Recently, Obducat, the Sweden-based supplier of NanoImprint Lithography (NIL) and Electron Beam Lithography systems, has received an order from Luxtaltek Corporation, a Tawian-based LED maker.

It’s reported that the market for high-brightness light-emitting diodes (HB-LEDs) in lighting applications grew 64% in 2007 to $337m, up from $205m in 2006. According to related analysis and forecast, the HB-LED lighting market should reach $1.65bn in 2012. In recent years, HB-LEDs have demonstrated dramatic improvements in performance, as well as significant cost reduction, such that they are undergoing a period of rapid market growth in a variety of niche and general lighting applications.

It’s reported that Epistar Corp. will increase production of LED because of orders from China following the Beijing Olympics.

It’s reported that the Bandai Group's Seeds Corp developed a LED lamp, through a cylindrical shade made of tracing paper or Japanese paper, looks like a burning and flickering candle.

It’s reported that Delta Electronics Inc. plans to invest in the LED industry by the end of the year.LEDs are semiconductors used to illuminate liquid- crystal televisions, street lights and music players. Delta, based in Taipei, is the world's largest maker of power systems for computers and games machines.Delta will start manufacturing the LEDs to secure supply of the components.

Recently, Lighting Science Group (LSG), a global developer and integrator of intelligent and efficient LED solutions, announced the global availability of its LED-based retail display product line. The new line of retail display luminaires will enhance the company's global product portfolio and increase its presence in the retail lighting industry.

Recently, MicroSolar Corp. announced to target mass production of super-bright LED lamps in the initial stage and would step into the concentrator photovoltaic solar-cell business in the second phase.

It’s reported that High-brightness LEDs have demonstrated dramatic improvements in performance in recent years, as well as significant cost reduction, such that they are undergoing a period of rapid market growth in a variety of niche and general lighting applications.

It’s reported that Konica Minolta has signed a deal with OLED developer Universal Display Corporation (UDC) to develop the technology in lighting applications.

Recently, Aixtron announced an order from Formosa Epitaxy Inc. for further six CRIUS Close Coupled Showerhead MOCVD systems received in the first quarter of 2008. This order for our CRIUS CCS tools confirms the exceptional capabilities in the design and operation of these systems.Formosa Epitaxy Inc., one of Taiwan’s leading manufacturers of ultra high brightness LEDs, will use the systems for volume production of GaN-based UHB LEDs.

It’s reported that some of the largest lamp bulb manufacturers have become convinced that the LED will soon supplant both incandescent and compact fluorescent lamps for illumination. In fact, the nation’s big three of lighting — General Electric, Osram Sylvania and Royal Philips Electronics — are embracing a new era of more efficient technologies. Encouraged by legislation and the rising cost of energy, as well as concerns about greenhouse gases, consumers are swapping out incandescent bulbs.

It's reported that Taiwan industry watchers estimated the on-going Beijing Olympic Games to give a big boost to the LED lighting industry from the huge number of LED lamps in conjunction with the energy-conservation tone lighting up magnificent games monuments, public utilities, main roads, and traffic lights in the Chinese capital city.

It’s reported that Showa Denko of Japan, a maker of hard disks and red LEDs, halted plans to expand production of the LEDs and hard disks.According to a Nikkei Net article, in December of 2007, Showa Denko announced plans to double its red aluminum gallium indium phosphide (AlGaInP) LED production to 200 million units per at its operations in Chichibu, Saitama Prefecture by the end of 2008, and the company was planning to spend about 1.2 billion yen to raise the red LED production capacity.

Recently, in Amherst a local manufacturing firm announced that the company is continuing to do what is possible to make our planet a greener place to live.Chuck Cartmill from C-Vision, who is in the process of developing an LED technology to put into streetlighting said the majority of lighting pollution and wasted energy is from the overheads you see out on the streets, their fixture design is set up to use substantially less energy, but also comply with what is called Dark Skies, so all the light is directed down.

Recently, at Rubicon Technology’s 2Q08 earnings conference call with industry analysts, the company's president and CEO discussed the future of the LED market. 

After a long wait, the Bejing 2008 Olympic Games, and also called the “Green Olympic, High-tech Olympic, and People’s Olympic” established by the Chinese government, has spectacularly opened today. However, one of our major concerns is the “LED Green Illumination” products which will not only be widely used in this game, but also will contribute to the global expectation in relation to the future of energy-saving luminary.

