The upcoming LED technology will be GaN-on-GaN LEDs, affirmed Nobel Laureate in Physics Shuji Nakamura and fellow colleague at University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) Professor Steven DenBaars at an exclusive forum hosted by Taiwanese leading chip LED manufacturer Epistar on Wednesday at the company headquarters in Hsinchu, Taiwan.

Epistar showcased for the first time LED chips for projectors at Taiwan International Lighting Show 2015 (TILS 2015) that took place in Taipei, Taiwan recently. The LED chips showcased could be applied in portable projectors, officially marking the company’s entry into the projector market. The company had developed the chips for several years, before commercializing the product and supplying it for client applications.

Costs. That is the only thing LED chip manufacturers think about, and who can blame them? LED chip prices are expected to drop to 50 cents for a 1,000 lumen LED lamps in 2015, said Epistar Chairman B.J. Lee at 2015 LED Executive Summit hosted by SEMI at TILS 2015 in TWTC Nangang Exhibition Hall, Taipei, Taiwan. Moreover, manufacturers might be facing the challenge of raising LED efficacy to 3,000 lm/$ within two years. Tightening profits are spurring manufacturers to develop new technology to drive down costs.

Intense market competition from Chinese manufacturers and deluge of LED suppliers on the market has made cost reducing strategies crucial for LED chip manufacturers’ survival. To cope in an increasingly low profit industry, LED chip manufacturers are developing more advanced and efficient LED chip technologies, finding cheaper chip materials, or exploring untapped niche markets. Representatives from global top LED chip manufacturers Epistar, Osram, Philips Lumileds (Lumileds), and Cree addressed these pressing issues recently at 2015 LED Executive Summit hosted by SEMI at TILS 2015, TWTC Nangang Exhibition Hall.

Backlight orders have eased this month, but will rebound in April, a UDN report cited Epistar Chairman B.J. Lee saying at Taiwan International Lighting Show (TILS) 2015.

Leading Taiwanese LED maker Epistar announced recently that the company had acquired German manufacturer ALLOS unique GaN-on-Si technology. ALLOS has licensed the related patent to Epistar, and the two companies have concluded the initial phase of its technology transfer project. For further information please see original press release below.

Leading Taiwanese LED manufacturers Epistar and Everlight reported declining revenues in February 2015, according to a report from CNA.

The LED industry can be a peaceful paradise or a burning inferno. It can be a place where you introduce your beloved so they can prosper, or be turned into a torture device to be used against your worst enemy. Euphoria tightly entwined with bitter misery can be observed in the industry throughout 2014. Some manufacturers have emerged successful at the end of 2014, while others have sadly left the market.

A China Times report has highlighted five major LED market trends in 2015:

Epistar’s epiwafer utilization rates are expected to rise to at least 70% in March, according to several Taiwanese media reports.

A major Epistar shareholder has demanded for Chinese LED chip manufacturer San’an Opto to withdraw investments in the company, due to the Chinese company’s headhunting activities, according to a recent Economic Daily News report.

Everlight has breached the high revenue barrier to become a new official member of the “US $1 billion Club” as the company’s consolidated annual revenue for 2014 soared up 23.99% to NT $30.61 billion, according to a news report from China Times.

The main objective of Epistar’s acquisition of TSMC SSL is to obtain key LED substrate technology to prevent Japanese manufacturer Toshiba from taking the lead in GaN-on-Si technology, according to a Chinese-language Wealth Magazine report.

Epistar Corp. and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) Board of Directors held simultaneous meetings to approve the sale of all shares of TMSC Solid State Lighting (TSMC SSL)  to Epistar at NT$ 1.46 per share, with the total price amounts to NT$ 825 million. Epistar will control 94% of TSMC SSL holdings after this acquisition. While TSMC will completely relinquish its control of TSMC SSL, the business operations will be jointly manned by the present TSMC SSL team and Epistar personnel.

Last week LEDinside reported Epistar’s intention of acquiring TSMC SSL, a LED lighting subsidiary of leading Taiwanese semiconductor manufacturer TSMC, the two companies have released a joint press release Friday (Taipei Time) confirming the deal.

Listed Taiwanese LED manufacturer FOREPI and Epistar completed official integration on Dec. 30, 2014, according to an UDN report. FOREPI has become a subsidiary under Epistar, and after an interim shareholder meeting in September, FOREPI will complete integration during 1Q15. After being absorbed by Epistar, FOREPI is expected to profit in 2015.

Upstream Taiwanese LED chip manufacturers including Epistar and leading downstream LED manufacturers Everlight and Lextar were upbeat about the industry’s growth in 2015, with most forecasting at least 20% growth, reported UDN.

Global LED package market is estimated to achieve US $14.6 billion in 2014, and grows at a CAGR of 3.2% during 2014-2018. Among all LED applications, LED lighting has the highest estimated revenue of US $4.8 billion in 2014, soaring with a CAGR of 12%. These figures suggest that LED lighting market has entered a high growth phase. Nevertheless, the prices of LED lighting products, such as lighting bulbs and tubes show a steady downfall trend.

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.

Leading Taiwanese LED chip manufacturer Epistar is planning another merger to complete its white LED portfolio, according to a Chinese-language report by China Times.

The Chinese central government’s policy to terminate LED industry subsidies will be extended to local governments, according to a latest Chinese-language UDN report.

As the LED industry inventory adjustments ends, Epistar has received a large order from Samsung in December, which is expected to spur the Taiwanese LED manufacturers growth, according to an UDN report.

Epistar is reported to fully integrate with FOREPI before the end of 1Q15, with the possibility of FOREPI’s Chairman Feng-Ren Chien stepping down from the management board, according to a report from the China Times.

Epistar announced revenue last month was down, due to low blue light LED utilization rate.

After three months of inventory digestion, major epi-wafer manufacturer Epistar is yet expected to prolong its low utilization rate as LED market enters slack season in November and December. The company’s blue LED utilization rate is around 50% in November, according to Epistar's vice general manager Rider Chang.

Taiwanese LED chip manufacturer Epistar’s has showed steady revenue growth, accumulated revenue as of September 2014 has reached last year's total annual revenue of US $750 million, and it’s future revenue outlook remains positive. The company's merge with FOREPI is expected to further drive annual revenue growth to reach the $1 billion target soon, said Epistar Deputy Director of Marketing Center, Dr. Chiu-Lin Yao at LEDforum 2014 in Taipei, Taiwan last month.

After releasing Pad Extension Chip (PEC) in 2013, LED chip manufacturer Epistar, has improved the technical and support system for the product, and now the product is applied in direct-type LED TV backlight, lighting and flash lights. Epistar’s PEC chips will be applied in large volumes in direct-type LED TV next year, with target products being 32 inch to 45 inch LED TVs. The company’s orders are mainly from China and South Korea, said Epistar Deputy Director of Marketing Center, Dr. Chiu-Lin Yao while attending LEDforum 2014 held in Taipei, Taiwan on Oct. 24, 2014.

Top Chinese LED manufacturer San’an Opto has swapped its shares in FOREPI for leading Taiwanese LED chip maker Epistar shares, the Investment Commission of Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) announced Tuesday.

Taiwanese LED epiwafer manufacturers received backlight orders from Apple for iPhone products and the upcoming Apple Watch, according to a latest report by Chinese-language Liberty Times report.

Veeco Instruments announced today that Epistar Corporation (TSE:2448) has successfully evaluated and accepted the new TurboDisc® EPIK700™ Gallium Nitride (GaN) Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) system for the production of LEDs.