iSuppli Predicts LED Shortage in 2010
Source/Type:  LIGHTimes Online - News - Staff reports

Author: LIGHTimes News Staff

March 2, 2010... iSuppli Corporation warns that the global supply of LEDs is facing a shortage in 2010. The company further warns that the year may end in acute undersupply unless production capacity is increased. The company says that in 2009 consumption of LEDs reached 63 billion units, up from 57 billion in 2008. iSuppli estimates that the overall LED consumption for 2009 came "dangerously close" to the industry’s total capacity of 75 billion units. The company says that many LED manufacturers were operating at nearly 100 percent utilization levels.

“It is clear that demand is outstripping supply,” said Jagdish Rebello, senior director and principal analyst for wireless research at iSuppli. “With LED market growth forecasted to rise by double-digit percentages for at least the next three years—including 2010—a drastic undersupply situation could occur this year unless additional capacity is brought online to meet the increased demand.”

LED -backlit LCD TVs are demanding more and more LEDs. iSuppli points out that unlike notebooks, which typically use 50 LEDs, or monitors, which employ about 100 LEDs, LCD-TVs on average consume anywhere from 300 to 500 LEDs per panel. Additionally, the company notes that LEDs used for backlighting of LCD-TVs demanding a high level of uniformity. Therefore, iSuppli says that the main impact of the shortage will be on LEDs for LCD TV panels. iSuppli News Release

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