Chip-on-board LEDs find their way into signage.

Chip-on-board (COB) and multiple-COB (MCOB) light-emitting diodes (LEDs) will experience triple-digit annual growth in the signage and professional display market, according to the latest market research from ElectroniCast Consultants.

According to the consultancy’s new forecast, the worldwide value of all LEDs in signs and professional displays reached $2 billion in 2014 and will increase by about 12.1 per cent each year, to reach $3.56 billion in 2019. The study subcategorizes LEDs by package type, including dual in-line package (DIP), surface-mount diode (SMD) and the aforementioned COB/MCOB. Further, the use of each package type is segmented by sign and display type, including backlit channel letters, sign boxes and digital signage.

For DIP LEDs, the company forecasts an increase in consumption value of more than 20 per cent per year. SMD LEDs, however, are expected to see negative growth in some regions and sign types, as COB and MCOB LEDs are set for explosive value growth of 179.5 per cent each year.

“The use of COB and MCOB LEDs in signage and display applications is relatively new,” says Stephen Montgomery, director of ElectroniCast’s LED market and technology research group. “Typically, they are considered the next-generation technology for general illumination applications, but they are now finding their way into channel letters, sign panels, boxes and backlighting units, as well as research and development (R&D) and new product introductions in digital display applications.”
The full report is available from ElectroniCast at www.electronicast.com.