Major Chinese manufacturer takes a shine to city famed for illumination industry

The reduced price will help boost coverage of LED lights for household use, expert says. [Qiu Quanlin / China Daily]

China's urbanization drive is creating huge domestic demand for energy-saving products, and the LED lighting industry is facing its brightest period over the next few years, Li Xuliang believes.

"There will be great potential for LED lights wherever people live," says Li, president of Kingsun Optoelectronic Co, a leading LED manufacturer in China.

"A few years ago, some industrial insiders still doubted the importance of LED lighting, but now more and more people have become aware of the bright future for the emerging industry."

Li was speaking last month at the opening ceremony of his company's new 1,600 square meter store in the Guzhen township of Zhongshan. Kingsun, which is based in another Pearl River Delta city, Dongguan, also plans to open a factory in Zhongshan.

"An era of LED lighting is coming as there is increasing demand for LED applications in areas including new roads, urban public infrastructure, schools, hospitals and residential communities," Li says, describing how LED lighting was universally replacing the traditional lighting technology of the past 100 years.

The huge market potential has resulted in the rapid development of the LED lighting industry in Guangdong province, one of the traditional manufacturing bases in South China.

Sources in the provincial government says there are now more than 4,000 manufacturers of LED lighting products in Guangdong, mostly based in the Pearl River Delta.