LED driver market expected to triple by 2015

The market governing LED driver integrated circuits (ICs) will surge to $666 million in 2015, up from $214 million in 2012.

By IHS Inc. June 21, 2013

Global revenue for light-emitting diode (LED) drivers used in general lighting applications will more than triple from 2012 to 2015, as the market for solid-state illumination booms, according a new report entitled “LED Driver ICs – World – 2013” from IMS Research, now part of IHS. 

The market governing LED driver integrated circuits (ICs) for lighting will surge to $666 million in 2015, up from $214 million in 2012, as presented in the attached figure. Growth will moderate somewhat during the following years, but revenue is expected to continue to expand, reaching $810 million in 2018.

“Major advances and cost reductions in lamps, luminaires and automotive lighting are spurring the rapid growth of the market for LEDs in general lighting applications,” said Stephanie Pruitt, lighting and LEDs analyst for IHS. “This in turn is generating major opportunities for LED driver ICs. Once dominated by the display backlighting business, the LED driver IC market now is being driven by the soaring market for general lighting.”

An LED driver is a power supply designed to suit the electrical characteristics of an LED or array of LEDs.

Home is where the LEDs are

The residential sector represents the greatest opportunity for growth in the LED lighting driver market. Homes have the largest number of sockets available for LED bulbs.

The most common form factor for residential LED lights is the classic A-type lamp, i.e. the pear-shaped bulb used since early in the 20thcentury. Also popular is the MR16 type of bulb used for directional lighting.

Other major opportunities for LED drivers in general illumination lie in the retail as well as the street/parking light markets.

As growth ramps up in general lighting, the rate of expansion, however, is slowing in some areas.

For instance, cellphone display backlighting has become a saturated market, while television and signage backlighting now are growing at a slower pace.

Computer and office equipment is still generating some respectable growth, mainly due to the boom in tablet devices.

LED driver IC suppliers like Macroblock, Texas Instruments and Skyworks continue to dominate in their respective markets. However, many companies that once concentrated on these sectors have seen flat or declining revenue. These companies, along with new entrants, are switching focus to the increasingly important lighting sector.