Research and market analysis company iSuppli is warning of a short fall in LED supply and possibly an acute shortage at the end of 2010 unless production is increased to match demand for the devices.
Total consumption of LEDs reached 63 billion units in 2009, according to iSuppli, up from 57 billion in 2008. Given the rise in numbers, overall LED consumption last year came dangerously close to the industry’s 75 billion unit total capacity, indicating that many manufacturers are operating at near 100% capacity.
LEDs are finding themselves in a huge range of commercial and consumer applications from LED-backlit TV sets, to large format displays and even projection engines.