can’t offer commodity lighting products and compete on price alone. Clever lighting components allow them to offer specialized illumination solutions with differentiated features.
“At Fulham, our focus has been innovation, resulting in LED products that include these clever features to help our OEM partners differentiate their luminaires.”
In addition to clever lighting, Howard-Anderson anticipates other emerging trends will drive LED sales, such as the Internet of Things (IoT), which will enable IP-controlled lighting systems, and Power over Ethernet (PoE), which will make it easier to install luminaires that can be powered and controlled using the same Ethernet connection.
The Investor Forum is scheduled to be held Tuesday, February 28. Howard-Anderson is scheduled to speak at 3:30pm.
For more information, visit www.fulham.com.
