maconda visits the world’s leading trade fair for lighting and building technology “Light + Building” 2016
maconda News March 2016
In recent years, maconda has been successfully active in the lighting industry on multiple occasions. This included several CDDs as well as various consulting and implementation projects in retail and manufacturing, in residential and commercial lighting. Our team has been active at every stage of the value chain and has accordingly built an extensive network of industry insiders.
This year, we once again visited the world’s largest trade fair for lighting and building technology “Light + Building” in Frankfurt, keeping ourselves up to date in this highly dynamic and partly disruptive lighting industry. This year’s motto for “Light + Building” was “digital – individual – networked” and impressively demonstrated the growing importance of smart system solutions and modern design in lighting, electrical engineering, and home and building automation. With the increasing digitalization of light, new topics such as Smart Home, sensor technology, and the Internet of Things (IoT) are playing an ever-greater role.
The technological shift toward LEDs as a light source, which are gaining market share at the expense of conventional lighting technologies, is fundamentally transforming the lighting market. In the short and medium term, the transition of private and commercial users to this innovative, energy-efficient technology is driving product- and technology-based market growth. At the same time, however, the use of significantly longer-lasting LEDs means a decline in luminaire maintenance and replacement business for light sources in the longer term.
LED technology and Smart Home developments are also changing the core competencies of luminaire manufacturers. They often need to acquire new technological know-how, including in control systems, programming, thermal management, etc., and invest heavily in research & development accordingly. The technological shift undoubtedly forces “lighting providers” to undergo strategic realignment, often extending to rigorous restructuring. This particularly affects the Mittelstand. Consolidation will continue; the luminaire and light source businesses are increasingly converging. Luminaire manufacturers are enhancing their competence in LED and control systems (including through acquisitions) or expanding their scope through vertical integration or acquisitions abroad.
All stages of the value chain in the lighting industry are facing new challenges due to advancing LED technology. At the same time, LEDs are generating new demand among customers through continuous innovation, digital networking, and new possibilities for lighting design. This also creates new revenue sources for the lighting industry: for example, developing intelligent lighting concepts or lighting systems integrated into building management. Potential can be unlocked in adjacent segments such as Smart Home, security technology, and energy management, e.g., through Smart Home-enabled luminaires or other products that can be marketed in packages together with luminaires. In Smart Home, more and more viable and market-ready concepts are emerging. Intelligence is increasingly embedded in devices and systems that are not only individually “smart” but can and must work together. The application possibilities are multifaceted; smart devices and digital networking enable the control of all important functions in the home – from household management and secure living, to entertainment & lifestyle and work & communication, through to health & nutrition.