HK Lighting Fair Adds Bells, Draws Record Turnout

New exhibition zones and award up the game at industry show

The 2012 Hong Kong International Lighting Fair (Autumn Edition) pulled in 2,280 exhibitors during its October 27-30 run, up from 2,104 exhibitors in 2011. The show also built on earlier editions with the debut of Advertising Lighting and Small-Order zones and the Hong Kong International Lighting Products Award.

Exhibitors this year came from 37 economies, including, for the first time, from the Czech Republic. An estimated 36,000-plus buyers also attended, despite the lukewarm global economy.

Displays were grouped into several zones, including the Hall of Aurora, Advertising Lighting, Commercial Lighting, Household Lighting, LED & Green Lighting, Lighting Accessories, Parts & Components, Outdoor Lighting, Smart Lighting & Solutions, Testing, Certification & Inspection, and Trade Service & Publication Zones.

The show organizer, Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), set up a Small-Order Zone at the entrance of the venue Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center for buyers in an order quantity range of 50 to 1,000 units. The small-order zone reflects increased interest among overseas importers and distributors to place more frequent and smaller orders with shorter lead time to minimize inventory and incidental costs.

The Advertising Lighting Zone accommodated exhibitors specializing in signage lighting such as LED display panels, light boxes and neon signs.

The Hall of Aurora and LED & Green Lighting Zone were once again among the high-profile areas at the show. The Hall of Aurora displayed products in eye-catching setting. Over 430 quality brands from 27 countries were exhibited, including ASFOUR, BJB, Citizen, CREE, EGLO, EVERLIGHT, Fulham, Fumagalli, MEGAMAN, Neo-Neon, OPTILED, Philips, Seoul Semiconductor, Viri Bright and Vossloh-Schwabe. Housing over 800 exhibitors, LED & Green Lighting Zone aimed to cater the strong demand for LED, energy-saving and other eco-friendly products.

Awarding Excellence
The Hong Kong International Lighting Products Award 2012 turned the spotlight on lighting products with superb quality and design. Entries were judged in four categories—lighting source, architectural/commercial lighting, decorative indoor lighting and outdoor lighting—and the winners were displayed at the fairground throughout the show.

Neonlite Electronic & Lighting (HK) Ltd., Ledoux Lighting Co., Ltd. (Hong Kong), Xcellent Products International Ltd. (Taiwan), Vaxcel International Co., Ltd. (Taiwan), and Comet International Corp. (Taiwan) submitted the six winning designs among the more than 100 entries.

Interesting products came not just from the award winners. Checkolite International Inc (USA), Favour Tec Company Limited (Hong Kong), Home Resource Ind. Co., Ltd. (Taiwan), Inmark Exports Private Limited (India), Keytec Technology Co Ltd. (Hong Kong), Lite Puter Enterprise Co., Ltd. (Taiwan), Lumen Lighting (HK) Limited (Taiwan), Power Digital DELight Co., Ltd. (Taiwan), Philips Lumileds Lighting Company (USA) and Standmax Trading Ltd. (Netherlands) were selected as the "Interesting Products 2012" exhibitors.

Checkolite's iHL106, available in iPod Nano Colors, is an iHome licensed MP3 touch table lamp and is compatible with all iPod/iPhone products. The iHL106 features a 3W speaker, light touch on/off and one 3W LED bulb. The lamp also comes with an auxiliary cable with a built-in cord organizer.

Favour's Curlie GL9604NCW LED desk lamp comes with an LED indicator that shows 10 intensity levels in addition to intensity level memory function and adjustable arm for free projection angle.

Home Resource Ind. Co., Ltd. (Taiwan)'s Reishi is an elegant and stylish LED table lamp with a remote controller for on-off switch and light color change. It gives off white light and red-green-blue (RGB) mixed light.

Inmark Exports Private Limited (India)'s collapsible paper luminaries can be easily folded and expanded into a three dimensional form. When illuminated, it casts a soft light and creates a soothing atmosphere. The lantern also offers conforms to U.S. and European electrical standards.

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Keytec Technology Co Ltd. (Hong Kong)'s GAGA DMX lighting control system is less dependent on computer than conventional DMX system. All color selections and control programs in GAGA DMX can be easily set via a controller board without interfacing with a computer. The system uses simple logic to complete complex color design and program settings. It conforms to the DMX512 (1990) standard and can work with general decoders.

Lite Puter Enterprise Co., Ltd. (Taiwan)'s six-channel integrated dimmer pack, codenamed EDX-607, is designed for architectural lighting. It can memorize and recall six different thematic lighting scenes and automatically recall the pre-set scenes in a 24-hour cycle. Light fade-in/fade-out time can be set from 0.1 second to 99 minutes to make the light change smoothly between scenes. The system can control up to 512 channels and link to an external control panel or a PC. Remote lighting control at home can be done through the Internet.

Lumen Lighting (HK) Limited (Taiwan)'s LED table lamp has a slim and silvery design in addition to a comfortable beam angle. A photo holder on its arm can be used by users to personalize the table lamp with the pictures and memos.

