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How to import LED lights from LED lighting manufacturers in China

LED lights are now the most popular lighting tool, the estimated LED penetration of the global lighting market is 61% by the end of 2020. China, which has the biggest manufacturing industry, also produces the most LED lighting products on the world. So import LED lights from China LED lighting manufacturers become almost the only option for most LED wholesalers/distributors.

This article will first introduce the general procedures on how to import LED lights from LED lighting manufacturers in China, then give some specific advice on how to pick up the specific lighting products including LED tube lights, LED panel lights, LED high bay lights, and LED floodlights.

1. Standard procedures for import LED lights from LED lighting manufacturers in China

Standard procedures follow as:

• Reach out for potential LED lighting manufacturers in China and get all the information like price lists, datasheets, etc.

There are a few ways you can find potential manufacturers.

A1. 1^st is by Google search which is also the most popular way for most importers. You will be redirected to the suppliers’ official website directly and check what do they say on their site.

A2. The 2^nd option is some B2B platforms, you have to be patient and careful when viewing those pages as that information are normally misleading and the prices listed are normally not right.

A3. The 3^rd way is attending the local lighting exhibitions, some typical fairs are held in Shenzhen(LED CHINA Show), Guangzhou(Guangzhou International Lighting Fair) and Hong Kong (Hongkong International Lighting Fair).

• Analyzing the LED lighting suppliers based on their product data, price information, company information, and communications with the specific sales guy.

Product information must be professional and comprehensive, neither choose the highest prices, nor the lowest prices. Communication response must be smooth and in time, answers should stick to the points directly, many buyers don’t consider this enough, but a good and reliable sales guy can save you lots of time and ease your purchasing work in future. So the person you are deal with is also very important.

• When possible or necessary, pay a visit to the manufacturers in China.

If you just import little or few times from China, for example, just import for own use or import small quantities but many times, you may don’t need to visit the manufacturers as it doesn’t worth it. But if you import frequently and largely, better do this. Talk to the company and person you are working with face to face.

• Place one or more sample orders and check the quality, as well as the working processes.

Normally the datasheets don’t match the real numbers perfectly and you need to know the whole working processes. Then try few samples are always necessary.

• Place a trial order if you are going to import LED lights in large quantity from China

Same as the visit, if you import frequently and largely, start from a trial order like 500pcs or 1000pcs to see how the real order goes.

• Place the regular orders

Finally, you will feel free to place big and regular orders with your partners in China.

• After-sales services

Even nobody wants this to happen, but it always happens no matter how carefully you choose the suppliers and how carefully the manufacturers execute the orders. Small problems will always come out. This is part of the business. Normally if there is a failure, manufacturers will send replacements in the next orders, or if you do need the replacements immediately, some suppliers can still do this. This should be discussed before you decide who is your supplier. Sometimes there will be extra expenses from your side, like labor cost, normally suppliers can compensate part of it depends on the situation and your working relationship.

2. Other issues which need to be considered when import LED lights from China

• Trade term

EXW and FOB are commonly used.

EXW means the LED lights will be delivered at the factory place, you ask forwarder to pick up.

FCA means the LED lighting manufacturer in China delivers the cargo at some assigned local location, like your forwarder’s warehouse.

FOB means your supplier delivers the goods to a designated origin port, either airport or seaport.

CIF means your manufacturer supplier delivers the goods to designated destination ports, either your local airport or seaport, then you hire some local import agency to do the customs work and pick up the goods, or you do it yourself if you are professional enough.

• Payment term

Normally it is 30% deposit through T/T in advance, then LED lighting manufacturer will start the production, once the goods is ready, you will need to arrange the 70% balance, then shipping will be processed.

• Shipping

You can either find the freight forwarder by yourself and arrange everything by yourself, in this way you will have full control. If you don’t want to stuck in the logistics stuff, you can just ask the LED lighting manufacturers in China to handle everything for you.

For sample orders, express is 1^st choice because the cost is not high but time is very fast.

