Business News | Jul 30, 2010

EU Ban on Incandescent Lamps Will Help Consumers and the Climate

The replacement of 3.5 billion incandescent lamps installed throughout Europe will lead to a reduction in the power consumed by lighting systems by more than 30 percent. “The decision by the EU will help protect the climate and will help consumers reduce their electricity costs”, said Martin Goetzeler, CEO of OSRAM.

“The incandescent lamp is being discontinued because it is so inefficient. As leading lighting company we provide high-quality alternatives on the market. We will therefore continue to drive this technological change.” OSRAM already achieves more than 95 percent of its sales with other lamp types such as halogen lamps, fluorescent lamps, light emitting diodes (LEDs) and special lamps.

For many years, the manufacture and sale of incandescent lamps have become less and less important for OSRAM’s business. The company manufactures incandescent lamps in Europe at its plants in Molsheim (France), Nove Zamky (Slovakia) and Wipperfürth (Germany). At all three sites OSRAM is pursuing a diversification strategy so that the company can reassign production capacity to other products as it becomes available.

As leading lighting manufacturer OSRAM has the broadest portfolio of energy-saving products in the world. This was recognized on December 5, 2008 with the German Sustainability Prize under the auspices of the German President. Consumers can reduce their electricity costs with energy-efficient lamps by up to 80 percent and at the same time make a contribution to climate protection. Halogen lamps and energy-saving lamps are available in various forms, wattages and light colors and can be used as stylish and efficient replacements. The trend toward LED light sources will continue to gather pace. Light emitting diodes are opening up new lighting applications, particularly because of their small dimensions, energy efficiency and long life.

About Osram:
OSRAM is part of the Industry sector of Siemens and one of the two leading lighting manufacturers in the world. Sales for the OSRAM group worldwide in the year ending September 30, 2008 totaled 4.6 billion euros, 88 percent of which came from outside Germany. OSRAM is a high-tech company in the lighting industry. Over 60 percent of sales come from energy-efficient products. This global player employs more than 43,500 people worldwide, supplies customers in some 150 countries and has 46 production facilities in 17 countries.