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4 The Electric Current October/November 2011

Contents +

PUBLISHERGlen [email protected] PUBLISHERRick [email protected]. ACCOUNT EXECUTIVEJim [email protected]/EDITORIALBrandon [email protected] DESIGNJacklyn [email protected] MANAGERSteven [email protected]

Executive and Advertising Offices2070 Valleydale Rd,Suite # 6 Hoover, AL 35244toll free: 866.981.4511phone: 205-733-1341fax: 205-733-1344www.theelectriccurrent.com

The Electric Current is distributed free to qualified sub-scribers. U.S. Postage paid at Birmingham, Alabama andadditional mailing offices.

The Electric Current is distributed to to qualified ownersand managers in the electrical industry. Publisher is not li-able for all content (including editorial and illustrationsprovided by advertisers) of advertisements published anddoes not accept responsibility for any claims made againstthe publisher. It is the advertiser’s or agency’s responsi-bility to obtain appropriate releases on any item or indi-viduals pictured in an advertisement. Reproduction ofthis magazine in whole or in part is prohibited withoutprior written permission from the publisher.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes toThe Electric Current 2070 Valleydale Rd.,Suite #6 Hoover, AL 35244

P R I N T E D I N T H E U S A

1406

06Allied Building Products brings solar distribution to a new level

14Becoming a solar expertHelpful resources available for those looking to break into solar market

20Respect for Humanity & Contribution to Society

26Torrance firm shines light on LEDs

32Advertiser Index

On the cover:Cover image provided by SMA

1011TECp04:1011TECp04 10/24/11 12:26 PM Page 4

Visit us at: www.hiokiusa.com



National reach, logistics capabili-ties and additional services to con-tractors provide the differentiator

According to the Solar Energy IndustriesAssociation, grid-connected PV installa-tions in the second quarter of 2011 grew 69percent over the second quarter of 2010. Sixstates installed over 10 MW each in thesecond quarter compared to only threestates in all of 2007. This market growthhas attracted several new industry partici-pants throughout the solar supply chain.Established contractors with decades ofhistory in other trades have entered the so-lar installation business. These includeelectricians, roofers, HVAC contractors,homebuilders, and others. Meanwhile dis-

Feature Story +

Allied Building Productsbrings solar distribution to a new level

By Dave Jenkins, General Manager Solar Division of Allied Building Products Corp.

tributors and manufacturers that have es-tablished themselves in adjacent indus-tries have also entered the space. Theresult is broad and diverse participationacross the US. “More than 100,000 Amer-icans are employed in solar, twice as manyas in 2009. They work at more than 5,000companies… across all 50 states.” indi-cates Rhone Resch, President and CEO ofSEIA.

Allied Building Products Corp. is one ofthe relatively new entrants to the solar dis-tribution business. Year to date, Allied hassupplied over 10 MW of PV panels, mount-ing hardware, inverters, and other BOScomponents, representing 100% growthover 2010. The company supplies and

stocks solar PV panels, rail, fasteners, cen-tral and string inverters, and other BOS inthree locations nationally: New Jersey,Southern California and Hawaii.

Beginnings in the RoofingDistribution Business

The company was established in 1950 inJersey City, New Jersey as a family-operatedroofing and custom sheet metal fabricationbusiness. The company’s territory was theNew York / New Jersey market and had justfive employees and five thousand squarefeet of warehouse space. Through its com-mitment to customers and manufacturers,Allied ultimately became one of the nation’slargest distributors of building products.

900kW system installed at PSEG CentralDivision Operating HQ by Solis Partners

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Visit us at:http://www.sunnyproclub.com/?utm_source=TEC&utm_medium=DigiEd&utm_campaign=SPC


Feature Story +The company’s twoprimarybusinesses areexterior products (roofing, siding,windowsandaccessories) and interior products (dry-wall, acoustical tile, commercial insulation,steel stud, etc.). Allied steadily built a pres-ence in roofingdistribution, growing fromahandful of branches in the 1970’s to dozensby the late 1980’s. Allied helped to lead theindustry push into newer and more ad-vanced roofing products, including singleply membrane roofing products for lowslope commercial buildings.