For trial orders, express and air shipping are normally used, sometimes sea shipping is also an option, depending on the volume of your cargo.

For regular orders, sea transport is the most common way.

3. How to choose the right LED tube lights from China manufacturers

Generally, there are 2 types of LED tube lights, T8 and T5. So check first which type do you need to buy.

For T8, the most common models are:

2ft 9w LED tube which is suitable to replace the traditional 0.6m 18w / 20w fluorescent tubes.

3ft 14w T8 tube lights are normally used to replace the old 90cm 30w fluorescent lamps.

4ft 18w tube light LED can substitute the classic 48 inches 36w or 40w Fluo tubes.

5ft 24w T8 LED tube can replace the traditional 1500mm 54w energy-saving tubes.

For T5 LED, some popular models are:

549mm 9w T5 to replace the traditional 2ft 14w fluorescent tubes.

1149mm 18w / 22w T5 LED tube can substitute the old 4ft 28w / 35w fluorescent lamps.

1449mm 24w / 30w LED T5 tubes are for replacements of 5ft 49w / 54w fluorescent lights.

4. How to choose the right LED panel lights from China manufacturers

LED panel lights are mainly used in office and supermarket, as a good alternative to troffer lights or grille fixtures. Some end users also prefer it more than LED tube lights as the light output is more smooth.

The popular models of panel LED lights are 295x295mm 18w, 1ft x 2ft 27w, 2×2 ft 36w / 40w, 1200 x 300 36w / 40w, 2×4 ft 60w. When you make the order with your suppliers in China, ask them the exact measures they are producing. For example, some manufacturers are making 600x600mm rather than 595 x 595mm or 598 x 598mm, both are right sizes but your requirements are from your cut hole in the ceiling, so check this for yourself then tell you supplier. The Germany standard is normally 620 x 620mm, same here, some are making 615x615mm or 618 x 618mm.

The LED panel lights normally come with an external power supply. But recently some LED panel light manufacturers in China are also making panel LED lights without an external LED drivers, but with AC LEDs, they put lots of LEDs in series to get a high input voltage like 120v or 220v, then no need extra LED driver. This will save the material cost but has high requirements on technical capability, so be careful when you see this type of LED panel lights.

5. How to choose the right LED high bay lights from China manufacturers

LED high bay lights are widely used in workshops, warehouses, convention, and exhibition center. The traditional light sources are like sodium lamp, mercury-vapor lamps, and metal halide lamps. But all of them are inefficient. As a perfect alternative, LED high bay lights is largely used to replace them. The power consumption ratio between LED and the traditional light sources is around 1:2 to 1:2.5. So consider you have a 250w metal halide lamp, 100w LED high bay lights is enough to retrofit it. If you have a 400w sodium lamp, 150w UFO LED high bay lights can replace it.

But if you are not importing them to replace the old light sources but for new facilities. In this case, you will need to use the lighting simulation software to calculate how many LED high bay lights you will need. Some LED lighting manufacturers in China can do this for you normally based on software Dialux.

6. How to choose the right LED flood lights from China manufacturers

LED flood lights are largely installed on office building exteriors, bridges, and sports yards. The outdated light sources are mostly metal halide lamp, mercury-vapor lamps or sodium lamp. The traditional outdoor flood lights also come with an electronic gear which is for the startup the lamp. All this stuff consumes too much power. By using LED floodlights, you can save around 50% of your electric bills. The power consumption ratio between old outdoor floodlights and LED floodlights are from 1:2 to 1:2.5w, which means 1w LED can replace at least 2 watt of the old lamp. So 100w LED floodlights can replace 200w to 250w old floodlights, 150w floodlights LED can substitute about 400w sodium flood lamps.

The 1^st generation LED floodlights are mainly using the COB LED, which looks above. But along with the competition goes up and the LED technology is better and better, the slim LED floodlights with SMD LEDs are more and more popular, which looks as below. They are both good. But if you want a narrow beam angle like 60 degrees, COB is the option. SMD LED floodlights normally output 120-degree beam angle which is suitable for most cases. Ask your LED lighting manufacturers in China what can they offer.

