Specialty Lighting Market Size & Share Analysis - Trends, Drivers, Competitive Landscape, and Forecasts (2024-2030)

The specialty lighting market size stood at USD 6,121.9 million in 2024, and it is expected to advance at a compound annual growth rate of 6.1% between 2024 and 2030, to reach USD 8,746.1 million by 2030.

The growth can be primarily ascribed to the rising requirement for improved lighting solutions across the entertainment, medical, and other sectors, for special purposes. For instance, UV lights are mainly used for the disinfection of air, surface, and water. Moreover, the fast growth observed in the entertainment industry coupled with a sudden rise in the number of global events, including music concerts, is expected to contribute to the demand for specialty lights.

Furthermore, various technological advancements are taking place, including smart lighting and IoT, which will further help in expanding the market. For example, at clubs and events, an app connects smart lights for the creation of brighter and higher-quality lights.

Specialty Lighting Market Trends & Drivers

Governments are taking several initiatives for the development of cities and the improvement of existing infrastructure and for the conservation of energy and streamlining of operations. The development of smart cities boosts the market because of the adoption of advanced technologies and progress in lighting solutions. According to government websites, approximately 75% of energy across the world is consumed by cities. Thus, continuous advancements in the infrastructure of cities have further increased the demand for specialty lighting solutions.

Moreover, the use of embedded devices and sensors across several cities has also increased in several systems, such as power meters, , and traffic signals, which have a great impact on minimizing energy consumption. The sensors are connected to multi-sensor nodes in order to create a network and collect the required information, such as UVA light, humidity, human activities, and CO2 level. This help in reducing the cost of maintaining cities along with the consumption of energy. In addition, sensors help in improving the efficiency of traffic lights along with reducing the rate of night accidents.

The increasing number of live music events, sports competitions, and concerts boosts the demand for specialty lights. For instance, the U.S. hosts over 800 music festivals in a year with an attraction of nearly 1 million individuals. Countries such as Japan, India, South Korea, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, and the U.K., other than the U.S., are popular for music concerts. Therefore, a significant amount of revenue is generated every year with the commencement of these big events. Moreover, television series production entities, opera sets, and several film units are contributing to the high sales of such products.

Specialty Lighting Market Analysis

LED Holds Major Share in the Industry

Among light sources, the LED category accounted for the largest revenue share, more than 70%, in 2022. This is because of its less heating, longer life, and cost-saving characteristics, and the growing awareness among consumers about the advantages of shifting toward reliable and energy-efficient products from previously used incandescent lamps. Further, LEDs are used in every section, including architectural, decorative, and luminescence. Also, these are more convenient and versatile for several fixture designs creating patterns and colors.

Moreover, the demand for LEDs is increasing because of their benefit in making lightweight fixtures. The LED lights do not break down, owing to their smaller glass mount fitted inside the fixture, whereas incandescent and halogen lights are prone to fusing and breakage when used for a prolonged period. Additionally, as compared to outdated lights, they consume reduced electricity. According to several government reports, LED bulbs are used by approximately half of U.S. households for most indoor purposes.

UV Lamp Category To Witness the Highest CAGR

The UV lamp category is expected to witness the fastest growth, advancing at a CAGR of around 7%, in the coming years. This can be attributed to the application of UV lights for cleansing air, water, and surfaces. The need for water refinement across the world is rising, owing to the increasing recycling of wastewater and depleting water sources. Furthermore, the technique of air purification is important in testing labs and pharma to prevent foreign particles in samples or medicine. A no-touch technology, such as UV-clean, with UV-C energy and a highly toxic wavelength for killing microbes, usages a robotic disinfection system to incapacitate microbes at the genetic level. The wavelength of the UV-C radiation measures the rate of efficiency of killing bacteria, viruses, fungi, and yeasts.

Also, UV LEDs are used in purification systems, as the efficiency of disinfection is studied to be strongly dependent on both the batch-to-batch variation and the LED bin used. Hence, a large number of applications of UV lights drives the market growth in this category.

The entertainment category held a major share in 2022 and it will also continue with the same trend in the coming years, as this industry is fully dependent on various forms of lighting used in photography and cinematography to create the desired effects. Both of the film industry, Bollywood and Hollywood, is a major contributor to the market growth in this category. Moreover, they also host many awards shows and events where they need special lights, which further fuels the demand.

The medical category is also showing significant growth, attributed to various factors such as special lights providing improved visibility throughout medical procedures. The operational and technical guidelines for examination and surgical purposes require a color temperature ranging from 3,000 K to 6,700 K and a color rendering index of 85–100 color renditions. Further, for examination, 1,000 lx illumination suffices required, while a range of 40,000–160,000 lx is required for surgery.

The need for surgical lighting along with the usage of up-to-date operative equipment is rising to avoid a number of deaths during surgeries. Moreover, the reliability of these products has been improved with the advent of advanced technologies.

Among medical applications, the examination subcategory is projected to show the highest CAGR during the forecast period. This can be due to the development of advanced lights for the examination purpose. Also, proper illumination aids doctors or examiners to avoid any accident while using tools, thereby making it an important part of medical checkup procedures.

Geographical Analysis

North America accounted for the largest revenue share in 2022 in the specialty lighting market, and it will hold the same position in the coming years, with a value of around USD 4 billion by 2030. This is mainly due to the existence of major firms offering advanced lights in several areas, including entertainment, horticulture, medicine, seaports, water treatment, sports, and aquariums. In addition, end-use sectors are expanding rapidly, which is further driving the demand for special lights across the region. For instance, a strong healthcare system in Canada and the U.S. contributes to the amplified adoption of examination and surgical lights.

In North America, the U.S. holds the leading position, and the country market will grow at a CAGR of 5% during the forecast period. This can be attributed to the development of smart cities, the presence of key industry players, the advancement in existing infrastructure, and development strategies adopted by such players. For instance, in June 2022, Halco Lighting Technologies was acquired by Hayward Industries to improve its market position. Halco’s specialty lighting business includes a robust portfolio serving residential and commercial spas, fountains, pools, and landscapes.

On the other hand, the APAC market is expected to show the fastest growth in the coming years. This can be ascribed to the rising demand for UV disinfecting equipment among commercial, residential, municipal, and residential facilities; the expanding airport infrastructure; and the surging need for controlling maintenance and energy costs through the use of special lights, in the region.

The European market is also expected to show significant growth during the forecast period. This can be because of the increasing government investments in the development of cities, the surging use of efficient technologies, and the rising demand for water purification, in the region.

Report Breakdown

Based on Light Source

• LED
• Halogen
• Xenon
• Incandescent

Based on Application

• Entertainment
• Medical

Geographical Analysis

• North America
  • U.S.
  • Canada
• Europe
  • Germany
  • U.K.
  • France
  • Italy
  • Spain
• Asia-Pacific
  • Japan
  • China
  • India
  • South Korea
  • Australia
• Latin America
  • Brazil
  • Mexico
• Middle East and Africa
  • Saudi Arabia
  • South Africa
  • U.A.E.

Top Specialty Lighting Companies