This LED directional signboard and rubber traffic cone from Shenzhen Spark and Shenzhen Hualuan, both of mainland China, are designed to tap high-end markets.

Mainland China and Taiwan suppliers are taking different measures in upgrading their traffic cones, road signage and flares under efforts to tap new markets and boost exports.

In the mainland, companies are using improved materials particularly in the production of plastic-injection traffic devices such as cones, warning triangles and reflective guides. Many makers have recently introduced highly fluorescent and UV-stabilized PVC traffic cones that are more flexible and less breakable than conventional models. Further, to ensure reliability, the cones are structured in a way that improves stability and road balance.

Meanwhile, enhanced LED technology is the thrust of road signage and flares innovation in Taiwan. This is spurred by the increased demand for brighter and more reliable alternatives to traditional incandescent bulbs used as a light source for traffic safety devices.

Directional, speed limit and warning signboards offered by most suppliers are equipped with Japan- and US-sourced LED bulbs with a brightness of 5,500cd/sqm. Mounted on aluminum panels, the LEDs usually have a frequency of 2Hz, or about 50 to 90 flashes per minute.

To penetrate the high-end market, a number of road signage makers also produce versions featuring high-tech data transmission systems, such as fiber optic cables and Ethernet cables. The latest models offer a visibility range of 35 to 600m, at least twice that of regular signboards fitted with reflective tape.

Similarly, road markers and studs are moving upmarket as suppliers focus on solar-powered flashing LED models with improved efficiency and durability. The latest designs feature high-strength glass enclosures with a compression resistance of up to 25T.

Anti-slip linings are also fitted on the glass surface for added safety. Each piece is equipped with a NiMH battery that can be recharged using solar power, eliminating the need for complex electrical connections.

LED is now preferred as the light source for traffic flares or batons over traditional incandescent and xenon tubes. Also running on rechargeable NiMH batteries, new releases feature LED bulbs with a visibility rating of 300m and 6.5W solar power.

To add value, some suppliers incorporate extra features such as built-in alarms and sirens that increase functionality.

One supplier interviewed in this report has released an LED warning baton with 130dB-rated alarm system.

The slight decrease in the cost of electronic components, particularly LEDs sourced from local suppliers, is encouraging mainland and Taiwan companies to boost production of upscale road signage and flares.

On the other hand, the soaring cost of engineered plastic threatens to force up prices of PVC and PE traffic control devices in coming months.

Nonetheless, makers forecast steady growthin sales, especially as most of them are now targeting high-end export markets.
Manufacturing & R&D

	Dau-Long of Taiwan offers this selection of solar-powered LED road signage with a visibility rating of up to 500m.

In the mainland, Shenzhen Hualuan Industry Development Co. Ltd concentrates R&D efforts on the production of fluorescent PVC and rubber traffic cones, solar road markers and engineered plastic road signage. The company's factory, equipped with automated electronic assembly lines and blow-molding, plasticinjection and casting machines, carries out ISO 9001:9002-compliant procedures.

Shenzhen Hualuan also works closely with the mainland's Ministry of Public Security and Ministry of Communications in R&D for information on standardized specifications for traffic control devices. These include the appropriate color, size, stability and surface treatment and the text layout particularly for directional and warning signboards.

Shanghai Jessubond Traffic Safety New Material Co. Ltd is another company specializing in engineered plastic traffic control devices, using mostly UV-stabilized PC, PVC and PV for its traffic cones and reflective guides. To add value, the company incorporates solar-powered LED chips into its traffic batons, which are run by rechargeable NiMH batteries.

Zhejiang Senken Industrial Stock Co. Ltd, an ISO 9001:9002-certified company, has set up a range of improved testing lines to ensure the quality of its traffic cones and LED roadwork and warning lights. The company's factory is equipped with vibration testing, water testing, advanced pressure testing and frequency testing machinery, and its products have CE approval.

Streamlined production and R&D are performed in Shenzhen Yunbi Industrial Co. Ltd's ISO 9001:9002- certified factory. Primarily an OEM supplier, the company offers road markers with 0.3W solar power and automatic light control. The models emit yellow or red light, and have a visibility rating of 1km.

Shenzhen Yunbi's solar-powered LED speed limit signboards offer a visibility range of 1 to 2km, and can operate continuously for 160 to 180 hours even under harsh weather conditions.

Shenzhen Spark Optoelectronics S&T Co. Ltd, another mainland supplier, applies optoelectronics and digital electron meterage technology in manufacturing LED directional signboards and solar road markers.

In Taiwan, companies are mostly gearing product development toward high-end LED road signage and flexible PVC traffic cones.

All Spectrum Inc. has reinforced the visibility of its road signage by incorporating high-intensity LED bulbs in new designs, increasingthe visibility rating to 400m. The company sources LED bulbs from Japan and South Korea, as these have 10 times more light output than local counterparts designed for decorative use.

Ellen Ho, sales manager of Spectrum, said that the company's shift to such models is primarily because of the decrease in LED costs, which are about 30 percent lower than two years ago. And although LED chips cost 10 percent more than traditional incandescent bulbs, Ho added that the advantages of LED will continue to drive the product development efforts of Spectrum.

Dau-Long Road-Mark Materials Co. Ltd focuses on the development of slim LED road signs that are lightweight and easy to install and maintain. Currently, the company offers a series of 10 different signage models with a thickness of 4 to 5mm, each equipped with more than 90 individual LED bulbs. The LEDs have a frequency of 25 to 50 flashes per minute, and a visibility rating of up to 500m.

Jing Nan Traffic Engineering Co. Ltd, also of Taiwan, offers weather- and UV-resistant traffic cones made of flexible PVC and PE. The company's R&D efforts are focused on making designs more stable in weight to avoid road accidents. Its products comply with ASTM and R&TTE standards of the US and Australia, respectively.