Highlight SELF Electronics: Bringing Innovation and Expertise to Museum and Commercial Display Lighting

Ningbo SELF Electronics Co., Ltd. is a pioneering leader in LED display lighting industry. The company holds over 100 domestic and international intellectual property rights and has played a key role in drafting China’s national standards for indoor LED lighting fixtures. Additionally, SELF was a participant in the 2017 cultural industry standard research project on museum lighting quality assessment methods and systems, further solidifying its expert status in the industry.

A Legacy of Innovation and Global Influence​

In 1993, Mr. Lin Wanjiong founded SELF Electronics and proposed the brand name "SELF", embodying the principles of self-reliance, self-strengthening, and achieving prosperity through competition. The 12 founding members shared the vision of becoming a top-tier enterprise in optoelectronics and aspired to establish an internationally influential industry brand. Their unwavering confidence and determination set them on a journey toward innovation and global recognition.

As a global leader in display lighting and a national champion in specialized manufacturing, SELF Electronics has been at the forefront of the industry for over 30 years. Despite the complex global landscape, the company continues to explore new frontiers with cutting-edge, high-end technology, carving out a blue ocean market through innovation.

From OEM to Global Brand: A Journey of Self-Innovation​

SELF initially entered the market with infrared sensor lighting, gradually evolving from OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) to ODM (Original Design Manufacturer) and eventually to OBM (Original Brand Manufacturer). The company’s dedication to self-driven innovation has been both strategic and pragmatic.

In 2000, SELF entered the LED power supply and LED lighting industry, providing manufacturing services for globally renowned brands. However, alongside its OEM operations, the company continuously pursued independent R&D, accumulating valuable technological expertise.

By 2008, unwilling to remain a behind-the-scenes manufacturer, SELF embarked on building its own brand. In 2009, it established subsidiaries in Germany and the United States, officially entering the European and North American markets under its own brand identity.

A Visionary Leader Committed to Innovation​

Chairman Lin Wanjiong, once a devoted "Red Guard" who traveled thousands of miles to Tiananmen Square to catch a glimpse of Chairman Mao, has always been an engineer at heart. As the man who assembled his family’s first television, he remains deeply committed to original innovation and technological advancement.

Under his leadership, SELF has continuously pushed boundaries in both commercial and residential lighting, securing partnerships with top global luxury brands for product display lighting. The company's talent development programs, stock incentive plans, and corporate culture have created a moat of competitive advantage, where technology and talent serve as SELF's two ultimate pillars of success.

Lighting Up the Forbidden City​

For years, the Forbidden City relied on imported international LED brands due to its high lighting quality and safety standards. However, SELF’s lighting solutions matched or exceeded the performance of these global brands at half the cost, earning its place as the "Lighting Master" of the Forbidden City.

The newly renovated Zhai Palace within the Forbidden City now features SELF’s intelligent LED lighting, offering:

• Uniform and flicker-free illumination
• Smart control capabilities
• Gentle, stable lighting that preserves historical artifacts

The installation of over 100 custom-designed intelligent LED fixtures from SELF has enhanced the visual splendor of ancient relics, ensuring optimal preservation and viewing experiences.

Why was this such a challenge?

• Reversible installation: Fixtures had to be installed without damaging the ancient architecture.
• Longevity and stability: Lighting systems had to be long-lasting and consistent for extended exhibition hours.
• Temperature control: Light sources could not generate heat that might harm artifacts.

Each fixture was meticulously engineered by SELF’s R&D team to meet the Forbidden City's rigorous standards, ensuring:

• Zero ultraviolet and infrared emissions to protect artifacts
• Precision-engineered heat dissipation to prevent temperature fluctuations
• Adjustable focus and flicker-free illumination for a comfortable viewing experience
• Advanced optics utilizing SELF’s patented light distribution technology, ensuring broader and more uniform illumination

SELF's expertise was also showcased in illuminating the national treasure "A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains", where light intensity, brightness, color temperature, and wavelength were all meticulously adjusted. Using custom display cases and hidden lighting designs, SELF achieved an invisible light effect, making the display glass appear seamless and non-existent.

Following its success in museum lighting, SELF is now targeting global art institutions such as the Louvre and the British Museum as part of its strategic expansion.

Lighting is a Building Material​

The SELF team strongly advocates that lighting is more than just illumination—it is an architectural material that can transform spaces and emotions.

• In supermarkets, bright, pure lighting enhances the appeal of fresh produce.
• In cosmetic stores, warm tones create a pleasant ambiance, while soft mirror lighting enhances facial features.