By 1996, it reached over $450 million insales and the company’s owners decided tosell the business to Oldcastle, Inc., theNorthAmericanholding company forCRHplc (NYSE: CRH). Themanagement teamremained in place at the company and thebusiness continued to flourish. Today Al-lied’s sales are nearly $2 billion with 180branches as far as Massachusetts, Florida,Alaska andHawaii.

The company’s focus and presence inthe top metropolitan markets are alignedperfectly with the country’s top solar mar-kets. The SEIA’s top ten states in 2010 (seetable 1) aremarketswhereAlliedhasmain-tained top market share in the buildingproducts distribution business.Table1: 2010StateRanking -Grid-Tied

PV Installations (Source: SEIA)Rank State1 California2 New Jersey3 Arizona4 Pennsylvania5 Colorado6 North Carolina7 NewYork8 Maryland9 Massachusetts10 Hawaii

Product Convergence?Meanwhile solar product trends in the

2005-2007 timeframewere indicating roof-ing and solarmarketswerebecomingmoreintertwined. Several PV manufacturerswere marketing thin film products for lowslope commercial roofing applications andothers were developing “solar shingle”products for steep slope / shingle roof ap-plications. Residential rooftop installationswere booming in California and New Jer-sey. Roofingmanufacturerswere courtingsolarmanufacturers and distributors. Thelargest commercial roofingmanufacturers:Carlisle, Johns Manville, Firestone, GAF


Delivery vehicles with solar panels

Boom truck loaded with Satcon inverters for PSEG

and Sarnafil were exploring relationships and made announcements of partnershipswith players in the solar industry. CertainTeed, Eagle Roofing, Dow and many othermanufacturers of residential roofing products announcednew solar roofing products orintentions to develop such products.

Solar Distribution: Fewer, Larger Players?Traditionally, specialty solar distributors have provided a key support role in the sup-

ply chain for solar products. Since the early development of the solar industry inmarketssuch as California and Hawaii, solar distribution has provided stocking inventory, salesspecialists trained in solar products, andbroadproduct portfolios to service a variety of in-stallation types. Solar distributors also provided training and technical knowledge tosupport the growing ranksof newsolar integrators entering themarket. As themarket hasgrown, so have product portfolios and the number of players in the industry. To sup-port diverse product portfolios and the diversemarkets experiencing solar growth, it be-cameclear that solar distributorswouldneed ever increasing capital and volume to adapt

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Visit us at: www.theheliospicture.com


Feature Story +


to the ever-changingmarket.In 2008, Allieddecided to seriously ex-

plore the idea of entering the solarmar-ket. Research with solar installers,manufacturers, and other industry ser-vice providers indicated Allied’s geo-graphic reach, strong balance sheet,distributionexpertise, roofing knowledgeand logistics capabilities could set Alliedapart from other solar distributors andhelpestablisha long termcompetitivead-vantage. Later that year, Allied suppliedsolar PV panels, inverters and mountinghardware for its first project, a 20kW sys-tem installed on its own building inWallTownship,New Jersey.

Since that time, Allied’s solar distrib-ution business has steadily grown, oftenbywordofmouth. Allied’s solar PV salesof panels,mountinghardware, andotherbalance of system components grewfrom$2million in 2009, to $15million in2010, to a run rate of $30million in 2011.

During that time Allied’s residentialand commercial solar supply businesseshavebothdeveloped. Thekey ingredientfor growthhasbeenAllied’s focusondif-ferentiated customer service. Residentialsolar contractors can rely onAllied’s fleetof flat bed trucks with “piggyback” fork-lifts and professionally trained drivers todeliverPVpanels andbalanceof systems to their jobsitedestinationon thedate and timeof their choosing. Additionally, Allied’s dedi-cated credit professionals have the ability to work with commer-cial customerson largeprojects exceedingoneMW. Going forward,Alliedplans to greatly expand its customerbase andutilize its fieldsales force to help uncover new leads for solar contractors.

