Taiwan's LED Makers Gearing Up For Lucrative Streetlight Business

Taipei, May 19, 2010 (CENS)--Taiwan government's plan to install LED (light emitting diode) streetlights for mercury types islandwide beginning in 2011 has inspired local makers, including Epistar Corp., Delta Electronics Inc. and Nan Ya Photonics Inc., to collaborate to shoot for the market, which is estimated at over NT$10 billion (US$312 million at US$1:NT$32).

President Ma Yin-jeou recently announced that the government will begin next year replacing the island's 1.3 million mercury streetlights with LED types.

Delta Electronics, currently the world's No.1 power supply maker, has introduced a wide range of LED lamps by cooperating with packagers Edison Opto Corp. and Bright LED Electronics Corp., driver IC maker Macroblock Inc., thermal-substrate maker Gsharp Corp., and lighting module maker Helio Optoelectronics Corp.

Recently, Delta entered into alliance with Epistar, Taiwan's No.1 LED chipmaker, gaining a foothold in the chip-making field.

Epistar's executives pointed out that in addition to collaboration with packagers the company also works with lighting manufacturers.

Bright LED was one of the island's early entrants of streetlight market. The company plans to ship 30,000 LED streetlights throughout this year, more than double the number it shipped last year.