Soaring LED lighting penetration rates, followed by the maturation of LED lighting technology. Although, market demands have soared, LED lighting demand growth in mature markets have eased, due to intense pricing competitions. As a result, LED manufacturers are turning their focus to emerging markets including the establishment of ASEAN Economic Community in Southeast Asia later this year, and China’s recent One Belt, One Road policies have driven large scale infrastructure investments. This has placed LED lighting market demands under the market lime light.

As part of its restructure efforts to raise LED profit margin, Panasonic will be shutting down its LED manufacturing factories in Indonesia while moving production to Japan, reported Nikkei Asian Review.

Lighting Science Group Corporation (OTCQB: LSCG), a leading global manufacturer of innovative LED lighting solutions, announced that on August 5, 2015, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio granted Lighting Science’s motion for summary judgment, declaring invalid certain patents of GE Lighting Solutions LLC and dismissing GE Lighting’s patent infringement claims against Lighting Science. The lawsuit alleges infringement by Lighting Science and five other LED manufacturers of two GE Lighting patents, U.S. Patent No. 6,787,999, entitled LED-Based Modular Lamp, and U.S. Patent No. 6,799,864, entitled High Power LED Power Pack for Spot Module Illumination.

 Illumitex announced it has concluded its C1 round of funding, strengthening the company's cash position by US $16 million.

The new SCOUT SV armoured fighting vehicle developed for the British Army by General Dynamics UK will be equipped with high-performance LED lights designed by Oxley Group, with advanced protection against electromagnetic interference.

The new Renault Espace recently introduced in Europe has distinctive LED tail lamps with a two-part design developed by HELLA. The fifth generation French crossover was first shown as Renault's "Initiale Paris" concept car at the 2013 Frankfurt Auto Show. The new model features HELLA tail lamps that are split into two sections to generate a unique appearance, especially when turn signals are activated.

Hubbell Lighting, a world leader in lighting innovation, announced today that it has launched a compact, yet powerful, commercial grade LED parking garage and canopy luminaire—the Beacon Products’ Orbeon. Lighting represents up to 60% of a typical parking structure utility bill. With Beacon Products’ Orbeon and optional Beaconnect Lighting Control technology, the cost can be reduced by up to 80%.

Cree, a market leader in LED lighting, announced revenue of US $382 million for its fourth quarter of fiscal 2015, ended June 28, 2015. This represents a 12% decrease compared to revenue of $436 million reported for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2014, and a 7% decrease compared to the third quarter of fiscal 2015. GAAP net loss for the fourth quarter was $88 million, or $0.83 per diluted share, compared to GAAP net income of $30 million, or $0.24 per diluted share, for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2014. 

Bordine’s is the largest family-owned grower and retail garden center operation in Michigan. The original Bordine’s location, which opened in 1939 in Rochester Hills, is one of the nation’s busiest garden centers. In the company’s 75-year history, Bordine’s has expanded to four locations including the 100-acre Bordine’s Farm in Grand Blanc, which was purchased in 1999.

Ameresco, Inc., (NYSE:AMRC), a leading energy efficiency and renewable energy company, announced today that it was selected by the City of St. Helens for an energy savings performance contract (ESPC). Ameresco will audit, design, and implement the project, and assist with securing the financing. The project includes upgrading 915 high pressure sodium (HPS) street light fixtures to LED technology, in addition to identifying other efficiency, utility maintenance and infrastructure improvements.

As flash LEDs became a standard spec in smartphones instead of a market gimmick to sell phones, many LED manufacturers are vying after this potential market.

Forest Lighting (also know as MLS) plans to non-public issue stocks 6.1 million shares at RMB 38.11 (US$ 6) per share. The offering will raise about RMB 2.3 billion and will be used to fund several initiatives, including Xiaolan SMD LED packaging technical innovation project, phase one of Ji’an SMD LED packaging facility construction project and phase one of Xinyu LED application construction.

IKEA announced today that as of September 1, 2015, all IKEA stores will only sell LED bulbs and lighting to enable customers to live a more sustainable life at home. This bold move was announced in 2012 and IKEA is pleased it has met its commitment. Since 2013, IKEA U.S. customers have purchased 7.6 million LED bulbs, helping them collectively save nearly US $3 billion in energy costs. **

In a generation where people compare looks and family backgrounds, the business sector is also engaged in similar competitions. The LED industry is a field that is not short of manufacturers showing off their renowned backers. LEDinside lists below classical examples in the field.

Museums around the world are swapping conventional lights in favor of LEDs to protect famous paintings from being damaged by light exposure, according to a Wired report.

GT Advanced Technologies,announced that Tom Gutierrez is retiring from the company and has resigned as Chief Executive Officer and as a director. The Board of Directors appointed David Keck, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Polysilicon and Photovoltaic business, as the new Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately.