Project Profile: PSEGIn August 2010 Allied supplied a 900kW system to Solis Part-

ners, a growing commercial andutility-scale solar integrator basedinManasquan,NJ. Solis’ customerwas PSEG, the diversified util-ity based inNewark,NJ (NYSE: PEG). Theprojectwas installed onthe rooftopof PSEG’sCentralDivisionOperatingHeadquarters in

Somerset, NJ. Allied’s unique ability to deliver solar products tothe jobsite and itsmobile crane capabilities helped support Solis’rapid and effective deployment of the system. With limited spaceavailable at the jobsite, Allied supplied PV panels, mounting hard-ware and Satcon inverters as needed. Allied’s mobile crane truckhoisted theSatcon invertersonto theconcretepadtheday laborwasscheduledafter storing the invertersatAllied’swarehouse for severalweeks. Additionally,Allied’scredit teamprovidedconstruction creditduring the course of the build out.

Project Profile: Martin FarmsInMay2011Alliedsupplied800kWofSolarWorldpanelstoDynamic

Solar insupportof theirMartinFarmsproject inPennsylvania. �

Martin Farms

Rooftop deliveries

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Feature Story +

Is solar energy your Plan B?Whether exploring new oppor-

tunities, evolving with the times orpursuing an advantage over com-petitors, more electricians are en-tering the solar market. As one ofthe most promising renewable en-ergy sources, photovoltaics (PV),which generates electricity fromsunlight, offers the greatest poten-tial for continued and sustained jobgrowth.

“In a changing job market elec-tricians should position themselves for future success by preparingfor future possibilities. More customers are asking about PV in-stallations and electricians should be prepared to provide the an-swers,” said Mike Holt, chief executive officer of Mike HoltEnterprises and creator of Understanding NEC Requirements forSolar Photovoltaic Systems textbook and DVD programs. “PV is ayoung industry with participants who are enthusiastic about theirspecial skills.”

The future of our energy supply lies in renewable energy, but

before electrical contractors can take ad-vantage of this hot market, they must care-fully educate themselves and make strongpartnerships to maximize their potential.SMA America — the leading domestic sup-plier of solar inverters — has many resourcesand services to offer electricians making themove to solar power.

Who is SMA?SMA America is the U.S.-based subsidiary

of global solar technology leader SMA SolarTechnology AG, which boasts 19 subsidiaries,more than 5,300 employees and continuousdouble-digit growth. Since its inception in2000, SMA America has shown an unfalteringcommitment to the continued developmentand implementation of leading-edge prod-ucts, as well as support for industry profes-sionals. SMA supports installers and smallbusinesses in the solar industry through in-novative partnership programs that providetechnical training and marketing assistance.

As the world leader in inverter technology and manufacturing,SMA realized that building the industry through pioneering tech-nology alone was not enough. Developing an expert workforcewas critical for long-term success. Installers must have the latesttechnical knowledge but also the ability to market their businesses— and themselves — to be successful. With a growing industrycomes increased completion and if electrical contractors are tosucceed, they must have the ability to thrive in their new endeavor.

Becoming a solar expertHelpful resources available for those looking to break into solar market

By Ciara Wakefield

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Visit us at: http://solar.alliedbuilding.com


Sunny PRO ClubSMA understands the needs of installers and has created the

Sunny PRO Club, a membership-based professional partnershipprogram that serves as a one-stop shop for training and other keyresources in order to help businessesmaximize their potential.ThroughtheSunnyPROClub, installersareable totakeadvantage

ofSMA’s strength,brandandresources tohelpgrowtheirbusiness.Sunny PROClubmembers are able to get an edge on the com-

petition and increase their market presence with expert training

opportunities, priority technical support,professional marketing collateral and ser-vices, access topromotionalmaterials, pro-fessional sales tools andmore.Membershippays off right from the start

with free club benefits including an onlineZIP search/listing and product trainingfrom the SMA Solar Academy. Additionalclub and member services are also avail-able for aminimal fee.Installers who position themselves as

SMASolar PowerProfessionals andpartnerwith SMA ineverydaybusinesshave accessto marketing campaign services, such ascustombanners andvehicle signage,whichsets themapart from the competition.Member services are specially designed

to provide support through the strength ofthe SMA brand. By simply combining aninstaller’s experience andSMA’s resources,members can easily maximize the poten-tial of their business. SMASolar Power Pro-fessionals can take advantage of exclusiveservices thatwill provide the corporate sup-port that an installer’s business needs.To take advantage of Sunny PRO Club

offerings, prospective members mustmaintain a licensed electrician on staff, are responsible for payingan annual membership fee, and are required to attend one SMAtraining per year.

