Cree Introduces Industry’s First Lighting-Class LED Arrays to Accelerate Indoor LED Lighting

XLamp^® CXA20 LED Array Sets New Benchmarks for Efficiency and Ease of Use

DURHAM, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cree, Inc. (Nasdaq: CREE), a market leader in LED lighting, announces the industry’s first lighting-class LED array. The XLamp^® CXA20 LED array is the first lighting-class array aimed at accelerating the LED lighting revolution and can enable a 60 watt A-lamp equivalent while consuming just 11 watts.

“They combined lighting-class performance, unequaled in the market, with an ease-of-use that will enable us to quickly develop both our new A19 lamp and down light products.”

“We are impressed with Cree’s new XLamp LED array,” said PK Li, OPTILED Lighting International, Ltd., Director of Product Development. “They combined lighting-class performance, unequaled in the market, with an ease-of-use that will enable us to quickly develop both our new A19 lamp and down light products.”

With a single, uniform optical source, compact 22mm x 22mm footprint, and simple 2-screw attachment, the CXA20 array can simplify the manufacturing process for customers who require a single component in their light engine design. When used in a traditional downlight application, luminaires based on the CXA20 are delivering 38 percent more illumination than a 26 watt CFL or a 100 watt incandescent bulb, while consuming a mere 14 watts.

“Cree continues to bring the broadest family of lighting-class LEDs to market, ensuring that lighting applications have optimized LED light sources,” said Norbert Hiller, Cree vice president and general manager, LED Components. “For lighting manufacturers seeking Cree lighting-class performance and also looking to simplify the design and manufacturing of their indoor LED lighting, the CXA series of LED arrays can be an ideal solution.”

The CXA20 LED array delivers 1050 lumens at 11 watts, or 2000 lumens at 27 watts, with a 3000 K warm white color temperature. Samples are available now with standard lead times with production volumes targeted for late Q1 calendar 2011.

About Cree

Cree is leading the LED lighting revolution and setting the stage to obsolete the incandescent light bulb through the use of energy-efficient, environmentally friendly LED lighting. Cree is a market-leading innovator of lighting-class LEDs, LED lighting, and semiconductor solutions for wireless and power applications.

Cree’s product families include LED fixtures and bulbs, blue and green LED chips, high-brightness LEDs, lighting-class power LEDs, power-switching devices and radio-frequency/wireless devices. Cree solutions are driving improvements in applications such as general illumination, backlighting, electronic signs and signals, variable-speed motors, and wireless communications.

For additional product and company information, please refer to www.cree.com. To learn more about the LED Lighting Revolution, please visit www.creeledrevolution.com.

This press release contains forward-looking statements involving risks and uncertainties, both known and unknown, that may cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated. Actual results may differ materially due to a number of factors, including the risk we may be unable to develop and release commercial products with performance ratings comparable to the development results described above; the risk we may encounter delays or other difficulties in ramping up production of new products; the rapid development of new technology and competing products that may impair demand or render Cree’s products obsolete; and other factors discussed in Cree’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its report on Form 10-K for the year ended June 27, 2010, and subsequent filings.

Cree and XLamp are registered trademarks of Cree, Inc.