Media Release
4 March 2008
Bright Future Forecast for Innovative LED Edge Lighting
Photometric lighting specialist ScreenSign Arts Ltd is positioned for a major increase in export production, following
the success of its illuminated graphics for beverage dispensers in the United Kingdom and Europe.
Managing Director Richard Hunter says at year-end 2007 ScreenSign Arts had produced the lighting components for more
than 30,000 beer dispensers for the European market, achieving huge increases in operational energy efficiency and
eliminating heat from within the dispensing systems.
Hunter says the success of the company’s Photometric Edge Lighting Technology, using LED components, suggests it should
be possible for the beverage dispensing industry to phase out light bulbs, including mercury-lined fluorescent tubes,
sooner rather than later.
Christchurch-based ScreenSign Arts began commercialisation of electroluminescence technology in 1998. The company has
since negotiated a six-year agreement for distribution of its technology into the beverage sector in North America and
Europe.
Hunter says LED-based photometric technology has the potential to significantly improve energy efficiency, and to help
companies to meet new targets for greenhouse gas emissions.
“With the recent developments in high output LED technology, and especially in pure-white light sources, these lighting
systems now have an enormous range of applications. The beverage sector is only one, but it’s where we are focusing our
efforts initially.”
“Our customers are using low-profile, high output LED lighting to reduce their energy consumption for lighting by up to
64 per cent, with additional savings gained through a reduction in energy required for chilling their product and the
dispensing lines.”
LED Edge Lighting systems can provide around 45,000 hours of constant light – around four times the life of fluorescent
light – and at only 6mm thick are compact enough to fit into small enclosed spaces.
Energy watchdog groups have welcomed the development in LED technology as a breakthrough in the way lighting is
provided. “Lighting accounts for 20 per cent of all energy use in the US,” says sustainability action group Earth Easy
(www.eartheasy.org). “All this light, however, comes at a cost; producing the electricity creates pollution from power
plants and greenhouse gas emissions. Reducing energy needs from lighting by half could save billions of dollars and help
wean us off our dependence on oil.”
LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) are basically a semi-conductor. When energy passes through two electron-charged materials,
electrons jump from one material to the other. As an electron jumps, it emits energy in the form of a photon. The color
of light created by a given LED depends on the
…2
2
amount of energy in that photon. This, in turn, depends on the material used for the layers. The cost of LEDS has
declined significantly in recent years, opening up new opportunities to reduce maintenance costs and make significant
energy savings.
ScreenSign Arts has developed its lighting system for beverage dispensers in association with award winning plastics
company, Christchurch-based Talbot Plastics Ltd.
About Photometric Edge Lighting
Photometric Edge Lighting is where a pre-designed dot matrix is applied to one surface of clear acrylic sheet, resulting
in an even distribution of light across the sheet’s surface. It provides highly efficient illumination with strong
visual impact for point-of-sale devices, shelving and merchandising displays.
About ScreenSign Arts Ltd
ScreenSign Arts is the South Island’s largest provider of screen printing services. Established in 1972, the company has
remained at the forefront of the industry through continuous development of new products and the application of
technologies for innovative printing, signwriting and visual presentations. (www.screensignarts.co.nz)
Ends