COB LED flood lights

LED high bay lights dialux calculation

LED high bay lights

LED lighting manufacturer workshop

LED tube lights

Best 20 LED Lights Manufacturers in China

1 PHILPS (CHINA) INVESTMENT CO., LTD

Established in 1891, Philips (China) Investment Co., Ltd is a global leader in the lighting industry. They are one of the famous brands in China for lighting fixtures and electrical appliances. Philips product ranges are suitable for areas like home lighting, entertainment, industrial, offices, and road lighting. The company has around 59 thousand employees around the world. Energy-efficient lighting solutions are the company capable of.

2 OSRAM (CHINA) LIGHTING CO., LTD

This company was established in 1995. They have approximately 3,500 employees and over 40 sales offices around the country. Osram headquarter is located in Munich, Germany, spending 100+ years in providing outstanding lighting solutions. They cover 5,000+ varieties of energy-saving lighting products. With broad experience, production capacity, and outstanding sales, they are recognized as #1 world’s leading lighting company.

3 FOSHAN ELECTRICAL AND LIGHTING CO., LTD

It is a state-owned enterprise that started in business in 1958. Foshan Electrical and Lighting Co., Ltd is dedicated to electrical and lighting solutions. They had 25 automotive light bulbs that are EU EMark certified. This company passes the international quality system certifications such as ISO9002 and ISO9001:2000. Today, Foshan Electrical and Lighting Co., Ltd have total assets of 2.9 and net assets of 2.8 billion yuan.

4 OPPLE LIGHTING ELECTRIC (ZHONGSHAN) CO., LTD

Established in 1996, OPPLE Lighting Electric (Zhongshan) Co., Ltd involved in providing comprehensive lighting solutions. It has 3 current production bases in China – Shanghai, Zhongshan Industrial Park, and Wujiang Industry. They had 6,000+ employees which consist of the marketing team, and more. OPPLE Lighting Electric (Zhongshan) Co., Ltd is selling and exporting products to over 50 countries and regions.

5 GUANGDONG TONGFANG LIGHTING CO., LTD

Guangdong Tongfang Lighting Co., Ltd is a manufacturer of high-end lighting solutions. Their main products are LED lighting and other lighting devices. Tongfang Lighting is located in Guangdong Province, occupying an area of 13,000 sq m and 450 employees. They are committed to providing products and services for any LED applications such as commercial lighting, road lighting, signage, landscape lighting, and more.

6 NVC Lighting Technology Corporation

NVC Lighting Technology Corporation has over 10 years in the business. They maintain high-speed growth in the industry through an independent R&D system. Driven by continuous innovation, they are able to provide energy-efficient artificial lighting environment. NVC Lighting production base is situated in Guangdong, Zhejiang, Chongqing, and Shanghai.

7 YANKON LIGHTING GROUP CO., LTD

Yankon Lighting Group Co., Ltd is a joint-stock company in 1996. The company has 4,000+ employees and 1,250 expert and technical personnel. Their primary products are electronic lights, energy-saving fluorescent lights, LED supporting lights, T5 lights, and more. Yankon Lighting Group Co., Ltd group of products obtained 50+ international standards including FCC, CE, UL, etc.

9 ZHANGZHOU LEEDARSON LIGHTING

Zhangzhou Leedarson Lighting Co., Ltd was established in 2000 in Xiamen, Fujian Province. It is a global leader in manufacturing lighting solutions. They are providing ODM solutions and E3E services. Leedarson lighting products include LED light bulbs, smart lighting systems, light fixtures, and CFL. They are well-equipped with over 1,000 R&D teams and 10,000 skilled workers.

