Following the expansion of the LED lighting market, Epistar president Li Bingjie during an interview on September 4th pointed out that once LED lighting permeability broke 10 percent, usage rate increased exponentially. LED lighting wafer usage by 2015 is estimated to equal that of backlight usage. Epistar’s lighting market strategy is therefore focused on increasing market share.

Epistar president Li Bingjie

With LED lighting shipments continuing to increase and backlight shipment quantity estimated to reach their pinnacle in 2013, Mr. Li expressed that by 2015 LED lighting wafer usage will be equal to that of backlight usage rates. LED light bulbs are also expected to see an increase in shipment numbers. Total global shipments in 2012 were around 150 to 200 million and are expected to increase to 400 and 500 million in 2013. Chinese large manufacturers however have a monthly average of 20 million shipments, which sufficiently shows lighting market demand strength.

Mr. Li admits that most LED bulb and lamp manufacturers did not have high earnings as of late. Manufacturers however do not want to give up on the general lighting market. Those affected the most were big brand named manufacturers. In the past LED lighting manufacturer put the most importance on strategy and revenue, but the focus has since shifted towards increasing market share.

Entering into the new era of LED lighting, Mr. Li believes that in the past businesses focused on luminosity efficiency (lm/W) and price/performance ratio (lm/dollar), but now the focus has turned to factors such as system and interface. Epistar has therefore changed to virtual integration and has already seen a gradual difference in efficiency.  Mr. Li reveals that through virtual vertical integration, Epistar via American lighting manufacturers has entered the American lighting market. The company is currently collaborating together with two big named international brands.