INTERVIEW: PETER CHAN, LIGHTHOUSE TECHNOLOGIES Collaborating for complete solutions
The managing director of the Hong Kong-based LED display manufacturer talks to Paddy Baker about market and technology trends
What attracted you to working in LED/display technology? I saw that LED/display technology was a growing trend at that time, with huge market potential in various applications. I believe that Lighthouse was the right company to join because it has the passion to invest in R&D to produce innovative products and I could see the vision that Lighthouse had.
What has changed most about the industry and the company during your time at Lighthouse?
On the industry side, I have seen overwhelming market expansions in LED video display solutions in every region and application. For example, sports solutions in the US have been booming, with both digital scoreboards and perimeter screens becoming a must-have for the major clubs. In fact, digital signage has become an industry trend and is factored in to any new-build project. Because Lighthouse has products that have been specifically designed for these applications, we have been particularly successful there. Regarding the company:
product offerings are become more and more customised towards end users’ needs and we are leading the industry in bringing advanced technology such as processing skills, outdoor SMD panels and innovative products like VideoBlades – a modular LED product that can be rolled up or down like a window blind and can be used as a screen or a lighting product. The product was developed by Pix2o, we saw its potential and our two companies joined forces to accelerate uptake in the market. We’ve worked closely since to further enhance and develop it. We see collaborative
efforts like this as an important part of our development strategy. Working with companies such as Pix2o who have the vision to use LED in a completely new way, or with end users such as rental companies to produce products that directly address a market
16 January 2013
Peter Chan – a brief biography
Peter Chan graduated from the University of Texas with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, and later earned an EMBA from the Richard Ivey School of Business, University of Western Ontario
He worked in various telecom companies, including Logica and Sunday, during the market boom, making significant strategic, business and management contributions
He joined Lighthouse Technologies in February 2006, helping the company achieve remarkable growth in the US market. A year later he turned his attention to developing the fast- growing China market
need is an exciting and effective way to continue to move forwards.
How much more potential do you think there is, worldwide, in the digital signage market? The potential is huge. Now is just the start of the revolution in the digital signage market to convert from traditional formats to LED video display. Stakeholders have realised the fast ROI and the benefits that LED video displays can bring to them, and this means that the market is getting a huge boost.
What are the other major vertical markets for Lighthouse at the moment, and which do you see as becoming more important in the future? Our major vertical markets are sports stadiums (indoor and outdoor); digital signage; shopping malls/retail brands and corporate display signage; and rental companies. For the
future, offering one-stop total solutions for facility owners and end users is vital. For example, for sports solutions, besides the LED video display solutions, we have to think of a total package that includes content management systems, scoreboard systems and so on, so that we can continue to differentiate Lighthouse from our competitors in the market and become the preferred choice of the professional brands.
What do you see as the main advantages of LED over other display technologies? Does Lighthouse remain tied to LED, or might you work with other technologies in the future? The main advantages of LED are: it has a long lifetime; it’s especially good for outdoor applications because it provides the best brightness levels; and LED product innovations have brought down the cost of ownership of LED display panels, plus they have become more
‘Now is just the start of the
revolution in the digital signage market’
lightweight and easy to install and maintain. LED is Lighthouse’s
technology of choice, but we are always open minded and if something revolutionary were to be developed in the future that we thought presented a good solution for the market, we would certainly consider it.
Are you seeing demand for non-rectangular displays – in either installation or rental markets? Yes, this is a current design trend in both the installation and rental markets.
Do you see a trend towards larger and larger displays? Is this just being driven by more affordable technology,
In 2008 he was made managing director, putting him in charge of 600 staff globally. He oversees all aspects of Lighthouse’s strategic operations around the world
or are there other factors in play here? For Lighthouse, large displays are not a new thing. We have had quite a number of significant large display screens during past years and they are still working well. Key factors for the success of such projects are technical knowhow and the service one can provide to ensure low maintenance, long-lasting solutions that provide a quick ROI.
Do you see displays for fixed installation and displays for rental becoming more similar or more different in the future? In many ways they are similar, for example in terms of weight, ease of installation, better processing quality and, most importantly, they are continuing to become a more cost-effective option.
www.lighthouse-tech.com www.installation-international.com
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