Power Digital DELight Co., Ltd. (Taiwan)'s DELight LED lamp for high bay lights is

finished with some unconventional thermal technology. This bulb is lighter and has a lower thermal temperature than most of its competitors, making it an ideal replacement for high-pressure sodium lights.

Philips Lumileds Lighting Company (USA)'s LUXEON Rebel LED emitter delivers richer, sharper and brighter color as well as higher flux density than most of its competitors. It is energy efficient, durable and has a uniform color bin.

Standmax Trading Ltd. (Netherlands)'s Turn me 'ON' LED lamp has an abstract design inspired by children's drawings. The lamp is turned on by tipping it over.

Tracking Trends
The autumn show also kept buyers and exhibitors up to speed on trends on the lighting industry with seminars on topics such as LED lighting and applications and lighting regulations and standards. Showgoers and exhibitors also took advantage of the networking reception to meet new contacts and other industry professionals.

At one of the presentations, Dr. Roland W. Koch stressed LED in combinations with intelligent systems and controls can not only save energy but also optimize color temperatures, integrate daylight and reconstruct the course of the sun to increase human well being. He has 18 years working experience in international professional lighting companies in product and business development in Europe, the United States, the Middle East, and Asia, with five years specializing in professional LED lighting applications.

At a presentation addressing performance of LED and the requirements that bring LED lighting applications to real world, Vincent Chu, senior manager of Field Application Engineering for Cree APEC/HK, emphasized that LED lighting requires the right LED products with the right technology for the right applications. New LED technology improves reliability, saves energy, and shortens payback period, he said.

At a presentation focusing on trends in lighting applications and LED packaging, especially on COB (Chip On Board) application, Harrison Lin, Senior Director of Research & Development Division for Everlight Electronics Company Limited stressed that LED is steadily maturing in the market. "Different kinds of packaging have evolved and are applied in different fields like back-lighting and other illumination applications," he commented.

At a presentation intended to share his ideas with lighting insiders on the latest LED lighting technology and sustainable solutions, as well as guidelines for selection of LED lamps, Fred Bass, Managing Director of Professional Marketing for Neonlite International Ltd., emphasized: "The invention of LED energy-efficient lamps has changed the lighting way of the world and we are all challenged to do our part to conserve energy in order to maximize environmental benefits." He added that energy-efficient LED lamps are widely used in various fields in both consumer and commercial markets due to their outstanding characteristics.

There were many comments from exhibitors and buyers about their business and the trade show. Among them are Korakot Ekthanutt, Managing Director of Asian Design House, Co., Ltd., Thailand; Mandy Bao, Sales Executive of Shenzhen Unionwaltron Optoelectronics Co., Ltd., Chinese mainland; Tetsuya Tonogai, Senior Sales Manager of Nichia Chemical Hong Kong Ltd., Hong Kong; Eric Au-Yeung, Sales Manager (Hong Kong) of Citizen Electronics Co., Ltd., Japan; Sami Galais, Developer of Nicolaudie Europe, France; Porsche Chen, China Region Sales Manager of Edison Opto Corp., Taiwan; Leo Leung, Marketing Communications Officer of Cree Hong Kong Limited, Hong Kong; Lucy Lee, Assistant Manager Overseas Sales of Wooree Lighting Holdings, Korea; Chow Lai Kuen, Director of Diamond Life Lighting Mfg (HK) Ltd., Hong Kong; Anupma Devrani of Q Home Décor LLC, United Arab Emirates; Ahmed Mahmoud Awad of Farah Trading Co., Egypt; Rami Y. Bisher, General Manager of Solar Lighting Systems & Power Technologies Co. (Sollitech), Jordan; Ruel Y. Evangelista, Sales and Business Development Manager of Innovalite Electrical Enterprise, Philippines; Lindsay Pelser, CEO of IAQ Consulting, Australia; Eric Tremblay, Owner of RV Lighting, Canada; Glenn Ye, General Manager of McWong Smart (Beijing) Co., Ltd., mainland China; and Halshal Lanjewar, Senior Business Development Executive of Vin LED Lighting, India.

From Hand-made to High-tech
Asian Design House designs and manufactures natural wooden lamps from Thailand. The company's handcrafted lamps are shipped to customers in Europe. Ekthanutt said that his company is participating in the Hong Kong fair because it can meet potential buyers from the US, Canada and emerging markets like Eastern Europe, such as Russia and Romania. "With our unique products, we have attracted lots of potential buyers and most of them are wholesalers and importers," he said.

Shenzhen Unionwaltron Optoelectronics is a young company specializing in high quality indoor lighting. Europe and Philippine have been the company's major export destinations in the past few years. The company was a first-time exhibitor at this show. Bao said his company is participating in the Hong Kong lighting fair to help it build a brand and reputation with focus on long-term sustainability. "This is only the first day of the fair and we have already received some positive response from international trading companies, small builders and retailers," he said.

