Recognizing the unique role that the electronic components channel plays in the evolving solid-state lighting industry, EDS is expanding the 2009 conference, which will be held May 12 – 14 at the Paris/Bally’s Hotel complex in Las Vegas, to include a focus on solid-state lighting technology.

Although a number of trade shows already service the solid-state lighting industry, none offers the unique and synergistic venue that EDS provides by coordinating all levels of the electronics supply chain – advancing the interaction between components manufacturers, distributors, and sales representatives.

EDS’ Solid-State Lighting (SSL) Conference is designed to help sales channel participants remain competitive in the coming years by focusing on the strategies and tools companies can use to expand their business by integrating this complementary emerging technology into their current product lines.

The SSL Conference will consist of a Solid-State Lighting Product Showcase, as well as a number of panels and presentations, all of which will be populated by experienced players in the electronics and solid-state lighting industries. The Solid-State Lighting Product Showcase, which will be located on the show floor, will be open throughout the duration of EDS.

The product showcase will give manufacturers of LEDs and supporting products and components, solid-state lighting designers, technology integrators, distributors, and reps an opportunity to observe the new technologies and product demonstrations, as well as to schedule meetings to discuss future collaborative possibilities. SSL Conference panels and presentations will employ a variety of formats to educate distributors, reps, and other EDS participants on the new product and marketing opportunities that solid-state lighting technology offers, as well as on how this emerging technology can be integrated into new product designs.

Delivering the Featured Presentation at the SSL Conference on Wednesday, May 13th, will be Dr. Bob Steele, who has been with Strategies Unlimited, a company who specializes in creating detailed models to describe the developments of commercial markets, since 1982. With its in-depth understanding of market applications, technology, developments, industry participants, and government policies, Strategies Unlimited has attained an outstanding record in market forecasting.

There, as Director of LED Practice, Dr. Steele is responsible for optoelectronics studies and reports on subjects including high-brightness LEDs, solid-state lighting, laser diodes, and advanced compound semiconductor materials. Dr. Steele is a regular contributor to industry publications on high-brightness LED markets and applications, and has spoken at several international conferences.

Additionally, as an internationally recognized expert in this subject, Dr. Steele has been interviewed and quoted by a number of major publications, including Forbes, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Economist, among others.

On Thursday, May 14th, SSL Conference events will include a Technology Seminar on the realities of SSL designs, a Technology Seminar on LED market potential, and a panel discussion entitled “Lessons from the Trenches.” The Technology Seminar: Realities of SSL Designs has been designed to educate the audience on recent advances in solid-state lighting, as well as the wide variety of applications in which it is now being implemented.

This seminar will be formatted as a panel discussion, moderated by Alix Paultre, editor-in-chief of ECN that will focus on the breadth of applications involving solid-state lighting from both a design and applications perspective.

The Technology Seminar: LED Market Potential, will be delivered by Tom Shottes, the North American President and CEO of OSRAM Semiconductors, one of the largest LED manufacturers in the world and a key supplier to the solid-state lighting industry. During the seminar, Mr. Shottes will discuss the tremendous growth the LED lighting market is experiencing along the new interest the market is receiving from contractors and end-users alike as applications shift from current applications, including automotive and consumer electronics, to pioneering opportunities in the general lighting market sector.

Additionally, Mr. Shottes will draw upon his years of first-hand experience within the industry to share his vision of the future of solid-state lighting.

In Lessons from the Trenches – A Panel Discussion, also moderated by Alix Paultre, participants will discuss the wide range of design and application “surprises” that have contributed to the learning process associated with adopting a new technology for an established application. Participants will include a product development, technical marketing, and business development manager, as well as a director and vice president from a number of respected electronics companies.

Wednesday, May 13th
4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Featured Presentation

• Bob Steele, Ph.D., Strategies Unlimited.

Thursday, May 14th
9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Technology Seminar: Realities of SSL Designs

• Moderator: Alix Paultre, Editor-in-Chief, ECN.
• Alan Bennett, VP of Sales and Marketing for Optek Technology.
• Ron Flores, President of International Engineered Products Corporation.
• Jordi Torrebadell Director of Engineering of Recom-Power (manufacturer of
• Constant Current LED Drivers).

10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Technology Seminar: LED Market Potential

• Tom Shottes, President and CEO, OSRAM Opto Semiconductor.

11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Lessons from the Trenches – A Panel Discussion

• Moderator, Alix Paultre, Editor-in-Chief, ECN.
• Cary Eskow, Director, Avnet LightSpeed.
• Kevin O’Connor or Vic Zaderej, Global Product Development Manager, Molex, Inc.
• Bob Sagebiel, Technical Marketing Manager – Lighting, Arrow Electronics.
• Jamie Singerman, Vice President, Future Electronics.
• Ron Weber, Manager of Business Development, Tyco Electronics.

For more information visit www.edsconnects.com