Cree Optimizes LED Technology for the Connected Lighting Future

AUGUST 22, 2018

DURHAM, N.C. — Cree, Inc. (Nasdaq: CREE) announces the XLamp^® XP-G3 S Line LED, an extension of the industry-leading XLamp XP-G3 LED that is optimized for the connected lighting future. With the XP-G3 S Line, Cree delivers high-power LED technology optimized for long-lifetime, high-power general lighting applications where sensors and the internet of things (IoT) are becoming common, such as commercial indoor, parking, industrial and roadway.

Connected lighting systems use information from occupancy sensors and other sources to continuously react to the target environment, dimming or switching off unneeded lights to conserve energy. On average, a connected lighting system will dim or switch off lights up to 10 times more often than with a standard lighting system. These additional dimming and switching cycles put more stress on the LED system and can limit the luminaire’s lifetime. Through innovations in component architecture, the new XLamp XP-G3 S Line LED can withstand double the number of switching cycles when compared to competing LEDs in its class.

The new XP-G3 S Line LED further improves the standard XP-G3 with better reliability through switching and dimming cycles, improved resistance to sulfur exposure and higher light output and efficacy. This more robust version of the XP-G3 LED delivers excellent LED system reliability in all lighting applications, including those with harsher environments.

“Our customers want LED solutions that are highly efficient, cost effective and reliable enough to last in the harsh outdoor environments of Brazil,” said Mario Sergio Martins,

co-owner, Genesis Devices & Equipment (GDE). “With the new XP-G3 S Line LEDs, Cree is delivering a solution that is quickly and easily implemented to improve the performance and reliability for all my products, whether they include IoT controls now or will be retrofitted later in the field.”

“Cree’s lighting-class LEDs enabled the lighting revolution and LED lighting is now the industry standard. Looking forward, the lighting market will require LEDs designed to withstand the rigors of connected intelligent lighting,” said Dave Emerson, Cree LEDs executive vice president and general manager. “Cree’s new S Line LEDs employ a unique chip and package architecture that delivers the reliability and performance to withstand harsh environments, repeated dimming and on/off cycles.” 

The XP-G3 S Line LED provides an easy upgrade path for existing XP-based LED systems, allowing manufacturers to quickly implement these LED innovations into their designs. Product samples are available now and production quantities are available with standard lead times. The XP-G3 S Line LED has LM-80 data available to enable luminaires to immediately meet the requirements for DesignLights Consortium^® qualification. Please visit http://www.cree.com/led-components/products/xlamp-leds-discrete/xlamp-xp-g3 to learn more.

About Cree

Cree is an innovator of Wolfspeed^™ power and radio frequency (RF) semiconductors, lighting class LEDs and lighting products. Cree’s Wolfspeed product families include SiC materials, power-switching devices and RF devices targeted for applications such as electric vehicles, fast charging, inverters, power supplies, telecom and military and aerospace. Cree’s LED product families include blue and green LED chips, high-brightness LEDs and lighting-class power LEDs targeted for indoor and outdoor lighting, video displays, transportation and electronic signs and signals. Cree’s LED lighting systems and lamps serve indoor and outdoor applications. Please refer to www.cree.com for additional product and Company information.

This press release contains forward-looking statements involving risks and uncertainties, both known and unknown, that may cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated. Actual results may differ materially due to a number of factors, including the risk that actual savings and lifetimes will vary from expectations; the risk we may be unable to manufacture these new products with sufficiently low cost to offer them at competitive prices or with acceptable margins; the risk we may encounter delays or other difficulties in ramping up production of our new products; customer acceptance of our new products; the rapid development of new technology and competing products that may impair demand or render Cree’s products obsolete; and other factors discussed in Cree’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its report on Form 10-K for the year ended June 24, 2018, and subsequent filings.

Cree^® and XLamp^® are registered trademarks of Cree, Inc. DesignLights Consortium^® is a registered trademark of Northeast Efficiency Forward, Inc.

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