Frans van Houten, CEO: “Philips’ first-quarter 2016 results reflect solid comparable sales growth across our HealthTech businesses and our LED Lighting business, bolstered by the successful launch of several new products. We also delivered continued operational improvements throughout the company, driven by higher volume and improved product mix. Our overall performance strengthened, supported by the ongoing benefits of our multi-year Accelerate! transformation program, despite challenging macro-economic conditions in several markets.

Authorities of Vietnam capital Hanoi plans to roll out LED streetlight upgrade across the city, and has recently called on municipal agencies to scale up installation of LED lights in public lighting system in the locality to save energy, reported Vietnam Plus.

Today, the U.S. Senate passed the Energy Policy Modernization Act by a vote of 85-12. This vote comes four months after a December 3, 2015, vote in the U.S. House of Representatives on its comprehensive energy legislation, the North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act.

On April 18, 2016, United States District Court for the Northern District of California entered judgment in accordance with the jury’s verdict in Enplas Display Device Corporation v. Seoul Semiconductor Co., Ltd. (N.D. Cal., Case No. 3:13-cv-05038-NC) that EDD’s sale of light diffusion lenses #9854D, #9854E and #9879 in Japan and Taiwan induced unnamed parties to infringe claims 1, 6, 33, 34 and 35 of United States Patent No. 6,473,554 (USP ‘554) and its sale of those lenses and lenses #4922 and #9853A in Japan and Taiwan induced unnamed parties to infringe claim 20 of United States Patent No. 6,007,209 (USP ‘209) (under 35 U.S.C. § 271(b)). 

Lighting leader OSRAM SYLVANIA is announcing an exclusive partnership in North America with Senmatic A/S in Denmark to bring total greenhouse system solutions to the horticulture market that enhance operational performance and offer optimal lighting. OSRAM SYLVANIA will work directly with Senmatic A/S in the design, development and distribution of high-quality horticulture LED fixtures sold under the OSRAM brand.

Hubbell Control Solutions announces the appointment of three new US Regional Sales Managers. Greg Ortt takes over the Southeast states, while Joe Osterwyk handles the North Central states and Mark Westgate takes the Western states. Hubbell Control Solutions leverages a history of innovation to create future-proof lighting controls.

GSR Capital announced the formation of a US$ 1 billion cornerstone fund, "GSR Go Global Fund", with Limited Partners from Chinese leading high-tech companies, Taiwan industrial group, and world renowned entrepreneurs. The aim is to invest and build a world-class lighting industry through global acquisitions of leading LED lighting assets. The fund has already been oversubscribed and agreements have been signed by anchor Limited Partners. Industry experts Frank Fan and Jianghua Su will join the core general partner team.

At its meeting today, the supervisory board of OSRAM Licht AG decided key changes in the composition of the managing board. In line with the company’s stronger technology focus, the supervisory board appointed Stefan Kampmann, 52, as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) with effect from July 1, 2016. “We are happy to gain an experienced top manager and technology expert for Osram’s managing board,” said Peter Bauer, chairman of the supervisory board of OSRAM Licht AG. “His experience will give additional momentum to our innovation and growth initiative.” The supervisory board has also decided, for reasons of differing views regarding the strategic direction of the company and in best mutual agreement with Klaus Patzak, to launch a structured process to find a successor for the position of Chief Financial Officer.

Due to an ongoing positive business development in the second quarter the managing board of OSRAM Licht AG raises the revenue and profit outlook for fiscal year 2016.

QD Vision, a technology and market leader in the rapidly-growing quantum dot display market, has dismissed Nanosys’ recent legal action as an attempt to slow down the Company’s legitimate progress with an improper lawsuit.

Philips Lighting, the global leader in lighting and a wholly owned subsidiary of Royal Philips, announced that it entered into a patent license agreement with the Italian company iGuzzini. The license, based on the terms and conditions of the EnabLED Licensing Program, provides iGuzzini with full, worldwide access to a wide range of basic LED control and system-level technologies. Both companies have also agreed to dismiss all outstanding litigations related to patents offered under Philips’ EnabLED Licensing Program for LED Luminaires and Retrofit Bulbs.

The sapphire industry has never been the same since Apple dropped sapphire screens in iPhone 6 in 2014, followed with the bankruptcy of GTAT in October the same year. Things have been rough and hard for the sapphire industry over the last three years, as it enters a restructure phase, said Jerry Chen, General Manager, Taiwan, Monocrystal during a press conference held by Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI) at Taipei World Trade Center Club, Taiwan on Tuesday.

LED Taiwan to take place in Hall 1 of Nangang Exhibition Center starting this Wednesday has added three new theme pavilions including LED Components, Power Device Pavilion, Smart Lighting Pavilions, said organizers during a press conference held at Taipei World Trade Center Club, Taiwan earlier this afternoon.

