According to industry sources, international UV-C and UV-A LED chip manufacturers have increased market share by lowering product prices, thus exacerbating industry competition.
Following the LG Innotek price cuts, Taiwan's LED epitaxial wafer and chip maker Epileds Technologies subsequently took similar actions. As a result, the price of UV-A LED chips fell by 15-20% in the first half of 2018.
UV-C (wavelength 200-280nm) LED devices are mainly used for daily sterilization and purification applications, while UV-A (wavelength 320-400nm) LED devices are mainly used in industrial curing and drying applications.
In the field of UV-C LEDs, Japan's Nichia, Nitride Semiconductors and Ushio Epitex, as well as South Korea's LG Innotek and Seoul Viosys are among the leading manufacturers. It is reported that Nichia will launch 280nm UC-C LED in 2018, while LG Innotek will launch 150mW UV-C LED in the third quarter of 2018 and 200mW UV-C LED in 2019.
According to a survey by OFweek Semiconductor Lighting Network, Epileds has been working with Taiwan's LED packaging service provider High Power Lighting since 2016 to develop UV-C devices, which were subsequently widely adopted by home appliance suppliers in China in 2018. The UV-C LED products produced by LG Innotek are mainly used in LG's water purifiers; it is reported that LG Electronics is preparing to snatch orders from home appliance suppliers in China.
According to data provided by market analyst firm Yole Development, the market value of global UV-C and UV-A LED devices will increase from US$160 million in 2017 to US$320 million in 2020, and will further increase to 10 in 2023. One hundred million U.S. dollars.