Excellence Optoelectronics Inc (EOI) is one of the major manufacturers of LED traffic signals and LED street lights. EOI has a vertically integrated LED supply chain, consisting of upstream epitaxy company High Power Opto and midtream packaging, module and downstream lighting fixtures maker EOI. Aside from traffic signals and street lights, the company also holds the key technologies and clients in the automotive lighting market. LEDinside conducted an interview with Mrs. Fanny Huang, President of EOI, who shed light on LED automotive lighting, traffic signals and street lighting markets.

Mrs. Fanny Huang, President of EOI (second from the right), and the staff

R&D Team at the forefront of LED Industry

With the emphasis on customer service and honesty, President Huang assembles a professional R&D team, providing the first-tier global automotive lighting module makers with high-quality and cost-competitive LED components and PCB modules. EOI’s strength lies in its management team, chemistry between staff members, firm grasp of automotive lighting specifications, fast-responding R&D, and automated and high-quality production. President Huang greatly values the R&D, so much so she assembles two R&D teams in the headquarter in Chunan, Taiwan and in the branch in Shenzhen, China. The goal is to develop the best possible products through the joint effort between Taiwanese and Chinese engineers.

Automotive Lighting: Win Clients’ Trust through High Quality and Supreme Customer Service

Eying automotive lighting market’s prospects and high technology threshold, EOI started making its way into the market as early as 2000. The company acquired the QS9000 certification, a must-have for automotive light maker. EOI’s automotive lighting business accounted for 56% of the total revenue in 2011 and 65% in 2012. 75% of the automotive business comes from a famous automotive light maker, and the other 25% comes from the aftermarket. The product lines include the lighting modules for inside and outside the vehicle. In order to meet the high standards of the big-name car makers, the company has improved themselves in assorted aspects such as LED automotive lighting module design, mass production, and error-free manufacturing process. Due to its continuous improvement, EOI has gained the trust and loyalty from its clients, forming a long-term cooperation with them. EOI’s Piranha LED series is the company’s star product and earns it fame in the industry.

Compared to livelihood-based LED products, automotive LED components and modules are held to much higher standards. It takes a lot of work and time to be certified by car OEMs: first the company needs to acquire TS16949 and ISO14000 certifications, and then the company needs to establish specialized system for interior lighting, which needs to be tested and approved by the OEMs. In order to score partnerships with car OEMs, the company needs to familiarize itself with the specifications and standards of each OEM and the different design focuses of different cars, which takes a lot of time and efforts. EOI aims to increase the automotive lighting business portion to 80% in the future, and accelerate the expansion of its business to meet the fast-growing demand.

EOI’s exhibition center for LED products

Bright Outlook for Automotive Lighting Market

In 2011, EOI’s LED module shipments amount to 1.5 million. A bulk of the company’s business came from the LED component demands from car and truck lighting markets. The YoY growth of automotive lighting is expected to be 25% in 2012, and the orders will pour in well into the year end. Due to the fact that automotive lights usually take one year or even one and half years to develop, even thought now it is only 2012, EOI not only has acquired orders for automotive lighting modules in 2013, but also actively designs new solutions for new cars in 2014 and 2015. Most of the orders will last longer than five years.

With the staff’s endeavors, EOI will become one of the multi-million enterprises in the next few years.

Targeting Global Market

In light of the rapid growth of global automotive LED lights and LED street lights, EOI continues to expand its production. In the next few decades, Asia will become the most fast-growing automotive market, especially China. Therefore, global major car makers all have production bases in China. Per clients’ request, EOI set up R&D and production bases in both Taiwan and China. Currently EOI has built a plant in Chunan base of Hsinchu Science-Based Industrial Park in Taiwan, and is establishing the R&D and production base in Changan, China to fulfill the demand from global car makers.

EOI plans to set up a second plant in Chunan base of Hsinchu Science-Based Industrial Park within the next five years and a second production base in eastern China. The company aims to become the leader in the automotive lighting and EMS light industry.

Perspective on Street Lights Market

EOI has many years of experience in the U.S. market and owns a plant in Los Angeles. Furthermore, EOI formed business alliances with the biggest control system supplier in the States and the biggest public works company in Canada. Also, the company makes inroads into the United States, Mexico and Argentina through its distributors. Due to the fact that the products need to be certified by every country before they can enter the market and that the governments favor the local companies, EOI chooses to cooperate with the local street lights makers in order to increase its market share.

Traffic Signals Market Strategy: Focus on Taiwan, Spain, North America

EOI is the forerunner in the Taiwan, Spain and U.S. LED traffic signals markets. EOI holds 65% of the Taiwanese market and 80%-85% of Spanish market. Also, the company is one of the top four suppliers in the States, acquiring certifications from 43 U.S. states. The company’s channels in the States bring in stable sales. With its long-term dedication in the industry, EOI has gained worldwide fame with its LED traffic signals.