Edmund Optics® (EO), the premier provider of optical components, announces that customers in China now have direct access to over 1,600 high performance laser optics from Edmund Optics’ large inventory of stock optics ready for immediate delivery. In addition, custom design and manufacturing of laser optics is now being offered for the first time to meet growing customer needs.

Moderate economic growth in 2015 has become the “new norm” for the stabilizing Chinese economy. With the Chinese government introducing industry restructures, explosive economic growth has become history. Gone are the good days for businesses, lighting manufacturers orders have plummeted, but costs are rising. The impact from e-commerce has misled some manufacturers, and the market has briefly become a “besieged fortress.” Some manufacturers are hanging on, while others are seeking alternative options to leave the industry, or quietly withdraw from the market, according to Guzhen Lighting Weekly.

China’s A-shares started off with a strong rebound this week, after plunging to an all-time low last Thursday and Friday. In the short term, A shares are stabilizing on the market. Many listed LED manufacturers that suspended trade to avert impacted by the volatile stock market have gradually resumed trade. More than 350 listed Chinese companies resumed trade as of Monday, according to latest statistics.

Flash LEDs in smartphones have evolved from being a “marketing gimmick” to “standard equipment.” LED usage in smartphones have also jumped up from single to dual flash LEDs, and it is increasingly common for flash LEDs to be found in latest smartphone models.

Following China’s stock market nosedive in recent weeks, more domestic listed companies have chosen to suspend trade. More than 760 listed companies combined have suspended trade on the Shanghai and Shenzhen bourses as of July 7, which is roughly equivalent to 27% of the total companies listed on both bourses. More than 100 companies applied for trade suspension on July 6 alone.

Chinese driver manufacturer Moso recently reported a pessimistic revenue outlook, reported Securities Daily.

The Guangdong Province in Southern China incurred the greatest losses in China’s lighting industry, according to monthly statistics compiled by National Bureau of Statistics.

HC Semitek announced it had been carrying out operations since halting trade on  China’s bourse, and has been discussing with investors and traders about its future direction. Investors and traders have requested for more detailed explanations about the terms and conditions, but the company has not confirmed the content of the discussions.

San’an Opto announced Tuesday it has suspended trading on China’s bourse, due to the uncertain outcome of partnership talks with China National Semiconductor Industry Investment Fund.

Recently, at an event in Hangzhou, China, Philips announced its future LED tube prices in China will match Chinese rivals Foshan Lighting products or might even be priced lower than MLS, reported Chinese-media Dazhaoming.

Three out of six Chinese LED lighting manufacturers found themselves in an“awkward” financial situation in 2014, with many reporting plunging net profits in their recent fiscal report.

China’s “One Belt, One Road” policies spurred Lumileds to construct a new LED autmotive bulb production line, reported National Business Daily.

Taiwan Lighting Fixture Export Association (TLFEA) has been promoting the inclusion of LED lighting products at World Trade Organization (WTO) Environmental Goods Agreement (EGA) negotiations, a UDN report cited the association chairman Steven Lin saying at a meeting.

STG Aerospace, a pioneer in aircraft lighting technologies, is delighted to announce that it has established an official presence in China with the launch of a Wholly Foreign Owned Enterprise (WFOE), STG Aerospace (China) Co., Ltd. based in Shanghai. This new initiative is a reflection of the importance of China as a market for STG Aerospace. According to a recent IATA report, the country is expected to overtake the United States as the world’s largest air passenger market by 2030.

Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation (MCC; Head office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Hiroaki Ishizuka) today announced that on January 23, the company filed a suit in the Intermediate People's Court in Shenzhen City alleging that products of Yantai Shield Advanced Materials Co., Ltd. and U.S.-based Intematix Corporation infringed on a patent (Chinese patent no. ZL201110066517.7, etc.) for red phosphor owned by MCC and National Institute for Materials Science. MCC seeks an injunction on the production and sale of phosphors in China and damages in this lawsuit.

