Trends in the Lighting Industry
Last week, the co-located Strategies in Light, The LED Show, and Lightspace California shows came to beautiful Long Beach, California. Esteemed speakers discussed topics such as the future of LED and solid-state lighting (SSL), applications such as the Internet of Things (IoT), and investment opportunities. Throughout the event, they shared a wealth of valuable lighting industry expertise. While we gleaned far more information at the show than we could convey here, I will summarize three of the show’s most exciting presentations.
Lighting & 3D Printing
3D printing, or additive manufacturing, allows the manufacturer to achieve product customization and design uniqueness to LED-based solutions. Benefits include faster prototyping, easier customization of fixtures and components, and improved aesthetics and functionality. It also facilitates accelerated product introductions and reduced fixture costs. The Director of Research, Lighting Research Center, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Nadarajah Narendran, presented Wednesday on “3D Printing Opportunities for SSL Components and Fixtures.” He described how 3D printers have become more affordable and deliver significant benefits. In addition, with continuous improvements, vendors will bring this new technology into the mainstream of LED product lines.
Lighting Industry & Internet of Things (IoT)
On Wednesday afternoon, a team from the Austrian lighting technology company Tridonic presented “Commissioning Smart Lighting Systems in the World of IoT.” Lighting is ubiquitous, and it provides ideal vantage points to collect data about illumination, locations and subjects. Presenters included Arman Bastani (IoT Systems Engineer), Karl Jonsson (Vice President Business Development), and Richard Reisman (Head of User Experience). They explained the challenges when installing, maintaining and securing industrial grade IoT lighting systems.
Investment Opportunities
Philip Smallwood kicked off Strategies in Light on Tuesday. As Director of Research at Strategies Unlimited, he lead a forum to discuss the lighting industry’s market projections. In 2017, the LED industry stabilized, reversing the price erosion of recent years. Meanwhile, the SSL market is near its highest point, while showing significant growth potential for the next five years.
These examples represent only a few of the exciting programs from Long Beach. Along with global vendors and technology exhibits, it was an exciting few days to explore trends in the lighting industry. In 2019, the show moves to the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. Mark your calendar for February 27 – March 1, 2019. Contact us if you’re going to be there.