10 Xiamen Topstar Lighting Co., Ltd

Topstar started in incandescent lamps production in 1958. They are formerly known as Xiamen Bulb Factory. It has a joint-venture partnership with GE lighting. Topstar is a pioneer in the Chinese lighting industry. They obtained ISO9001, ISO14001, and OHSAS18001 standards. The company is exporting over 14 million pieces of LED lamps every month. With strong technology and technical force, they are able to develop the highest-quality lighting solutions.

11 XIAMEN LONGSTARLIGHTING CO., Ltd

Xiamen Longstar Lighting is a privately owned company founded in 2002. They mainly focused on producing energy-saving lighting products. It includes fluorescent lamps, LED lighting products such as A-lamps, PAR lamps, T8 tubes, MR16, and recessed downlights. Longstar production facility covers an area of 500,000 sq ft. and 2,000 employees and the latest technologies. They sold their products to European and North American countries.

12 ZheJiang Klite Lighting Holdings CO., Ltd

Zhejiang Klite Lighting Holdings Co., Ltd is specializing in residential and commercial lighting product solutions. Included in their products are LED filament bulbs, SMD LED bulbs, LED panel lights, LED strips, LED floodlights, LED tri-proof lights, and more. This company has full-blown ODM capabilities in large scale projects and large order fulfillment.

13 Winson Lighting Technology Limited               

Established in 2006, Winson Lighting Technology Limited specializing in producing, developing, and marketing LED lighting products. Their product ranges are LED light bulb, LED wall light, LED spotlight, LED ceiling light, LED light strip, and more. Since established, the company work hard to produce indoor and outdoor LED lighting products. Wilson Lighting Technology Limited strictly meets international requirements.

14 SinoStar Lighting Group Limited

SinoStar Lighting Group Limited is a manufacturer and exporter of LED lighting products. With highly skilled professionals and utilizing advanced production facilities, they are able to produce best-quality components. All products had been meticulously chosen to be export all over the world. As a leading lighting exporter, SinoStar is committed to providing quality services to all customers.

15 Shanghai Wellmax Lighting Industry

Shanghai Wellmax Lighting Industry focused on designing and manufacturing LED bulbs. They are professional in providing ODM, OEM, and SKD LED solutions. The company was founded in 1987 and now recognized as a top seller and exporter of LED bulbs. Shanghai Wellmax Lighting Industry products had been widely appreciated by 100+ countries.

16 Eastar Products Limited                 

Eastar Lighting is specializing in energy-efficient lighting products for residential, commercial, and industrial light applications. As a lighting manufacturer and supplier, the company target to be the #1 provider in the industry. Eastar Products Limited headquartered is located in Shangyu, Zhejiang Province. Driven by technical support and expertise, they are presenting sustainable green lighting solutions.

17 Ketai Industries Lighting Co., Ltd

Established in 1999 in Lishui Town, Foshan City, Ketai Industries Lighting Co., Ltd has a strong R&D department. It means that they are able to produce new lighting products. Every year they are able to develop new products with stable quality and rational construction. With a well-trained production team, they can communicate better with you. Focusing on research and production, Ketai is able to produce top-level of commercial lighting products.

18 Senior LED

Senior LED is a part of the Solar Leading Group. They are specialists in high-efficiency lighting for over 10 years. Their main products are LED lamps, energy-efficient LED lighting, and LED tube lights. The company present products fully certificated by UL, CE, TUV, and DLC standards.  Senior LED works on providing wide range of lighting projects to Canada, the USA, the Middle East, and Asia.

19 Tatalux Industry

Tatalux Industry’s main markets are Europe and South America. As an LED lighting manufacturer and professional OEM factory, it has rich experience in exporting business. They are bringing a world-class range of LED lighting items. The company has 3million pieces of CFL monthly. Tatalux Industry led products to meet LVD and CE-EMC certification.

20 Leimove

Zhongshan Leimove Lighting and Electrical Co., Ltd focused on an eye-care lighting solutions for over 17 years. This company has set up dealing shops, with 2,000+ marketing teams and personnel. They had their own Research and Development department to produce unique and exquisite craftsmanship. Leimove is well-equipped with advanced technologies to design new products.