GaN Systems, a leading developer of gallium nitride power switching semiconductors, has announced the signing of a distribution deal with Seoul-based global group Websolus. Listed on the Korea New Exchange (KONEX), with 13 Branch Offices in Korea, China, & Thailand, Websolus specialises in three major business sectors: IT Consulting & Systems Integration for Power Grid, Water & Energy systems solutions for Global Infrastructure, and Procurement & Distribution for Electronic Components. \

At the long-awaited “Spring Forward” media event hosted by Apple on March 9, all eyes will be on the reveal of the Apple Watch, which will have a watch cover made of sapphire glass. By incorporating this material into its newest products, Apple has provided an unprecedented, game-changing opportunity for China’s sapphire industry. LEDinside, a division of TrendForce, anticipates sapphire market demand will multiply once these smart watches hit the market. LEDinside’s Senior Analyst Figo Wang further stated the sapphire manufacturing will likely become a globally competitive section of China’s materials industry. 

U.S. LED manufacturer Cree utilized its monopoly in high power LED chip technology to develop ceramic package LEDs, just shortly after China’s LED package industry ventured into the display backlight market in 2008. Cree went on to dominate the outdoor lighting market and other high end applications, while setting new luminous efficacy records.

As an emerging industry, the LED market has received a lot of attention from investors, especially listed LED companies, according to a hc360.com report. The following wealth listing, is based on listed LED manufacturers market value, share value, and founder company shares.

Aurora Opto, a sapphire manufacturer based in Harbin in Northern China, recently released its financial reports, and estimated earnings for 2015.

Growing downstream demands contributed to the rebounding LED industry market, according to a Sina.com report. Twelve out of 15 listed Chinese LED manufacturers reported high growths in 2014, while only three companies reported sliding revenues.

Taiwan topped global rankings last year for LED component output value, and the industry is expected to keep up 14% growth throughout 2015 to reach US $5.37 billion, according to statistics compiled by Taiwan’s Photonics Industry and Technology Development Association (PIDA).

“Every year there are escaping manufacturers, but this has become an ongoing trend in 2014,” is a common saying in China’s lighting industry. This is related to the easing domestic economic market, and slowdown in the real estate market leading to diminishing construction projects, said industry insiders. The LED industry is in a rapidly expanding phase, and all these indicate “winter is coming” in the LED lighting industry. However, not all manufacturers are capable of defending themselves against the “cold” and some have resorted to “selfish” measures.

Another challenging year awaits Taiwanese manufacturers as major Chinese LED chip manufacturer San’an Opto acquires a total of 100 MOCVD reactors in September and December and have said that the company will continue to headhunt Taiwanese experts, according to a report of China Times.

Hipower recently rebutted a local Chinese-language magazine report claiming the company’s CEO went missing, due to its financial crisis. 

“When I check my phone, there are always a lot of messages from LED manufacturers,” said ETI Chairman Wang Donglei, while pointing to his phone.

In recent years “labor shortages” and “layoffs” have become common terms in the Chinese LED manufacturing industry. In Guangdong Province in Southern China, short term labor shortages have increased in 2014 to reach between 800,000 to 1 million workers, according to a report by Chinese-language LEDtimes. Chinese electronic manufacturing conglomerates Haier Electronics, Gree Electric and Foxconn’s layoffs also attracted market attention.

More and more Chinese lighting companies are joining the long Initial Public Offering (IPO) approval wait list despite Chinese government’s slow progress of the applications.

SemiLEDs Corporation (NASDAQ: LEDS), “SemiLEDs” or the “Company,” a developer and manufacturer of LED chips and LED components, today announced it has entered into a definitive common stock purchase agreement with Mr. XiaoQing Han, Chairman and CEO of Beijing XiaoQing Environmental Protection Group. Under the terms of this agreement, Mr. Han will acquire a 15% interest in SemiLEDs common stock at a purchase price of $1.00 per share for a total consideration of $5.0 million and will join the SemiLEDs Board of Directors upon closing of the transaction.

Sources from the Honglitronic’s securities division indicated the company is set to mass produce automotive headlights targeting mainly oversea market clients, according to a news report from Chinese-language Grand Wisdom Finance.