Neon use declines; LED era dawns for signmakers
Editor’s note: In ST’s 2007 Lighting Survey (see page 102), ST Publisher/Editor Wade Swormstedt reported, “By far, the huge headline is LEDs claiming 30.2% of all sign illumination [which more than doubles last year’s 14.7%, which had been the highest figure to date].” The survey of 2007 lighting activity, reported in 2008, indicates neon’s market has fallen to 22.8%, from a previous year’s stake of 34.1%. The survey respondents said they primarily chose LEDs because of reliability, maintenance and durability.
LEDs have unquestionably attracted huge attention in the signage and display industries. Electronic-digital displays (billboards, large-format outdoor displays and electronic-message centers) presently face few competitive technologies. Equally exciting is the recent shift where more signmakers have migrated to LED-lamped channel letters from neon tubing that dominated this market (as does fluorescent lighting with other, on-premise, illuminated signs) until last year.
The exact breakdown remains elusive, however, because no one counts the total LED-, neon- or fluorescent-lamped sign installations. A survey to determine what existing neon signs (or types of neon-signage applications) are being replaced (or are at risk of being replaced) by LED-lamped signs would be useful. Vendors and buyers could see developing trends and better understand the overall movement. Any analysis must strive to assess LEDs’ true benefits – it should reveal tangible gains and their lasting power.
Why the interest?
LED technology has improved significantly over the past five to 10 years. The lamps’ increased light output allows improved, viable applications, especially for color applications at night. More importantly, experienced LED manufacturers see continuing light-output improvements; LEDs will someday make sense for virtually any lighting application.
Because channel letters and illuminated-sign cabinets are lucrative, future-thinking signmakers should consider practical, alternative light sources that offer long-term cost savings. Many signmakers presently offer LED-based signs as neon replacements to existing customers, but, more importantly, some have successfully acquired new customers who have specified LED-based signs. Further, because LED illumination sources are easily scaled, they’re a better choice for larger channel letters.
Still, these channel-letter makers have also found that changing the light source may affect other constituents – the face color, backing materials and transformer system, for example. In fact, numerous issues should be resolved prior to selecting LEDs: humidity control, temperature dependence and matched bin colors for LED replacement modules, for example.
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