MarketingEffective marketing is especially critical for individuals getting

started in the solar business. Solar professionals and electricianshave an excellent knowledge base in their craft, including design-ing and installing residential and commercial solar systems, buttime constraints or lack of marketing know-how often restrictsthem from reaching their full potential.SMAoffers theworld’s largest product rangewith the support of

a creativemarketing team.By joining forces through a SunnyPROClubpartnership, SMAcanhelp take an installer’s business to thenext level by providing comprehensive, diversemarketingmateri-als and strategies. Becoming anSMASolar Power Professionalwillprovide access toworld-class tools designed to provide userswitha competitive advantage.SMA’s Sunny PRO Club services are designed to provide in-

stallerswith cost-effective, professionalmarketing tools. SMAcanhelp create a custom campaign tailored specifically for its SunnyPRO Clubmembers and their businesses. World-class marketingtools available to SunnyPROClubmembers includepersonalizedservice stickers, customreference sheets and customizedbanners.SunnyPROClubmembers can selectmaterials and campaigns

that best fit their needs.Members can customize their strategy tospecifically target potential customers in theirmarket. These toolsare designed to systematically increase an installer’smarket pres-ence and ultimately drive sales. With SMA’s help, members willhave the freedom to focus on doing what they do best — sellingand installing PV.


Feature Story +

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Visit us at: www.jonasconstruction.com



Regional ForumsAs part of SMA’s continued effort to keep installers up to date on

product information, new technologies and installing best prac-tices, our Sunny PRO Club also offers SMA Regional Forums.

These forums are available to both Sunny PRO Club mem-bers and non-members. Attendees participate in technicaltraining and hands-on product workshops, as well as learnabout the exclusive marketing solutions offered by the SunnyPRO Club.

SMA kicked off its Regional Forum series earlier this year withsuccessful events in locations including Sacramento, Denver andPhoenix. Forums continuing through the end of 2011 includeNov. 9 in San Diego, Nov. 11 in Long Beach, Dec. 2 in Philadel-phia and Dec. 7 in Toronto. The Regional Forum series continuesinto 2012 — Jan. 24 in Atlanta, Jan. 26 in Tampa, Feb. 9 in Hon-olulu, Feb. 28 in Portland, March 1 in Seattle, and March 13 inSalt Lake City.

These forums are just another way SMA aims to make strongpartners stronger. Each forum provides a full day of technical train-ing, marketing solutions and hands-on product workshops de-signed to help attendees become most effective in the field.

Attendance is free, but advanced registration is required. Pro-fessionals can learn more at www.SMARegionalForums.com.

Solar AcademyIn addition to the technical training and marketing support

available through the Sunny PRO Club, the SMA Solar Academyhelps professionals of any experience level improve their skills,keep current on the latest technologies, get details on NEC com-pliance and learn best practices.

The SMA Solar Academy offers specialized knowledge and ad-

vanced training on SMA’s inverter technology tailored to inter-ested parties all over the world. It presents the latest trends, newdevelopment and up-to-date topics in the industry.

Courses are targeted for all degrees of technical skill level, in-cluding novice installers, advanced installers, solar designers,renewable energy professionals and sales specialists.

Classes are held at the SMA America headquarters in Californiaas well as at rotating sites all over North America.

The state-of-the-art Solar Academy training facility features atactile learning environment with access to an innovative inverterdisplay. Sunny Boy and Sunny Island inverters are mounted on a“learning wall,” along with an SMA Combiner Box, Combi-Switchand Sunny WebBox. Attendees can also experience SMA’s com-mercial products, the Sunny Tower and Sunny Central, via hands-on training. This functional education emphasizes small class sizesin an effort to foster ample individual attention.

