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Brighter days ahead for LEDs in signage
UPPER LAKE, Calif. – Valued at $1.17
billion in 2008, the global consumption of
packaged LED chips (component-level
LED bulbs) used in commercial/professional signage applications is projected to
rise to $1.49 billion in 2013, according to
studies conducted by ElectroniCast Consultants, a market analysis company based
in Upper Lake, Calif.
The studies encompass the current
worldwide consumption of standard pack-
The Fremont Street Experience in Las Vegas uses
LED displays for the Viva Vision “A Tribute to
Queen.
aged LED chips and high-brightness single- and multiple-chip packaged (
single-bulb and multiple-chip/bulb single-chip/
bulb or device package) LEDs, which are
used in digital LED display panels/sig-nage, channel letter signage and retail display light boxes.
In 2008, the Americas region, consisting
of North, Central and South America,
represented a 43 percent share of the
worldwide consumption of LEDS used in
signage and professional displays. The
company projects that, in 2013, the Americas’ share will have increased to 46 percent, with a value of $686.85 million. In
2008, Europe, consisting of Western and
Eastern Europe, and the Middle Eastern
countries, represented a 24 percent share
of the market. The company projects that
the Asia-Pacific region share will increase
in value from $384.27 million in 2008 to
$487.91 million in 2013.
The company recently published two
reports: LEDS Used in Signage & Professional Displays Global Market Forecast
(2008-2013) and LEDS Used in Solid-State Lighting/Illumination Global Market Forecast – the latter of which includes data on LEDs used in channel
lettering signs and in retail display light
boxes.
As a result of the economic downturn,
slower sales in consumer and commercial
markets across multiple industries worldwide are expected, including some segments of the LED industry, through most
of 2009, according to Stephen Montgomery, president of the Asia-Pacific
region at ElectroniCast Consultants.
Display panels: standard vs.
high-brightness LEDs
The global consumption value of LEDs
used in commercial/professional digital
LED display panels in 2008 was $1.141
billion and is forecast to rise to $1.278 billion in 2013, Montgomery said. In 2008,
high-brightness LEDs represented a 55
percent share of this global consumption
value. By 2013, this share is expected to
rise to 60 percent and to increase in value
to $767.11 million versus $625.15 million
in 2008. The global consumption value of
standard or conventional LEDs used in
commercial/professional digital LED
display panels is forecasted to decrease in
value from $515.46 million ( 45 percent
of the market share) in 2008 to $511.12
million (40 percent of the market share)
in 2013, he said.
LED-based electronic billboards enable
multiple advertising messages to share the
same sign space, and they allow the delivery of messages in real time, which is
important for public emergency announcements and other information.
The company says that, based on its
observations at technical conferences over
the years, much basic research is still
being pursued in this industry, mainly
in university, government and other noncommercial laboratories. This is viewed
as an indicator that there are many more
years of vigorous growth ahead for LED
advancement.
The company focuses on the consumption of signage and professional LED display panels, such as surface-mount device
types, and conventional types, which use
discrete LEDs. Most outdoor screens, as
well as some indoor ones, are built around
discrete LEDs, also known as individually
mounted LEDs.
High-brightness visible LED lamps are
typically used in outdoor applications such
as traffic signals, changeable message
signs, large-area visible displays and automotive exterior lighting, while conventional low-power visible LEDs are commonly used as solid-state indicator lights
in cameras, appliances, dashboards, instrument panels, telephone dials and computer
terminals, and as light sources for numeric
and alphanumeric displays.
Display cases and channel letters
The global value of LEDs used in chan-
nel letter signage and retail light box
applications is expected to rise from
$30.43 million in 2008 to $208.92 million
in 2013, according to the company.
“The standard light box technology
used to display merchandise in the retail
industry soon could become yesterday’s
