LED chip, lamp and lighting fixture maker Cree Inc of Durham, NC, USA and Xiamen-based San’an Optoelectronics Co Ltd (China’s largest producer of full-color ultra-high-brightness LED epiwafers and chips) are forming a joint venture Cree Venture LED Company Ltd to produce and deliver to market mid-power lighting-class LED packaged products in an exclusive arrangement to serve the expanding markets of North and South America, Europe and Japan, and serve China and the rest of the world on a non-exclusive basis.
Located in Hong Kong, Cree Venture LED Company Ltd will be led by general manager TK Ong (who has extensive experience in the LED market) and will be governed by a board of directors with members from both firms. Cree will own 51% of the joint venture, and San’an will own 49%.
Leveraging Cree’s portfolio of patents and global sales channels, the joint venture aims to bring to market a broad portfolio of mid-power products to serve the fast-growing $4bn global mid-power LED market. Cree says that its LED business is now able to serve the broader needs of the general illumination (indoor and outdoor lighting), horticultural and other evolving LED markets.
“This joint venture builds on both companies’ leading product and channel capabilities to give Cree the ability to provide our LED customers a complete range of high-power and mid-power LED products to serve a broad range of markets and applications,” says Cree’s president & CEO Chuck Swoboda.
“The addition of the mid-power LED products in this new joint venture to Cree’s industry-leading high-power products gives us an unparalleled LED portfolio,” reckons Cree LEDs senior VP & general manager Dave Emerson. “With our LED systems expertise, customers are able to work with our existing channels to find the best LEDs for their applications.”
Cree and San’an will be working in the coming months to incorporate, fund and commence operations of the joint venture. Initial product sales are targeted for third-quarter 2017. Cree will receive royalties from the joint venture on its patent portfolio.
