HK Int'l Lighting Fair 2010 Focuses on Green Lighting

“Going green is the trend and one proven by the exhibitors at this event,” stressed Benjamin Chau, Deputy Executive Director of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), summing up Hong Kong International Lighting Fair (Autumn Edition) 2010, held Oct. 27-30.

Organized by the HKTDC, this annual event is recognized as Asia's No.1 and world's No.2 lighting fair, with this year's show drawing 30,353 buyers, including the 69 procurement missions composed of over 5,000 buyers and nearly 3,500 companies, to source products among the 2,028 exhibitors from 35 countries, with the exhibitor and buyer numbers exceeding 2009's 1,788 exhibitors and 27,838 buyers.

As in the past, more exhibitors from mainland China came than other economies, totaling 1,181, followed by Hong Kong's 478 exhibitors and Taiwan's 226; while first-time exhibitors came from Australia, Bahrain, Bermuda, Canada, Egypt, Greece, Russia, Samoa and South Africa.

More Asian buyers from outside Hong Kong came than anywhere else, totaling 12,967, of which 8,886 buyers being from Hong Kong.

Spread across 66,000 square meters at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center (HKCEC), the event included Commercial Lighting, the Hall of Aurora, Household Lighting, LED & Green Lighting, Lighting Accessories, Parts & Components, Lighting Management, Design & Technology, and Outdoor Lighting.

The newly set up LED & Green Lighting Zone, including over 760 exhibitors, showcased eco-friendly products and technologies from suppliers specializing in products with new-design, long service life and energy efficiency.

Also returning after a successful debut last year is the Hall of Aurora, which focuses on branded lighting, said Chau.

The Hall of Aurora showcased over 380 brands from 27 countries, including AAG Stucchi, Bright, Citizen, CREE, Bridgelux, Everlight, Fulham, MEGAMAN, Midea, Neo-Neon, OSRAM, Philips, Royal Doulton and Searchlight International.

Exhibitors

Headquartered in Livermore, California, LED chipmaker Bridgelux displayed its chip array technology and Helieon lighting module. According to the company's vice president for business development, Keith Scott, Bridgelux array is very unique die solution, whose thermal resistance ranges from a few tenths of a degree C per watt up to 1.2 or 1.3 degrees C per watt, which is the lowest in the industry.

Helieon, recognized as the most innovative product at the Lightfair in the United States and the winner of a Technical Achievement Award at Light+Building in Europe, has a socket that makers can use to plug in as a traditional socket.

Scott said the gist of Bridgelux's display this year is a lighting system for the hospitality industry, where the lighting systems use not only his company's LEDs, but the latest drivers, thermal designs, and optics that his company co-developed with dedicated manufacturers.

Bright Lighting
The Taiwan-based Bright Lighting, a Hong Kong-listed firm, displayed various LED lamps, including a 7W E27/E26 bulb with 360 degree light distribution, exceeding the 180-degree ceiling. Developed to replace 40W incandescents, this bulb is UL and FCC certified. According to chairman Keen Hsu, the company will supply one million such bulbs in 2011.

Another notable product was a glare-free LED recessed light, whose commercial production began this year.

Megaman

Megaman, a leading lighting brand in Europe acquired by a Hong Kong company, launched two brand new series of LED lamps—LED GX53 Reflector and LED Crown Sliver.

The LED GX53 has slim profile to suit installation as display cabinet and under-shelf lighting. Designed with the patented “Thermal Conductive Highway” technology that enables efficient heat dissipation and high lumen retention, the LED GX53 Reflector has a maximum color rendering index of 85 and lasts 30,000 hours.

LED Crown Sliver has a unique silver-plated lamp design, ideal for household and commercial usages and provides well-controlled, glare-free lighting. The 7W Crown Sliver family has color rendering index ranging from 85 at 2,800K to 92 at 4,000K.

Cree exhibited its patented TrueWhite Technology, enabling an LED lamp to deliver a 2700K or 3500K warm white at color rendering index higher than 90.

Everlight
Everlight displayed its “Sheun” and “Shwo” families of high-power LED packages as well as its Zenano-branded LED desk lamp. The one-watt Sheun packages give off 100 lumens, while the 3W packages put out 170 lumens. Both packages feature compact design with SMT devices offering high light output, which are suitable as general, flash, spot, signage, commercial and industrial lighting.

The Zenano desk lamp is the first branded LED lighting fixture from Everlight, currently Taiwan's No.1 LED packager.

Fostering Designers

Helping to foster the industry's growing focus on design, the fair also staged the 4th Hong Kong Lighting Design Competition, where the winners in both the student and open groups were display to showcase Hong Kong's young and up-and-coming designers.

Oosh Design won the open group competition with its “Sunny Box,” a solar-powered roller blind that collects, stores sunlight to give off light at night, with the diffuser made of recycled paper.

Chan Ka Yui, a student at the Hong Kong Design Institute, won the student group competition with the “Green Light,” which he said underlines the inextricable relation between future and environment in terms of eco-protection for the next generations, with the piece made of recycled corrugated paper.

The lighting fair is driven by some impressive figures. Throughout 2009, Hong Kong imported some HK$8.8 billion (US$1.1 billion) of lighting products, mainly from the United States, China, Japan, Germany and France. In the first eight months of 2010, Hong Kong's lighting exports were up 16% from the same period a year ago, to HK$6.4 billion (US$818 million), with lighting imports rising 16% to HK$5 billion (US$663 million).