At the festivities, in keeping with China's push for futuristic technologies, tiny chips made in Durham will light up the Beijing Olympics. When the games open tonight, an estimated 4 billion people worldwide will watch dazzling, computerized light shows centered partly around the iconic Bird's Nest and Water Cube buildings, those buildings' lights were built using more than 750,000 red, blue and green LED chips made at Cree's factory in Durham.In addition, Cree LEDs will illuminate massive video boards in Beijing and TV kiosks throughout the Olympics complex.

It’s reported that PhotonStar LED Ltd, a UK-based designer and manufacturer of solid state lighting (SSL) luminaires, has increased the efficiency of its next-generation CeilingStar5 downlighter to 70 luminaire lumens per circuit watt, and has set new standards in the efficiency of commercial downlighters by achieving more than 56 lumens per circuit watt for the next generation of its CeilingStar5 SuperBright when driven at 700mA.

It’s reported that Sharp is introducing 6 new downlights and 5 new oblong/square energy-efficient LED fixtures for factories, offices, and commercial spaces to the Japanese market.  

Recently, component distributors are retooling their operations to help rewire buildings to take advantage of its energy-saving capabilities because of advances in LED technology push it into the commercial realm, Electronic component distributor Avnet Inc. has committed new resources to the emerging "illumination market" with the creation of an engineering team that helps businesses rewire their offices and operations for LED lighting.

It’s reported that Harvatek Inc., a Taiwan supplier of SMT chip LEDs, scored net profits of NT$0.9 per share for the first half of this year to be the No.2 supplier of this kind on the island, with increasing sales of its LED applications for notebook PCs.

Recently, Cree Inc., a market leader in LED lighting, announces a new standard for lighting-class LEDs with the introduction of the XLamp(r) XP-E and XP-C LEDs. The XLamp XP-E and XP-C LEDs are available to order with standard lead times.

Edison Opto, a Taiwan based high power LED packaging manufacture, has introduced its popular product, 20Watt EdiPower. The device is measured at 14.5mm x 14.5mm x 0.7mm, with luminous flux of 1,000 lumens for cool white LED (CCT:5,000~10,000K), and 780 lumens for neutral white LED (CCT:3,800~5,000K), and 620 lumens for warm white LED (CCT:2,670~3,800K) at a drive current of 1,400mA.

Recently, China Display Technologies Inc. has formed a technical team to work in conjunction with the Guangdong Flat Panel Industry Association, a semi-governmental institution involved in drafting the standards for the high power LED lighting industry in China.

Recently, the Executive Yuan, Taiwan’s Cabinet, announced it would replace all the island’s incandescent-type traffic lights with LED lamps in three years, and replace all the incandescent lamps currently serving throughout the island with energy-saving lamps in four years. Taiwan government’s energy-conservation policy will give a big boost to the island’s energy-saving lamp industry, in which many manufacturers have planned to begin volume production or sheer shipment some time this quarter.

It’s reported that Sturtevant - Energy-saving lighting that could help cities in Alaska to Australia save on the cost of electricity in street lights is creating global growth opportunities for Ruud Lighting Inc.

Recently, the Cabinet in Taiwan decided to designate LED as one bellwether industries to actively develop in the near future based on a promising future for green sectors. The government is planning to encourage households to replace existing public lighting with LED lamps to save electricity.

Recently, Sharp Corp., Japan's biggest maker of liquid-crystal displays, will begin selling lights made based on light-emitting diode technology to establish a new earnings pillar on top of flat panel and solar cell businesses.Sharp follows companies including Toshiba Corp. and Citizen Holdings Co. in entering the market for LEDs, which consume less energy and last longer than incandescent and fluorescent lights, are seen as promising next-generation lights as costs for power generation and concerns about greenhouse gas emissions rise.

Recently, Sunovia Energy Technologies, Inc., a renewable energy and energy conservation company, has acquired the exclusive rights to patents that allow it to expand its existing product offering into the extended-life and security LED lighting markets.

It’s reported that Toshiba has unveiled a new 1.6 million LED display in New York's Times Square supporting high definition resolution. The Toshiba Vision Times Square will take pride of place at the top of One Times Square Building, and carry its message to the crowded streets 285 feet below.