There has been stable growth in the global LED lighting market supply chain and distribution channels, the plateaued LED backlight market has ushered surging innovative LED applications in the market. How has soaring demands in new LED applications affected Taiwanese LED manufacturer’s Epistar’s LED shipments?

Epistar’s LED product shipments to Europe, U.S. and Chinese market shipments entered a seasonal peak in third quarter of 2016, and order declines were incremental from third quarter to fourth quarter compared to 2015, hence the company projected its fourth quarter sales will remain strong.

Epistar's booth at Hong Kong International Lighting Fair (Autumn Edition) in 2016. (Epistar/LEDinside)

Epistar’s AlInGaP LED production lines has kept high utilization rates, and its revenues in third quarter even increased by nearly 30% for IR LEDs, automotive LEDs and small pitch LED displays. All these related products shipments have increased, and order visibility has strengthened well into 2017.

In general, Epistar’s LED shipment volume remains high, aside from its AlInGaP LEDs outstanding performance, the impact from declining blue LED shipment and easing LED backlight demands was minimal. In the LED lighting industry, Epistar’s LED filaments shipment volume improved, especially after the Hong Kong International Lighting Fair (Autumn Edition), lighting market has continued to raise its LED filament lamp orders. Epistar recently signed a patent license agreement with Hong Kong LED filament bulb company Super Trend Lighting, which will boost its future shipment volume.

Super Trend Lighting was acquired by China’s top LED package manufacturer Forest Lighting (or also known as MLS) earlier in March this year, the Chinese company acquired an 80% stake in the Hong Kong lighting company. The industry is highly interested in their future partnership developments.