How to Choose an LED Luminaire Manufacturer? A Supplier Evaluation Checklist
Short answer
When choosing an LED luminaire manufacturer, look at seven things before price: whether production really takes place in its own facility, datasheets and test reports (LM-79, EN 60598) for every product, the LED and driver brands used, the length and terms of the warranty, capacity for project-specific production, support with lighting calculations and photometric files, and delivery time and continuity of spare parts.
The success of a lighting project depends directly on who makes the luminaires. The difference between two products that look similar in a catalogue usually comes from the manufacturer's production, testing and support capacity. The list below was prepared to compare suppliers against the same criteria.
Evaluation checklist
| Criterion | What to ask | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Real production | Is production in your own facility? Can we visit? | Quality control and custom production |
| Datasheet | Does each model state system lumens, lm/W, CRI, lifetime, IP and class? | Comparison and specification |
| Test reports | Are there LM-79, LM-80/TM-21, EN 60598 and EN 55015 reports? | Verification of claims |
| Components | Which LED and driver brands are used? | Lifetime and spare parts |
| Warranty | How long, and under which conditions? | Long-term cost |
| Custom production | Can wattage, size, colour and optics be adapted? | An exact fit to the project |
| Project support | Are lighting calculations and photometric files provided? | The right quantity and layout |
| Delivery and continuity | Delivery time, spare parts, availability of the same product years later | Maintenance and extensions |
How to read a datasheet
A good datasheet describes the product on one page: product code, a table of system lumens and power, efficacy, colour temperature and CRI options, beam angles, IP and electrical class, LED lifetime (for example 50,000 hours L80B10), warranty, dimming options and dimensions. The tolerance range of the values (for example ±10%) should be stated.
Red flags
- Only the LED chip lumens are given, with no system lumens.
- The lifetime claim ("50,000 hours") does not state the conditions or the L/B values.
- The driver brand and power factor are not stated.
- The same datasheet is copied to different models, or values do not match the product code.
- Only a CE declaration is shown when test reports are requested.
Advantages of working with a local manufacturer
- Project-specific adaptation of wattage, size, RAL colour and optics.
- The calculation and the product come from the same team: the calculated result and the result on site are close.
- Fast access to spare parts, drivers and warranty processes.
- The opportunity to see production on site.
Conclusion
Choosing the right manufacturer is the first step to choosing the right luminaire. You can find the datasheets of our products on our technical documents page and learn more about our manufacturing facility in Beylikdüzü.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which documents should be requested from a manufacturer?
For each product: a datasheet, an LM-79 report showing system lumens, LM-80/TM-21 data for LED lifetime, EN 60598 safety and EN 55015 EMC test reports, and a CE declaration of conformity.
What is the advantage of locally manufactured luminaires?
Project-specific adaptation of wattage, size, colour and optics is faster; spare parts and drivers are easy to obtain, and production can be seen on site with a factory visit.
How long should the warranty on an LED luminaire be?
Five years is a common expectation in commercial projects; ask in writing under which operating conditions (temperature, operating hours) the warranty applies.
Should the manufacturer carry out lighting calculations?
It is a great advantage in projects; at the very least the manufacturer should be able to supply photometric files (IES/LDT) for its products so that calculations can be made.