[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he 10th Hong Kong International Lighting Fair (Spring Edition), organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), attracted more than 20,500 buyers from 114 countries and regions, with increased buyer attendance from the U.S., Chinese mainland, Taiwan, India, Russia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia. The fair was comprised of 1,350 exhibitors from 13 countries and regions.
HKTDC Deputy Executive Director Benjamin Chau noted the rising demand for smart lighting products and encouraged Hong Kong companies to invest more in developing related items. “In response to the market trend, the Smart Lighting & Solutions Zone returned to the fair to showcase the latest smart and remote-control lighting systems, accessories, and fixtures. The topic of smart lighting was also covered in the seminars and forums held during the fair to help [attendees] better grasp the latest developments in this technology,” he said.
The HKTDC commissioned an independent on-site survey, interviewing 350+ exhibitors and buyers about their views on industry growth. Respondents were cautiously optimistic about the lighting market in 2018. Approximately 55 percent anticipate overall sales this year will increase, while 36 percent expect them to remain unchanged. Respondents pointed to the prospect of two emerging markets – Russia and Latin America – followed by Western Europe, India, South Africa, and the Chinese mainland.
Survey results also indicate that smart lighting is expected to have promising growth, with 72 percent of respondents optimistic about the market potential. Smart lighting systems designed for home automation, plus energy-efficient and wireless controls are predicted to have the biggest development potential in the next two years.
“The topic of smart lighting was also covered in the seminars and forums held during the fair to help [attendees] better grasp the latest developments in this technology.”
The Asian Lighting Forum 2018 gathered experts from professional organizations, such as the Bluetooth Special Interest Group, CREE, Microsoft, Philips, OSRAM, and the Hong Kong Highways Department, to discuss everyday applications of smart lighting, connected lighting, and IoT, as well as the latest technologies and industry outlook. One of the most popular seminars was on Artificial Intelligence and Smart Lighting, where experts from Zigbee Alliance, Alibaba AI Labs, iFLYTEK, JD Smart, ZTE, Tuya Smart and YEELIGHT discussed ways AI can help enhance smart lighting.