To advance its vision, SELF has developed its own intelligent lighting control systems, PRS and SRS, enabling flexible, precise, and user-friendly lighting management. This commitment to innovation has made SELF a trusted partner of luxury brands like Dior, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and Swarovski.

The Power Behind the Light: Cutting-Edge R&D and Patents​

SELF’s success is fueled by its continuous investment in research and development, allocating over 10% of its annual revenue to R&D. With a team of nearly 100 engineers specializing in optics, thermodynamics, mechanics, and electronics, the company has secured over 700 international and domestic patents.

SELF is also recognized as a National Intellectual Property Demonstration Enterprise and is the first private lighting company in China to obtain both:

• VDE TDAP laboratory accreditation (Germany)
• UL CTDP laboratory accreditation (United States)

Additionally, SELF has led the development of China’s national LED lighting standards and contributed to multiple industry regulations for museum and art gallery lighting.

Beyond lighting, SELF has mastered LED power supply technology, ensuring ultra-stable, high-quality power systems that protect sensitive artworks from electrical surges. The company is also actively integrating AI-driven smart lighting control, further pushing the boundaries of China’s manufacturing innovation.

A Bright Future: Expanding into Global Art Institutions​

With a relentless pursuit of technological advancement, precision engineering, and intelligent lighting solutions, SELF Electronics is poised to redefine the future of museum and luxury display lighting.

From the Forbidden City to the Louvre, SELF’s next chapter is one of global expansion, bringing world-class lighting solutions to the most prestigious art institutions worldwide.

The Path of Independent Innovation​

Founded in 1993, SELF’s more than 20 years of development reflect the journey of Chinese enterprises striving for survival and growth through independent innovation. Initially, SELF entered the market with infrared sensor lighting. Progressing from OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturing) to ODM (Original Design Manufacturing) and now to OBM (Original Brand Manufacturing), SELF has remained dedicated and pragmatic in its pursuit of innovation.

In 2000, SELF ventured into the LED power supply and lighting industry, beginning as an OEM for globally renowned brands. However, alongside contract manufacturing, the company continuously explored independent R&D, accumulating valuable technology and experience. In 2008, unwilling to remain merely a contract manufacturer, SELF embarked on the path of building its own brand. By 2009, the company had established subsidiaries in Germany and the United States, officially entering the European and American markets with its own brand.

In 2004, SELF’s first-generation LED lamps were only suitable for decorative lighting. Through continuous innovation—upgrading chips, integrating secondary optical technology, and developing V-shaped lenses—SELF launched its seventh-generation LED lamps in 2015. These improvements addressed issues such as glare and uneven light distribution, making the lamps suitable for daily lighting with smart dimming and color-tuning capabilities. SELF’s engineers discovered that kitchen cabinets, typically 16–20mm thick, could accommodate ultra-thin LED lights with proper heat dissipation. This insight led to the development of the first 6mm-thick surface-mounted LED light, seamlessly embedded into cabinets, achieving a "light without the fixture" effect.

To establish its independent brand as the company’s mainstream product line, SELF made a bold decision in 2014, rejecting a ¥200 million annual order from a major international retailer (accounting for 50% of SELF’s annual sales). This marked the end of a decade-long partnership and reaffirmed the company’s commitment to independent innovation.

Becoming a Manufacturing Champion​

SELF’s dedication to independent R&D has yielded impressive results. In 2014, the company’s modular "Bamboo Lamp" won the prestigious iF Design Award for its flexible design. That same year, SELF successfully applied its self-developed secondary optical technology to lighting fixtures used in a major European supermarket chain’s cold chain system.

With its own research institute and metrology testing lab, SELF boasts a team of over 100 R&D professionals, a national postdoctoral research workstation, and is the only privately-owned lighting manufacturer in China with accredited testing laboratories recognized in Europe, the U.S., and Asia. By last year, sales of SELF’s independent brand products accounted for 60% of its total revenue.

Today, 90% of SELF’s products are exported, with Europe and North America as the primary markets. Beyond supermarkets, the company has become the designated global supplier of showcase lighting for luxury brands such as Swarovski and Chow Tai Fook. In recent years, SELF has expanded into China’s high-end lighting market, supplying lighting solutions for institutions such as the Military Museum.