Plessey is retrofitting its manufacturing facility with LED modules designed using the company's GaN-on-Silicon MaGIC LEDs. The retrofit involves replacing aging fluorescent tubes and compact fluorescent bulbs in existing fixtures to use new LED light modules produced in the same facility in Plymouth, Devon, UK.

Millions of outdated outdoor area lighting products can easily be converted to the latest in energy-efficient LED technology – with an installation time as short as replacing a lamp -- thanks to two new products from Acuity Brands, Inc. (NYSE: AYI).

Founded in 1930, high-end department store CIMACO opened its doors in Mazatlán in November 2013. The focal point of the new CIMACO store is an expansive illuminated glass façade that wraps around two sides of the building.

An India startup company headed by Rohan Desle has launched an Indiegogo campaign to fund optical illusion LED bulbs, LUMINOsquare.

The Provincial Electricity Authority or PEA, in collaboration with Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau or TCEB and N.C.C. Exhibition Organizer Co., Ltd. or NEO, hosted PEA presents EcoLightTech Asia 2015, international trade show for green technologies and innovations in lighting, after the phenomenal success in the previous year, particularly, in terms of trade negotiation that rose by 54 percent, generating a turnover of up to 200 million baht. This concept of the event this year is “energy-saving innovation for the industrial sector,” which is expected to be another opportunity for member countries to get ready for the approaching AEC, and the international year of light.

Up to 80% of the Chinese companies listed on the Over-the-Counter Bulletin board (OTCBB) reported significant revenue growth as of Aug. 3, 2015, according to LEDinside observations.

Unity Opto’s consolidated revenue in July dropped 37.4% YoY to NT $500 million (US $15.79 million), according to a UDN report.

Auckland Transport has begun New Zealand’s most ambitious LED replacement program. It is replacing 44,000 high pressure sodium (golden yellow light) street lights with energy efficient LED luminaires. Auckland Transport owns more than 100,000 street lights, approximately one third of the country’s total lighting stock.

Jay Kim, Head of Marketing and Business Development Head of Marketing and Business Development at Business Center OLED, Philips’ OLED lighting division shares in this blog entry how OLEDs are making their ways into outer space and everyday lighting applications. 

Fresh food grown in the microgravity environment of space officially is on the menu for the first time for NASA astronauts on the International Space Station. Expedition 44 crew members, including NASA's one-year astronaut Scott Kelly, are ready to sample the fruits of their labor after harvesting a crop of "Outredgeous" red romaine lettuce Monday, Aug. 10, from the Veggie plant growth system on the nation’s orbiting laboratory.

Navy installations are replacing outdated fluorescent bulbs with tubular LED lamps (T-LED) as part of its commitment to energy efficiency across the shore enterprise. T-LED lighting is being installed in Navy installations around the world, including administrative buildings, athletic facilities, street lights, and parking garages as a means to save money, while contributing to the Navy's energy efficiency efforts.

Recently, quantum dots (QDs)—nano-sized semiconductor particles that produce bright, sharp, color light—have moved from the research lab into commercial products like high-end TVs, e-readers, laptops, and even some LED lighting. However, QDs are expensive to make so there’s a push to improve their performance and efficiency, while lowering their fabrication costs.A team of researchers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has recently produced some promising results toward that goal, developing a new method to extract more efficient and polarized light from quantum dots (QDs) over a large-scale area. Their method, which combines QD and photonic crystal technology, could lead to brighter and more efficient mobile phone, tablet, and computer displays, as well as enhanced LED lighting.

Fast food restaurants simply rely on buzzing fluorescent lighting to bring in the customers; it’s bright, well-lit, simple and practical. At the other end of the spectrum is Dans le Noir, an international group of six restaurants in which the food is served in absolute darkness. The complete absence of any light at all is designed to heighten the experience of the other four senses. However, between these two extremes, there is an array of lighting choices, varying in intensity and tone that are fundamental to the ambience of any restaurant.

Cree and Epistar signs a global LED patent cross-license agreement, a move that is considered by many in the industry to defend their market position and play on their technology strengths. Korean LED chip manufacturer Seoul Semiconductor appears to be expanding its UV LED product range through affiliate company Seoul Viosys. Seoul Viosys acquisition of U.S. UV LED manufacturer SETi has been approved by U.S. Department of Defense. According to a Korea Times report Seoul Viosys was in talks with DOD for three years before the acquisition proposal was approved. Some interesting applications this week, LEDs might be making their ways into biochem labs in the future. UC Berkley bioengineers have found a way to speed up replicating DNA with the aid of LED lights. In another turn of developments, Arizona State University researchers demonstrate the first white laser, which could potentially replace most LED applications in the future.