In conjunction with the training facility, Web-enabled camerasallow trainees to view the interior components of inverters in op-eration. Webinars are also held on a regular basis to supplementthe core curriculum.

Sunny PRO Club members can take advantage of free and dis-counted training. It is also worth noting that many Solar Academytraining sessions qualify attendees for North American Board ofCertified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) Continuing EducationCredits.

Electricians looking to add solar power to their professionaltoolkit can partner with SMA and know that whether it’s the latestin technical training, marketing support or leading solar inverters,SMA can help make their future a little brighter. �

Ciara Wakefield is the Sunny PRO Club manager for SMAAmerica and SMA Canada.

Feature Story +

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Visit us at: www.californiaturbo.com



ESTABLISHED IN 1935, HIOKI HAS GROWN TO BE A LEADING DEVELOPER

AND MANUFACTURER OF ADVANCED TEST AND MEASUREMENT

INSTRUMENTATION FOR USE BOTH IN THE FIELD AND LEADING EDGE

FACILITIES AROUND THE WORLD.

&Respect for HumanityContribution to Society

Case Study +

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Visit us at: www.zistos.com/Echtm



C orporate campus headquar-ters is located on a 23-acresite in the suburbs of Ueda

City, Nagano, Japan. In additionto the headquarters and numerouslocal sales offices, Hioki has affili-ates and joint venture worldwide in-cluding Hioki USA Corporation inCranbury, New Jersey, Hioki China inShanghai, China, Hioki Forest PlazaCorporation in Nagano, Japan, HiokiEngineering Service Corporation inNagano, Japan, TKK Hioki Co., LTD. inTaiwan and Hiking Technology Co., LTD.in China.Hioki’s pledge to its “quality first” policy is

second to none having earned the internationalstandards ISO 9001 (Quality) and ISO 14001(Environment) certifications. The use of HiQS Qual-ity Control System and HiPS Production System tech-niques ensure a timely and swift release of high qualityproducts. By employing over 160 engineers in the R&Ddepartment Hioki continues to develop an ever growingoffering of state-of-the-art instruments to meet the needs oftomorrow.Hioki believes that the voice of the customer is of the utmost

importance and thus must be heard throughout the entire orga-nization. As Hioki serves a global customer base of 38 plus coun-tries generating as many as 50,000 product/application requestsannually, we implemented the Hioki Information Network Systemwhich allows our customer requests and needs to be shared promptlyamong the development, production and sales & service departments,so that we can propose the best possible solutions to our customers.The product offering from Hioki continues to grow each year. The

products are separated into one of eight categories:1. Power Measuring Instruments both portable and bench top for

high level performance applications, for PQA analysis, PowerDemand Metering and for managing power lines.2. Recorders and Memory Recorders which serve a primary pur-

pose for servicing and maintenance recording, simultaneous record-ing of multiple signals, waveform capture of high-speed signals, andfor power line fault monitoring.3. Electronic Measuring Instruments for low resistance measure-

ments, battery testers, inductance, capacitance, impedancemeters, signal sources, waveform generators, bench typeDMM’s, leakage current and withstanding voltage testequipment.

4. Environmental Measuring Instruments for tem-perature measurement, speed rotation meters,light meters, magnetic field meters, non-contacttemperature measurement, data loggers for tem-perature, humidity, DC voltage, AC voltage,AC current, leak current, illumination & 2Dthermo testing.5. Clamp Sensors for wide-band fre-

quency, high precision, waveform observa-tions, power lines and power meters.

6. Clamp On Testers for basic AC cur-rent in average & TRMS styles and multi-functional AC/DC average and TRMScurrent clamp styles.

7. Field Measuring Instruments suchas analog multimeters, LAN cabletesters, optical power meters, linevoltage & current noise loggers,DMM’s both bench & handheld type,

phase rotation meters, voltage detec-tors, insulation testers and earth testers.

