November 13, 2006, Washington, D.C.--Consumers and computers are the driving force behind continued growth in laser and optoelectronics sales worldwide, according to the latest market report from Optoelectronics Industry Development Association (OIDA). The annual OIDA "Global Optoelectronics Industry Market Report and Forecast" report includes market data and forecasts for nearly all segments of the optoelectronics industry, including diode and non-diode lasers, high brightness LEDs, displays and related technologies, telecommuni-cations and broadband, optical communications, image sensors, medical and health applications, UV materials, green LEDs and light extraction, optoelectronic nanotechnology, photovoltaic markets, defense and security, fiber sensors, and a chapter on VC investment in the field.
"Telecom and datacom markets have strengthened in 2006," noted Dr. Michael Lebby, President and CEO of OIDA, "but the real excitement is that optoelectronics components are beginning to be utilized in high volume consumer, entertainment, and computing based products. At OIDA, we will study this phenomenon next year on April 3-4 at an OIDA forum on consumer optoelectronics."
Some observations from this year's report include:
* Consumer and entertainment optoelectronics are keeping up a strong momentum driven by liquid crystal displays (LCD) in TVs and PDAs/mobile devices.
* LCDs account for over 70% of the optical components industry–with continuing growth trend.
* Solar cells and display modules exhibited the strongest segment growth in 2005, 24% and 19%, respectively.
* Image sensors and HB LEDs now own 60% of the global optoelectronics sources and detectors market.
* The 405nm blue laser market is slower than expected due to technical difficulties with laser specifications and alignment tolerance.
* HBLEDs suffered price erosion in mobile handsets; volumes increased significantly but average prices were down.
* Growth in telecom is in Asia. New build-outs and new equipment for areas that have no or limited infrastructure represent most of the industry growth.
* Slow penetration of fiber to the node/premise in the U.S. DSL and cable will be the mainstay for the next few years.
OIDA's Global Optoelectronics Industry Market Report and Forecast is now being distributed to OIDA members and will be available for purchase by non-members on OIDA's website in May 2007. Further results of the study will be presented at OIDA's Annual Forum on December 6-7 in Washington, DC. For more information, go to www.oida.org
Lebby is also slated to speak at the annual Lasers & Photonics Marketplace Seminar, to be held January 22, 2007 at the Fairmont Hotel (San Jose, CA) during Photonics West. For more information, go to www.marketplaceseminar.com