Feedback

Cleanroom Inc. of the United States is an architectural design office based in New York that also handles interior design involving lighting. David Winston, the creative director, said his company is progressive rather than traditional, so has come to this show to find new lighting products, particularly state-of-the-art LED. “This is my first visit and I am impressed with the quality of the exhibitors. We also have a product line, so I am looking for components that we can get assembled in China and shipped to the US. It is likely that I will make an initial order of about US$25,000 for about 600 units shortly, and will then follow that up with regular orders. I think this show is fantastic – it is extremely well organized and presented, with good signage and furniture. It is very classy.”

GM Electronic is a well known wholesaler, trader and retailer of electronic products including lighting in the Czech Republic, with seven stores in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, plus agents in Austria.Nikola Miletic, Head of Purchasing, said he is a first-timer looking for lighting components such as SMD LEDs. “The show is also a good place to assess what is coming next in the industry. For example, I am very interested to see LVD induction lighting here. I am keen to find new suppliers for components and will definitely do business. I have made some very good contacts which I will follow up. I'm very satisfied with my visit.”

Finntology Oy of Finlandis an importer and wholesaler of LED lighting who recently began designing lighting and lighting projects in Finland.

Arto Mattila, the Product Manager, said winning a draw brought him to the show the first time. “It has been well worth it coming to this show because here you can find suppliers that don't exhibit at the European fairs. I am specifically visiting manufacturers for LED tubes, panels and down lights, but I am also taking the opportunity to look around to see new LED lighting ideas. I will definitely do business as a result of contacts I have made here. Last year we sourced products worth €2 million and I expect to do the same this year.”

Alien Group
Alien Group of Companies of Indiais a leader in energy-conservation technology and energy-management solutions in India. Most of its projects involve local municipalities and other public-sector bodies. Akash Jain, the Director, said that energy-saving technology business is booming in India. “Last year our group's turnover was over US$2.2 million and we expect it to double this year. This is my first visit to this Hong Kong fair and I am looking for a large range of products from one big company with which we can cooperate.”

Maciej Stacel, procurement manager of lighting importer LEDEX of Poland, says he is sourcing any type of LED products because LED is an environmentally-friendly and potential product in Europe. “Of course, price is still an issue for LED lighting and not all the people want to buy it. But some want modern lighting and only look for innovative designs. In Poland, LED lamps are more attractive to young people than old timers for their modern designs. We source LED products in Asia instead of in Europe because much more of the factories are here than in Europe and prices are lower here. We sell household and commercial lights and especially LED billboard is growing quickly.”

Oshino Lamps
Oshino Lamps Italia Srl is an Italian importer, whose managing director, Massimo Ferrante, said he came to the 2010 fair mainly to look for LED tubes to promote energy-saving services in Italy, especially in public facilities as hospitals and railway stations. “This fair is big with a lot of variety, so it gives me a chance to see different suppliers and to compare their services. I've also found some companies with AC LED technology, which is interesting for me. I also take the opportunity here to visit my regular suppliers and see their new developments.”

Citizen Electronics Co., Ltd., under the Citizen Group of Japan, is a regular exhibitor at this lighting fair. Eric Au-Yeung, Sales Manager of Citizen Electronics, stressed that this fair is very important because global buyers gather and it is particularly good for doing business in the South East Asian and Chinese mainland markets. “We meet existing customers for further discussions and show them our new technologies, such as the ultra high-power LEDs. We also get to meet new buyers – this year, for example, we have talked with ones from China, EU countries and Eastern Europe.”

Evlite Electronics Co., Ltd. of Hong Kongsupplies high- and low-power LEDs and LED lighting modules for infrared, signage, back lighting and mobile devices. According to its Manager/Global Marcom and PR Beate Jungwirth, Evlite is among the top 10 in the global LED market. “Our experience on the first day here has been very positive and we are really satisfied with the results. The show has an international profile, and visitors are looking for a wide range of applications including components. That means we can target the right people here. We've met buyers from India, East Asia, Europe and the US. I'd say 60% of the visitors to our booth have been new to us; of course, we've also taken the opportunity to network with established customers and distributors.”

Fulham
Fulham Co., Ltd. of the United States supplies lighting components to fixture makers, and promoted its LEDs and induction lighting at the event. “We've been exhibiting here since the show's early days. This event really does attract international buyers. We've seen buyers from countries such as Germany, Saudi Arabia, India and the Chinese mainland – this is excellent for us. Being at the fair is all about developing relationships, helping customers' business plans based on our new products, solving issues and hearing their ideas. It is also a good way for us to see what and who is new in the market, and learn about new trends,” said Brian H. Wald, the CEO.

Elstead Lighting Ltd. is a leading lighting manufacturer in England serving the household market with medium- to high-end, design-driven products. According to its managing director, Jonathan Lucas, the company decided to come to this show in 2008 the first time because this is a global event, from which the company has gotten enquiries from 45 companies and trade with 10 of them as regular customers and is still in discussion with others. “Attending this show is part of the process of getting our brand known in the market. The target is to find more international customers and partners for distribution.”