New Downlights Enable Rapid Payback, Exceptional Light Quality and Efficacy Over Fluorescent and Incandescent Lighting

LED lighting leader Cree, Inc. (Nasdaq: CREE) introduces a new four-inch CR4™ LED downlight and a higher lumen output six-inch downlight. Relentless innovation has enabled Cree to attack cost barriers to LED adoption, while exceeding the industry’s highest standards for performance, color quality and ease of use. The new six-inch CR6™ downlight uses 87 percent less energy than comparable incandescent lighting and delivers payback in less than one year in many commercial installations.*

Both new products are powered by Cree TrueWhite® Technology to deliver exceptional 90+ CRI. Cree TrueWhite Technology delivers beautiful light and maintains color consistency over the rated lifetime of the product, all while maintaining high luminous efficacy – a true no compromise solution. The new downlights easily install into most standard four-inch and six-inch recessed housings – making the Cree® CR Series LED downlights ideal for use in both residential and light commercial, new construction or retrofit, applications.

“You’ll never need to install an outdated incandescent or fluorescent downlight again,” said Rick Helsel, senior account manager, Rexel USA. “We continue to see high-demand for Cree’s original CR6-575 lumen LED downlight, but with the introduction of the CR4 LED downlight and the new high lumen output CR6 downlight, Cree now addresses even more applications, provides a remarkable price-point and meets the needs of our residential and commercial spaces.”
 
The CR4 LED downlight delivers 575 lumens and more than 60 lumens per watt and is a direct replacement for a 50 Watt 4-inch incandescent downlight. The new CR6 LED downlight delivers up to 800 lumens and up to 67 lumens per watt and is a direct replacement for a 90 Watt 6-inch incandescent downlight. The CR Series is dimmable to five percent, is designed to last 50,000 hours and features a five-year warranty.

“We’ve expanded the Cree CR Series Downlights to serve a broader set of lighting applications,” said Gary Trott, vice president product management, Cree lighting. “Cree brings all the benefits of LED lighting to homeowners and businesses alike. From exceptional light quality, to low initial investment, easy installation and significant savings in operating expenses, Cree makes moving to LED lighting a no-brainer.”

The new CR Series is qualified for both residential and commercial ENERGY STAR® standards. This higher standard of performance opens up opportunities for more incentives and rebates available from utilities and other entities – further lowering price and barriers to mass LED adoption.

Cree CR Series LED downlights are sold through Cree lighting sales channels.

* The CR6-800L can replace up to 90 Watts incandescent lights and uses only 12 Watts of input power. With typical commercial usage of 12 hours per day and the national average $0.11 per kWh electric costs, lighting-related HVAC impact and relamp maintenance reductions, many upgrade installations will pay for themselves in less than one year.