Lighting Makers Aussmak Taps CCFL Segment
2009/10/07 | By Ken Liu | AUSSMAK OPTOELECTRONICS CORP.Aussmak Optoelectronics Corp. will explore opportunities in the global lighting market with cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) lighting fixtures.
CCFL lamps are noted for longevity, energy efficiency, dimmability, non-tanning UV ray, and low mercury contamination, inspiring the two partners to coin a new label for such lamp based on "Long Life, Controllable, and Decontamination," with the acronym "LCD" also coincidentally standing for liquid crystal display, the core application for CCFL backlight.
No. 2 in Taiwan
Aussmak is currently Taiwan's No.1 CCFL lighting fixture manufacturer, whose data shows that CCFLs used as backlight for TVs must last 80,000 hours, which far exceed that of general lighting sources. Aussmak has developed lighting-use lamps with lifespan of 20,000-30,000 hours. And Aussmak's data shows that CCFLs contain much less mercury than T5 lamps, and CCFLs do not emit skin-tanning UV-B radiation.
Dimmability is another feature of LCD lights. George Lin, general manager of Aussmak, says that the company has introduced a built-in three-phase dimmer, which controls light output at 20%, 60% and 100% according to ambient light intensity, boasting that the dimmer can save up to 80% of electricity.
Demonstrating a lighting fixture with such a dimmer, Lin says: "The device addresses the increasing need for energy-efficient lighting as the photo-sensitive dimmer saves energy by adjusting light output according to ambient conditions."
3-year Warranty
Lin stresses that a perfect lighting product is one that is both energy-saving and durable. "We offer an innovative moneymaking lighting solution that saves energy cost or money. Ours are sold with a three-year warranty, during which users can recoup product cost in as early as a year by saving on power bill."
Founded in 2006, Aussmak had been making LED lighting fixtures, and two years later diversified to focus on making LCD lighting fixtures by offering not just lighting fixtures but also ballasts. Now its product lineup is mainly composed of light bulbs, light tubes and lighting fixtures. Its light bulbs are mainly spiral lamps for E14, E17 and E27 holders, with the light tube for the G13 holder is also a staple item. Its main lighting fixtures include ones for under-cabin, T-bar ceiling and pendant lighting installations.
"We develop these lighting fixtures to make them readily compatible with existing specifications to allow easy replacement of inefficient fixtures," Lin says. To maximize easy installation, Aussmak is developing "one-piece" pendant and T-bar fixtures that are fully ready to install with components and lamps. In addition, the company is working to build light tubes integrated with matching ballasts, eliminating potential hassle in DIY installation resulting from using incompatible ballasts.
Marketing-wise, Aussmak aims at overseas markets with its "AUSSMAK" brand. "In overseas markets, we mainly target public work projects and, thus, work with wholesalers and trades suppliers instead of retailers," stresses Lin. So far, Aussmak has achieved some success in Japan, and is working closely with the semi-official Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) to promote products at major lighting shows in Hong Kong, mainland China and India.
At home, Aussmak has supplied the Kaohsiung Government in southern Taiwan with street signs using CCFLs. Projecting revenue to soar sharply this year, Lin says that public work projects are also expected to be the company's major revenue earner. Such estimates are based on higher unit price of CCFLs as general lighting product than LCD backlight. Currently, the company makes around 17 million CCFLs monthly to generate revenues of around NT$200 million (US$6 million).
Lin is upbeat about the market prospect of CCFL lighting for clear evidence of global warming is driving governments worldwide to ban electricity-guzzling incandescent bulbs. According to market surveys, the production of energy-saving fluorescent bulbs in mainland China, which makes 85% of such lights globally, rose to 2.4 billion units in 2006 from 750 million in 2001. The American lighting market saw consumption of energy-saving fluorescent bulbs surge to 397 million units in 2007 from 93 million in 2004, for a market penetration of 20% vs. sub-1% in 2001.
Lin points out that power bills will definitely continue to rise worldwide with dwindling energy resources, fueling demand for energy-efficient products as energy-saving CCFL lamps.