On October 20, 50 works shortlisted for the final round of “China International Lighting Luminaire Design Competition” were announced at The 11^th China (Guzhen) International Lighting Fair & LED application exhibition.

Yuan Songhua, deputy town chief of Guzhen Town, said that China is a large manufacturer and exporter of lighting luminaires, but over the years, domestic luminaire makers are lingering in imitation stage, lack of autonomous intellectual property to grow into world-level brand enterprises. The organizer intends to leverage this design competition to improve domestic lighting luminaire makers’ awareness of independent innovation, enhance design capability of lighting industry and then finally expand the international standing of China lighting luminaire industry.

Overseas exhibitions prohibit Chinese from taking pictures

Russian buyer Larisa, who started to purchase lighting fixtures in Guzhen since 2007, said that Guzhen lights show disadvantage of mimicking the popular style of other countries, lack of independent design.

Larisa added “Last year, we had a partnership with an Italian luminaire maker. When on a visit to our shop this maker saw the fixtures we purchase from Guzhen, they required to end our partnership, because three of Guzhen lights mimicked their design.”

Guangzhou WIN Exhibition Co.,Ltd.’s customer manager Ms. Li said, her company organizes domestic manufacturers to take part in overseas exhibitions. Her customers’ feedback shows that in countries well-known for excellent light design such as Italia, Germany and France, lighting exhibitions prohibit Chinese from taking pictures. “They are worried that Chinese manufacturers imitate their design,” commented Ms. Li.

At this 11^th China (Guzhen) International Lighting Fair & LED application exhibition, a few directors of export-oriented light enterprises admitted that they copy overseas design.

Zhongshan City-based Guo Guan Lighting’s general manager Lin Meixian said that the company will refer to popular style overseas in lighting design and make some modification. Many foreign manufacturers require presence of patent certification upon purchase. In fact, modified luminaire design based on foreign design still has access to design patent, so such “reference” is not illegal.

The director of some major lighting fixture enterprise at Guzhen introduced that the enterprise’ s exhibiting columnar fixture also involves “reference ” in design, but with the addition of a base to the design, this new fixture has gained design patent as well.

Design decides influence

A US buyer Rader said that the data he got show over half of Chinese market occupied by Guzhen lighting fixtures, enormous strength. However, given that international trend is led by France, Italy and other good-design countries rather than Guzhen Town, Guzhen Light makers have no choice but mimicking others to achieve good sales of their products. This represents a vicious cycle where more imitation results in smaller influence which leaves more space for overseas design to lead the way, hence further imitation on the part of Guzhen light makers.

Rader added “If Guzhen is able to lead the international trend, it is time for other countries to copy Guzhen design. Of course it requires adequate impact and excellent, independent designs which are accepted worldwide. This key point needs Guzhen enterprises’ quick awareness. ”

Apparently, Guzhen lighting enterprises have realized this importance. Some enterprises without independent design department previously have brought in talents and equipment for independent R&D in recent years, making transformation from OEM to ODM.