LED lighting era is coming

On the evening of December 6th, the reporter learned that Guo Long Lighting, an old-fashioned energy-saving lamp company with an operating time of more than 15 years, went bankrupt. When a legal person disappeared, many colleagues in the industry were surprised. Some people define this as a typical example of the elimination of traditional energy-saving light sources under the LED wave.

People go empty

“It was probably on the evening of November 28th, this comprehensive logistics park had a warehouse of a transportation company robbed by the staff of Guolong to compensate for the wages in arrears. There were more than 40 boxes and the estimated value was more than RMB 100,000.” A person in charge at the Haizhou Logistics Park in Guzhen Town, Zhongshan City, told reporters that the police officers at the local police station eventually came forward to solve the problem.

Since then, Zhongshan Guolong Electric Lighting Co., Ltd. has owed employees wages, unable to repay the supply of goods, general manager Chen Biaoquan disappeared and other news spread like wildfire.

On the morning of December 7th, the reporter went to the Guolong Industrial Park in Qingfeng Industrial Zone, Zhongshan Xiaolan, and saw only a mess before it. In addition to the sanitation workers cleaning up branches that seemed to grow too lush, only two people belonged to the local village. The APC members are guarding. When reporters from other parts of the country visited the factory, they were reluctant to respond positively. One of them said indifferently: “This family is owed more money, it’s estimated that there are more than 20 million, and you’re dozens of What is it? The boss can't find it. There are ways."

In front of the original five brand nameplates on the front door of Guolong, a notification issued by the Xiaolan Branch of the Human Resources and Social Security Bureau of Zhongshan City on November 29 was posted. At that time, more than 60 employees had appealed to reflect the unpaid salary in October and November. Production was suspended on November 27. The general manager of the company, Chen Biaoquan, has not been able to contact him.

During the reporter’s call, Chen Biaoquan’s general manager had been on the phone several times and could not be connected. He also called the Chongqing branch office and the Wuhan branch office’s office phone.

Founded in 1998, Zhongshan Guolong Electric Lighting Co., Ltd. is a local company that was earlier engaged in the production of energy-saving fluorescent lamps. It owns five major brands such as SuoRi, Ousheng, Weikai, Moore and Yiyun. At present, some brand-name energy-saving lamp companies with an annual output value of over 100 million yuan, such as Odile Lighting, have considerable origins. The founder, Chen Biaoquan, is also known as the "Big Brother" for people in the industry.

“This can be regarded as a typical case of the collapse of old-fashioned energy-saving lamp companies when LED replacement surges. Energy-saving lamp companies are more difficult under the influence of LED and the weak market.” One also operates energy-saving light sources for more than 15 years. The owner of Zhongshan Enterprise commented.

Do not choose

"Actually, as early as around the year of 2009, when we exchanged ideas, Chen Zong revealed that he did not want to operate energy-saving lamps because his profits were too thin and his energy was biased toward remote areas such as remote controls," said a person in charge of a lighting company in Shanghai. . At that time, domestic LED applications had just begun to appear. Energy-saving lamps began to receive state subsidies for "promotions." “This has spawned a large number of industries investing hot money in the field of energy-saving lamps. The price war has hit the primary market in townships, and the poor quality of mixed powders has hit even more.”

Before 2010, the net profit of energy-saving lamps can be maintained from 18% to 22%. However, with the implementation of subsidies, the promotion of the original billion-dollar giants at low prices, the price of hot money to make the poor quality rampant, plus the gradual application of LED market Mature, severely reduced the profit and production space of energy-saving lamps.

“Our original energy-saving lamp base was also transformed into an LED packaging and assembly plant this year, otherwise it will only shrink. However, the transition has very high capital requirements. At that time, Chen’s involvement in remote control projects has not been improved so far.” Summing up, there are many brands, who care about others and lose their energy. The lack of funds should be followed by Guolong's support for this year's big incentive.

It is understood that from the year around 2007, Guolong has developed rapidly and accelerated its expansion, and has successively established energy-saving lamp production bases in Rongchang, Sichuan, Hubei, Wuhan, and Calcutta, India.

According to statistics, the 100-mu industrial park in Rongchang, Sichuan Province has an investment of over 100 million yuan, and is expected to have an annual production value of 300 million yuan. Wuhan Moore Lighting's pre-investment of 20 million yuan is expected to have an annual output value of over 100 million yuan. However, a person in charge of energy-saving light sources who had exchanged views with Chen Biaoquan and visited several industrial parks said that even if the operation peaks, Guolong’s overall sales may not reach 200 million yuan. "Even if there is something bragging about, it did indeed invest in real money," said a former Guolong employee.

In March 1999, Guolong was successfully registered to the “Suori” trademark and began production of 3W nightlights. In 2000, the first energy-saving lamp was launched, positioning a relatively high-end market; Chen Biaoquan took advantage of the momentum and established it in 2001. Guolong Marketing Center, in the same year in August, Guolong successfully registered the new brand "Moore", positioned as "a good product that the common people can afford", and dealers reflect that the market price is much cheaper than "Solar." In August 2004, Guolong successfully acquired the “European Saints” brand. The products of the three major brands entered the market towards high, medium and low-end products.

Fatal lead

Later, the same sales of traditional energy-saving light source products, Weikai, Sheng Yun also appeared one after another, "but the positioning is not clear, and in the most fierce market competition, Guolong marketing and promotion began to shrink, and for some time is to produce mixed powder Energy-saving lamps, loss of word of mouth.” The above-mentioned peers of Guolong analyzed.

According to statistics, in 2008 and 2010, Guolong's Suo Ri and Moore brand energy-saving lamps were respectively declared unqualified by Sichuan, Hunan provincial industrial and commercial administration, and quality supervision units.

By 2011, the domestic rare earth regulation, tricolor phosphor prices rose ten times in a short period of time, in March or 300 yuan per kilogram less, to the year of June rose to 2,600 yuan.

“I have done 9 years of fluorescent lamps and energy-saving lamps. I have never seen this kind of market.” Chen Hui, general manager of Dongguan Shuanghong Lighting, said that the price of phosphors has been relatively stable before, and the industry has “a three-year rise.” "One said, but this year it has become "three times a week."

It is understood that before 2011, the price of pure three-color 26-watt lamps was 2.1 yuan, the market price could be sold at 2.8 yuan, and the profit was 33.3%. Because the profits are relatively high, phosphor and capillary suppliers are also willing to make monthly payments and form the industry's unspoken rules. However, after the phosphor price increase, the price of the 26-watt lamp rose to 5.5 yuan, the ex-factory price of the entire lamp was 9 yuan, and the cost pressure was increased several times.

“In the meantime, many energy-saving lamp factories have been around for a long time. If core raw material price increases are placed on a company that originally had a lot of problems, it is undoubtedly a lifeline. We are good at having a subsidy under multiple product lines such as home lighting and electricians.” A person in charge of an energy-saving light source brand in Zhejiang said.

"Beginning in 2011, orders fell. To this year, the planning direction of the factory was chaotic, and bad debts also increased simultaneously. In October, wages ceased." An employee in charge of Guolong marketing management The reporter revealed.

According to industry sources, Guo Long is not indifferent to the tide of LED applications. At the end of 2010, Guolong Lighting also formed a LED company named Zhongshan Tianzhuang Optoelectronic Technology. "From the light source to the outdoor, lighting products are doing, positioning is also relatively wide."

The reporter called the office of the company and its staff made it clear that Tianzhuang had completely separated from the Dragon Mother and had normal operations. It was also unaware of the failure of Guolong Lighting.