8. X-Y In-circuit tester for ultra high speed PCboard inspections.

Hioki products serve the needs of many market areas such astransportation, aviation, utility, manufacturing, hospitals, automotiveand facility management. Our customers include electrical contractorsin both commercial and residential fields, maintenance personnel,linesmen, mechanics and engineers alike. Applications vary frompower quality testing, power demand testing, voltage & current test-ing, battery testing, event recording, LCR testing, insulation testingand more. Whatever the application may be, check out Hioki foryour solution.Following the slogan “Seek to Be Unique,” the 600+ employees of

Hioki strive to achieve new and significant advances, instead of beingsatisfied with the status quo. Hioki considers its mission to deliver theutmost value to the customer in a timely fashion.

Hioki product and assistance is available through your local dis-tributor and/or a sales representative office in your area. Or you mayvisit www.hiokiusa.com for further information. �

Case Study +

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Visit us at: www.ezconnector.com

Torrance firmshines light on LEDs

by Austin Siegemund-Broka Staff Writer

Industry News +

L ights fill the LEDtronics conferenceroom – rows of unique ceiling lights,boxy warehouse lights, hanging chan-

deliers, stylish streetlights lined up againstone wall. Light–emitting diodes, called LEDs,power every one of them.The sight dazzles, but it also represents

how Torrance–based LEDtronics workswith LEDs.“We keep building custom products.

That’s what we are doing; we do that constantly,” said PervaizLodhie, LEDtronics president and CEO, glancing around the roomwith the look of a proud father.Every LEDtronics light houses environmentally friendly LED

chips, bits of solid chemicals that glow when electrons moveacross them. But LEDtronics specializes in “packaging” the LEDs,

Lodhie says – they build LED chips intolighting fixtures of hundreds of differentshapes, sizes, and colors, designed to fit thediverse applications of LEDs today.Customers, including IBM, Toyota, Boeing

and the city of Torrance, come to LEDtronicsfor light fixtures as well as custom–designedlighting systems.The company estimates they’ve de-

signed over 10,000 LED fixtures, and Lod-hie says LEDtronics develops one new product or redesignevery day.“We are constantly being challenged by the industry to

give them the precise color, the precise this or that,” hesaid.LEDs today consume 90 percent less energy than traditional

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Industry News +incandescent bulbs and last about 100 times longer, though theyoften cost much Advertisement more.

LEDs also give off no energy as heat, their colors are easily ad-justable and they are durable, able to withstand physical shocksand vibrations.

The market for the resilient light source took off in the late1990s, more than tripling in size from 1995 to 2003, accordingto market research firm Strategies Unlimited. Strategies reportsthat the industry grew from $3.8 billion in 2003 to $5.6 billion in2009, driven by a boom in LED backlighting for cell phones andTVs; the market then doubled in 2009, reaching $10.8 billion in2010.

Rarely does the market’s demand for a new technology risethat quickly, says Vrinda Bhandarkar, a senior analyst at StrategiesUnlimited.

“There’s a lot of excitement and ‘cool’ associated with LEDs,”she said.

But the LED market’s recent boom doesn’t tell the wholestory, Lodhie says. “What people are finding as a `new LED mar-ket’ has been there for decades. It was behind the scenes, andnobody really knew,” he said.

Lodhie and his wife started LEDtronics in their Torrancegarage in 1983.

Lodhie remembered early LEDs, developed in the 1970s, thatonly came in a couple colors and gave off little more than a dim

glow.But despite those limitations, he knew, the LEDs’ durability

made them perfect for applications where they would weathervibration and couldn’t easily be changed.

LEDtronics initially produced LEDs as small indicator lightsfor a handful of niches – manufacturing machinery, elevators,military aircraft.

LEDtronics supplies the same kinds of lights to those marketstoday.

“These were the natural places that drove the industry con-tinuously,” Lodhie said. But LEDs increased in brightness roughlytenfold every decade, and 1995 brought the first white LED.

LEDtronics packaged each new LED chip into bulbs for an in-creasing array of customers and applications, Lodhie says.

Today, they still produce lights and indicators for industriessuch as healthcare, aerospace, defense and electronics.

But Lodhie says some customers now use LEDtronics’ lightsin outdoor lighting, for parking lots and car dealerships, and ininterior lighting design for museums and other architecturalprojects.