The Entrepreneurial Journey​

In its early days, SELF’s founder, Lin Wanjiong, personally traveled to Shanghai with the company’s marketing manager, Lu Jun, to meet Mr. Blangini, a key Italian client. During the meeting, Mr. Blangini inquired about a new product emerging in Europe—an electronic transformer—and asked whether SELF could manufacture it. Without hesitation, Lin responded, "Yes."

Surprised by his confidence, Mr. Blangini asked, "Why are you so sure?" Lin replied, "Because 10 years ago, I could already build a television by myself." Impressed, Mr. Blangini took out a 60W electronic transformer from his suitcase and asked how long it would take to produce a sample and provide a quote. Lin immediately disassembled the transformer on the spot, analyzed its structure, and confidently stated, "Three months for the sample, with an estimated cost of ¥40–50." True to his word, Lin delivered the sample within three months, and the quoted price remained unchanged in subsequent sales.

This success earned SELF another project—an even smaller 60W transformer initially intended for a Guangdong-based factory. However, due to Lin’s expertise and confidence, Mr. Blangini entrusted the project to SELF instead. This marked the company’s entry into electronic transformer manufacturing and the beginning of its rise in the industry.

Even today, Lin Wanjiong remains deeply involved in the development of new products, contributing to nearly every patented innovation at SELF. His achievements include recognition as an "Advanced Technological Worker in the National Transportation Sector," winning the "Innovation Design Award" at the Ningbo Invention Competition, and being honored as one of the "Top Ten Inventors."

Through Lin’s unwavering commitment to innovation, SELF has expanded from a single-product company to a diversified enterprise producing LED downlights, LED drivers and controllers, electronic ballasts, and electronic transformers. It has evolved from a supplier to world-renowned brands into the creator of its own "SELF" brand, spanning markets across Asia, Europe, the Americas, and the Middle East.

The "SELF" brand is now successfully registered in China, the EU, and the U.S., with numerous patents and certifications from institutions such as Germany’s VDE and TÜV, the U.S. UL, and Sweden’s SEMKO. SELF holds over 200 independent intellectual property rights and played a leading role in drafting China’s national LED indoor lighting standards.

In 2012, SELF became the fourth Chinese company—after OSRAM, GE, and PHILIPS—to receive CTDP laboratory certification from UL. In 2014, it was awarded TDAP lab certification by VDE, joining the ranks of OSRAM, Eastfield, Trodonic, and Philips. In 2015, SELF’s lab received CNAS accreditation as a nationally recognized testing facility.

Strategic Expansion and Innovation​

As one of the earliest Chinese lighting manufacturers to establish global R&D and market distribution, SELF set up subsidiaries in Germany and the U.S. in 2009. When the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted its European and American markets in 2020, Lin Wanjiong swiftly pivoted, establishing a Greater Asia-Pacific subsidiary in Perth, Australia, to explore new markets.

SELF has also intensified its technological innovation, integrating energy-saving and low-carbon principles into optical design. The company customizes high-efficiency LED packages for retailers, pairing them with in-house developed power supplies that enhance overall efficiency by more than 15%. Additionally, the PRSPRO smart commercial lighting system enables precise light control based on customer flow, automatically adjusting brightness to reduce energy consumption by up to 35%. Meanwhile, key areas within stores maintain consistent brightness, attracting customers and boosting foot traffic.

Reflecting on past strategies, Lin Wanjiong acknowledged, "We relied heavily on custom orders, which provided stability and minimal inventory but scattered R&D resources across numerous projects with limited profitability. Large clients are not limitless—if one falters, the impact on the company is severe." In response, SELF has adopted a dual-strategy approach, balancing custom and general-purpose products: "Relying on one leg, no matter how strong, makes it difficult to stay balanced in a storm."

A Vision for the Future​

Despite challenges posed by the U.S.-China trade war, SELF has avoided layoffs and salary cuts while continuing to grow. This resilience stems from its commitment to innovation, high-end markets, and talent cultivation. Lin Wanjiong believes that success lies in developing superior, more integrated, and smarter products.

"Market shrinkage doesn’t mean the market has disappeared, and lower profits don’t mean there’s no profit at all. We must innovate to stay competitive," he says. He categorizes markets into five types: deep blue, blue, yellow, red, and toxic. "Only through innovation can a company transition toward a deeper blue ocean."

SELF’s corporate culture embodies the values of confidence, perseverance, pragmatism, and innovation. The company prioritizes long-term vision over short-term gains, fostering trust-based relationships with partners.

"Our brand aims to bring kindness, trust, care, and value to people," Lin concludes.