Humanscale® announced that it has recently acquired VesselTM, an architectural lighting solution from celebrated designer Todd Bracher. Available to ship in May, this clear cylindrical light is made of the highest quality quartz crystal, providing beautiful, glare-free light in a simple, refined form. Architectural lighting is a new category for Humanscale, although the company has long been the worldwide leader in task lighting for individual workstations. 

Royal Philips has listed six banks and filed draft documents to the Dutch market regulator for a possible IPO for its lighting division as it proceeds the sale of the lighting business, according to a recent Bloomberg report.

Lawbreakers will now have a more difficult time recognizing the profile of the best-selling police vehicle in their rearview mirrors.

Apple has dropped Osram Licht from its list of top 200 suppliers and added Royal Philips to its supply chain, ahead of the release of the iPhone 7, reported Bloomberg recently.

German lighting giant Osram’s spin-off of its lamps business into LEDVANCE has completed organizational separation as of April 1, 2016, while the legal separation is scheduled in July 1, 2016. Many lighting vendors have been competing for a chunk of Osram’s lamp business, which LEDinside projects details of the acquisition transaction will become clearer from late April to late May 2016, including the offered price from various bidders, developments of vendors granted priority rights, and other conditions involved in the talks of the separation of LEDvance. Besides weighing in on the potential acquisitor of the lamp business and conditions under the procurement, the deal is under the lime light of the entire lighting and LED business.

Cree, a market leader in LED lighting, announced preliminary estimates of financial results for its third fiscal quarter ended March 27, 2016. Revenue for the quarter is estimated to be approximately US $367 million, with earnings estimated to be ($0.01) loss to $0.01 per diluted share on a GAAP basis, and $0.13 to $0.15 per diluted share on a non-GAAP basis. These preliminary financial results are subject to completion of the Company’s customary quarterly closing and review procedures.

Kyulux, an advanced materials startup that is commercializing the next generation of OLED display and lighting technology known as TADF (Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence), announced today that Samsung Venture Investment Corporation took the lead in a $13.5 million (¥1.5 Billion Japanese Yen) Series A round of venture funding.  Participating in the round were global OLED panel manufacturers including Samsung Display, LG Display, Japan Display and JOLED, top tier Japanese venture capital funds, and a Japanese Government affiliated venture fund. Kyushu University also announced the transfer of a large portfolio of TADF related patents and equity participation by the university in the financing. 

NEMA’s Lighting Systems Shipments Index, a measure of demand for lighting equipment, decreased 2.6% quarter-to-quarter while posting a 0.1% increase year-over-year during 4Q15. Fixtures, emergency lighting, and miniature lamp, components of the index, gained ground on a year-over-year basis, while ballast and large lamp, components recorded year-over-year declines.

Acuity Brands announced record second quarter results for net sales, net income, and diluted earnings per share (“EPS”). Fiscal 2016 second quarter net sales of US $777.8 million increased $161.7 million, or 26%, compared with the year-ago period. Operating profit for the second quarter of fiscal 2016 was $106.7 million, an increase of $28.1 million, or 36%, over the year-ago period. Net income for the second quarter of fiscal 2016 was $65.5 million, an increase of 41% compared with the prior-year period. Fiscal 2016 second quarter diluted EPS of $1.49 increased 39% compared with $1.07 for the year-ago period.

Foxconn’s acquisition of Sharp could help Apple reduce its dependency on Samsung for OLED display panels, analyzed 9to5Mac.

Affected by the uncertain economic outlook, Taiwanese LED manufacturer Everlight’s business operations in 2016 lacked strong growth momentum, reported Taiwanese media UDN. Waning consumer consumption led to sliding revenues in the backlight market, which has neutralized lighting market growth. 

The city of Phoenix in Arizona, U.S. is asking for public input on the appearance and use of energy-efficient LED technology for street and park lighting.

NEMA’s Electroindustry Business Conditions Index (EBCI) for current conditions in North America surged in March, climbing to 64.7 from 44.4 the previous month as more panelists reported conditions improved than eroded. Compared to February, a larger share of the survey panel reported that business conditions improved (41% in March compared to 22% in February) and a smaller share reported that they deteriorated (12% in March compared to 33% in February). Forty-seven percent claimed conditions were unchanged in March, similar to the share holding this view a month ago.

A GBP 9.8 million (US $14.09 million) project to replace all the streetlamps in Reading with energy efficient LEDs is due to start on Monday 4th April.

Pirated Philips LED bulbs were found in Yinshang County, Anhui Province, China, according to a statement released by the local Market and Quality Supervision Commission.

A recent report from renowned Apple specialist and analyst Ming Chi Kuo from KGI Securities projects the current iPhone 6 design might be overhauled in the next generation phone, and be replaced with a 5.8” curved glass casing AMOLED display phone, reported MacRumors.

Investor lawsuits have caused Foshan Lighting’s net profits to plummet 79.93% in 2015 to RMB 53 million (US $8.15 million), while annual revenue dropped 6.26% YoY to RMB 2.88 billion, according to a company statement.