e:lumix Technology AG Expands Production Facilities with Fab in Augsburg / Germany
The innovative manufacturer and service provider in the area of LED semiconductor technology, e:lumix Technologie AG, announces the expansion of the Augsburg, Germany location to the Headquarters of Technology with their project “Augsburg – FAB6.1”.
The renovations on the premises taken over from Siemens will start in February of this year. Production in the Shenzhen FAB1 will be closed in Q2/2012 with production starting up in June, 2012 in Augsburg, once the necessary adaptations have been made.
Besides the research centre for LED semiconductor technology, this factory will also house the production of white and RGB LED chips, LED clusters (COB/e:DOB) as well as LED modules (OEM products).
The building complex will have an in-house training facility for clients and employees as well as the “Silicon and Light Gallery”, where there will be an art and light exhibit.
The acquisition of the buildings and their expansion opportunities is linked to the generation of sustainable jobs in the region. The investment plan allows for 50 new jobs in 2012 and by 2016 the number of employees will have increased to 600.
In his talks with LED professional, Thomas Zabel told us how happy he was that the new location had adequate room for high-end laboratory equipment. He explained: “For extended quality assurance we already have a room for taking measurements and have set up an environment simulation chamber, a goniophotometer, aging equipment, micro-bolometric measurement systems and integrating spheres (spectroradiometer for optic measurements). This unit is a crucial part of our efforts to be ISO 9001:2008 certified by the third quarter of 2012. The generous space conditions at this new location will make work in our laboratory much more agreeable.”
“We are bursting at the seams at our present location,” he continued. “Since we were able to make an exclusive agreement with a Chinese manufacturer in 2010 – a result of having worked together in R&D and the expansion of production in China since 2005, we have grown exponentially. In addition, throughout 2011 general agreements with large European and Asian purchasers were signed. The consequence of that was the necessity of this step.”
Thomas Zabel sees the production and development of innovative LED semiconductors, the manufacturing of his own patented retrofit lamps and diverse concepts for license models for luminary manufacturers as the 3 mainstays of e:lumix AG.
This assessment was immediately reinforced by a discussion about the current progress and research results. The ePWM technology that was presented at the LpS 2011 has been replaced by a newly established semiconductor layer which takes over this function. Through field effects a charge shifting or optimized charge distribution is achieved which reduces the usual necessary charge overload from 38% to 7%. This increases efficiency considerably. In addition, the perpetual formation of hotspots is avoided. The thermal strain of the semiconductor is also reduced. e:lumix has also been able to increase the critical value of the junction temperature. Thomas Zabel said, “Our maxim is that the implementation of LEDs should be possible without complicated thermal designs. Our products have been built so that they can virtually be started up without having to use any additional cooling systems while still having the life span that is expected of an LED.”
“In accordance with our Motto, ‘We don’t want to take part in the market – we want to make a sustainable change in the world’; the acquisition of the Augsburg location only represents the first stage of expansion. We have also ensured diverse expansion options with this procurement,” ended Thomas Zabel’s explanation. e:lumix plans to invest 70 million Euros in the Augsburg location by 2018.
e:lumix, Platinum Sponsor of the LpS 2012 (LED professional Symposium +Expo), will be presenting their technological highlights to a expansive audience from September 25th to 27th, 2012 in Bregenz, Austria. (For more information please see: www.lps2012.com )
About e:lumix AG:
e:lumix Technologie AG was founded in 2011 as the parent of e:lumix LED Technologie GmbH which was founded in 2010. As from the start, product development underlies the Chief Executive Officer and Head of Technology, Thomas Zabel.
One year after being founded, e:lumix Technologie AG has been able to enter the world market successfully with its daughter company, and has already become an important enterprise with its 4.2 billion chip units net capacity. Contracts with bulk buyers have already been signed and further negotiations are pending.