The company has also developed streetlights in Torrance andPasadena, and bridge lighting for such structures as the GoldenGate Bridge – part of a movement by cities, including Los Ange-les, Seattle and Boston, toward using LEDs in municipal lighting.

And they’ve even designed LEDs for entertainment lighting

1011TECp06-32-1:1011TECp06-32 10/24/11 12:20 PM Page 28

The Electric Current October/November 2011 29

projects, such as decorations on sets forthe Tony–winning musical “Wicked.”

“The revolution has been taking place,but people didn’t see it,” Lodhie said. “It’sa really exciting time for me, (with) what Ihave done in creating this market.”

But Lodhie also does not see LEDtron-ics’ success – or the current LED indus-try boom – as the end of the revolution.

“It has just begun. It’s a drop in thebucket; a lot more has to happen,” hesaid.

LEDs will provide light in more andmore lighting applications, Lodhie believes.

Market analysts, including Bhandarkarat Strategies Unlimited and Jamie Fox,LED research manager at competing firmIMS, say the same.

“LEDs are the future of light. Mostlighting applications will go to LED light-ing,” Fox said. “Most people agree on that;it’s just question of when.”

Lodhie says LEDtronics, and the LEDindustry, do still face several obstacles towidespread LED use.

Many governments, including in theUnited States, have passed laws to phaseout some types of incandescent bulbs toreduce energy use. That is good news forthe LED industry.

Some LEDs’ high purchase prices canscare consumers, Lodhie says, though LEDsusually cut energy expenses enough tomake them a strong long–term investment.

For consumers considering in–homeLED lighting, for instance – a growingmarket, but one in which LEDtronicsparticipates only minimally – LED lightbulbs can cost daunting prices of $20 to$30.

But increasing LED usage and bettertechnology will drive production costs andprices down, Lodhie says.

“It’s just a continuation of making itmore affordable for more and more peo-ple, and that is happening,” he said.

He plans to enter the residential LEDmarket more fully when that happens, andwhen the company’s brand has a strongerpublic presence.

But more crucially, he says, many light-ing consumers just aren’t aware of thepossibilities and benefits of LED light.

As consumers increasingly accept theenergy–sipping bulbs, Lodhie believes, LEDuse will simply keep increasing.

“There’s no limit to applications,” hesaid. “There’s no end to it.” �

Visit us at: www.surgepure.com

“The revolution has been taking place, butpeople didn’t see it,” Lodhie said. “It’s a reallyexciting time for me, (with) what I have donein creating this market.”

1011TECp06-32-1:1011TECp06-32 10/24/11 1:05 PM Page 29

Visit us at: www.industrialcontrolsupply.com


Visit us at: www.ram-mount.com



Alcan 1 www.cable.alcan.comARPI 32 www.arpiusa.comCalifornia Turbo 19 www.californiaturbo.comCementex 25 www.cementexusa.comDexter + Chaney IBC www.dexterchaney.comEverblades 28 www.everblades.comEZ Connector 26 www.ezconnector.comFoundation Software 24 www.foundationsoft.comHelios Solar Works 9 www.TheHeliosPicture.comHioki USA 5 www.hiokiusa.comIndustrial Control & Supply Inc. 30 www.industrialcontrolsupply.comJonas Software 17 www.jonasconstruction.comKrenz-Vent 32 www.krenzvent.comKVAR 27 www.kvar.comLapp USA BC www.lappusa.comLEDtronics 3 www.ledtronics.comNABCEP 12 www.nabcep.orgPelsue IFC www.pelsue.comPhase- A- Matic 23 www.phase-a-matic.comRam Mount 31 www.ram-mount.comRud Chain, Inc. 2 www.cratos.us.comSMA America 7 www.SMA-America.comSolar Divison of Allied Building Products 15 http://solar.alliedbuilding.comSteelman Industries 28 www.steelman.comSunWize 11 www.sunwize.comSurgePure 29 www.surgepure.comUtility Metals 13 www.utilitymetals.comZistos Portable Video Systems 21 www.zistos.com/Echtm

Company Name Page Number Website

Advertisers Index +

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tec 10/11.11

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