Nichia Chemical's Tonogai pointed out that his company exhibits at Hong Kong fair regularly because it is essential for his company to stay competitive and relevant in the fast-changing lighting industry. "Our highlight of this year is the 150-lm/W LED package, which can be used in LED light bars and other lighting applications. Our components are mainly sold to LED fixture manufacturers so this fair is a great chance for us to promote our LEDs to big brand customers, such as Toshiba and Panasonic," he said. He reported that Nichia now fills 80% of global market for high power LEDs.

Citizen Electronics is a subsidiary of the Citizen Holding Group of Japan. Au-Yeung said the company is one of the world's first LED suppliers making chip-on-board (COB) packages. "In past years we tried to get as many new customers as we could. Now we are concentrating on helping our existing customers to make better use of our LEDs by showing them new ideas on how they can use other accessories to make a good product or develop a desirable lighting system," he said. It was the company's eighth year at this show as an exhibitor. "Since we are focusing on the Chinese mainland and South East Asian manufacturers, this fair is definitely the best place to connect with this market," he added.

Nicolaudie had promoted its cutting-edge DMX lighting control systems at this fair for several years. "The stylish wall-mounted touch-sensitive Intelligent Control Keypad called STICK, currently in its 3rd generation, is our product highlight this year. We want to promote this product to buyers in the global architectural market," Galais stressed.

Edison Opto specializes in high power LED lighting. According to Chen, the company generates about 60% of its business from overseas and the remaining 40% from the Chinese mainland. "In spite of the sluggish global economy in 2012, this fair, which we have been joining since 2004, gives us a valuable chance to broadly promote our products and fuel growth in 2013," he said.

Cree Hong Kong is a wholly owned subsidiary of U.S.-based Cree, which focuses on LED lighting devices and solutions. According to Leung, the company primarily sells its LED chips, LED components, and modules to the Chinese mainland, which has been the world's largest market for LEDs in recent years. "We take part in this fair because we hope to further promote our brand to our existing and potential customers eager to make their products compliant with international standards. Also, we are here to highlight our LED components which can significantly make luminaires energy efficient at lower maintenance costs," he stressed.

Wooree Lighting is a leading South Korean lighting company with 36 years of history in providing lighting source. According to Lee, the company entered the LED market five years ago and has seen the new business boom. Over 70% of the company's business is now LED related. "This is the first time we have exhibited at an international lighting fair. We hope to find potential buyers from countries where we do not have our own distributors, such as Japan, the UK, and Taiwan," said Lee.

Diamond Life opened its first factory in Dongguan around 30 years ago, becoming one of the earliest foreign lighting investors in the Chinese mainland. "Our factories now focus on the production of custom-made chandeliers for prestigious clients worldwide, including the Venetian Hotel and Casino Las Vegas, Four Seasons Hotel Macau, and The Langham Hotel London," Kuen said.

Q Home Décor is a division of the Landmark Retail Group, a UAE-based company with sales revenue of around US$4 billion a year, sourcing a variety of products including home décor, gifts and interior lighting. According to Devrani, the company normally gets its supplies from manufacturers in the Middle East, including Dubai, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain. "This year, I came here to look for different price points because we now have to cater our customers, ranging from middle to upper middle class, with different pricing points," he said.

The Jordan-based Sollotech specializes in solar and LED lighting. According to Bisher, the company works on solar and environmental friendly products with a focus on commercial lighting, which the company sources from across the world. "This lighting fair attracts a large number of exhibitors showcasing their latest products. So buyers like us can keep up-to-date with recent industry trends and develop a more comprehensive range of new products," Bisher said.

Window to China
Evangelista was a first-time visitor of the Hong Kong lighting fair. His company, Innovalite Electrical, focuses on industrial lighting solutions. "The Hong Kong International Lighting Fair is a very convenient location for Asian buyers like us because we mainly source our supplies from the Chinese mainland. Overall, I think the fair is very comprehensive and presents many new lighting products," he said.

IAQ Consulting is an engineering consulting company offering healthy and energy efficient equipment and services to enterprises, like Kimberly-Clark. "We source our supplies from China and Taiwan, so I come here to meet face to face with the Chinese suppliers in order to keep track of the latest technological developments in the lighting business," said Pelser, a seventh-time visitor at the lighting fair.

RV Lighting is a distributor of low voltage LED lighting products for recreational vehicles. Tremblay was a second-time visitor to this fair. "My company has been developing a wide range of custom-made performance products to meet customer needs, so this is an ideal event for us to look for new things in the lighting market," he stressed.

Ye of McWong Smart was on the hunt mostly for lighting components such as lamp drivers and lamp holders at the 2012 lighting fair. Around 90% of his company's customers are based in North America and the remaining 10% in Latin America. "This lighting fair gives me a chance to meet face to face with potential suppliers from the Chinese mainland, where most lighting components are produced," he said.

Established in 2005, Vin LED Lighting is a major supplier of industrial lighting, including streetlight lights in India. "This year I came to the Hong Kong lighting fair to source eco-friendly lighting products from reliable manufacturers," said Lanjewar.