Leading Chinese LED Companies Like Leyard, Unilumin, Absen, Leyard, San’an, NationStar, MLS, and Colorlight Actively Respond to Tariff Issues

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07/22/2025

On 07/22/2025

Recently, the United States has repeatedly imposed additional tariffs on Chinese goods, with increasingly aggressive actions that are difficult to comprehend. Faced with this sudden turbulence, how will Chinese LED companies be affected? And what steps will they take next? Companies such as Leyard, Unilumin, Absen, LianTronics, San’an Optoelectronics, NationStar, Dongshan Precision, MLS, Colorlight, CVTE, and Dahua have responded to the situation.

Leyard: Tariffs Have a Limited Overall Impact on the Company

Leyard stated that its core businesses include smart displays, cultural tourism nighttime economy, and AI + spatial computing. In its smart display segment, North America accounts for only about 20% of revenue. Except for its U.S. subsidiary Planar’s assembly line, most products sold in North America are manufactured at the company’s facility in Slovakia. Since 2022, Leyard has been actively expanding into Asia, Africa, and Latin America, significantly reducing reliance on any single market. The cultural tourism segment operates entirely within China, while the AI and spatial computing division—via its North American-based NP company—handles over 80% of its production and sales domestically in North America. Overall, the impact of tariffs is relatively limited, and Leyard’s early global manufacturing strategy, particularly in Europe, has given it a competitive edge.

Unilumin: Strong Brand Premium and Cost Transfer Capability

Unilumin emphasized the following points:

The company maintains a well-balanced global sales network, with distribution not only in the U.S. but also across Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America. This diversification helps mitigate risks from policy changes in any single region.
The earlier acquisition of U.S.-based LED company TransLux supports localized production and distribution, helping to offset the impact of tariffs.
As a leading brand in China’s LED industry, Unilumin benefits from a certain level of brand premium. In North America, it primarily promotes mid- to high-end products, where customers are less price-sensitive, enhancing its ability to pass on costs.
Continued innovation and product upgrades have reinforced its technical advantages and product value, improving its pricing power.

Absen: Limited Overall Business Impact

Absen reported that in 2024, products exported to the U.S. account for approximately 15% of its annual sales revenue, with this figure expected to remain flat or slightly decline. The company exports to over 140 countries, and as most LED display manufacturers are based in China, the long-term impact of tariffs is limited. Absen plans to closely monitor policy changes and adopt targeted measures such as price adjustments, production optimization, and enhancing its overall competitiveness to mitigate the effects.

LianTronics: Closely Monitoring Trade Developments and Responding Proactively

LianTronics emphasized that China’s LED display industry has established a fully independent supply chain—from raw materials and chips to packaging and applications—enabling large-scale production, effective cost control, and expansive application scenarios. This gives Chinese companies a significant global market advantage that is hard to replicate in the short term. LianTronics has built a strong sales network across 100+ countries, with the U.S. being one of its core export markets. The company will stay alert to changes in the global trade environment and respond promptly to ensure smooth business operations.

San’an Optoelectronics: Minimal Impact on Current Business and Supply Chain

According to San’an’s 2024 mid-year report, international markets outside mainland China account for 13.81% of its revenue. The impact of new U.S. tariffs on its existing business and supply chain is minimal. The company will continue monitoring international trade policies, maintain close communication with clients, and ensure stable operations.

NationStar: Primarily Focused on the Domestic Market with Minimal U.S. Exposure

NationStar said its sales are primarily domestic. In the first three quarters of 2024, revenue from the U.S. accounted for only about 1.76% of total sales. As direct sales to the U.S. are minimal, the impact is limited. The company will continue to closely follow trade policy developments and take appropriate measures to maintain stable business operations.

MLS: Compliant with USMCA, Implements Price Increases

MLS announced that its factory in Mexico began operations at the end of Q3 2023 and has since expanded its capacity. The facility mainly serves the U.S. and Latin American markets. Exports from Mexico meet the requirements of the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), allowing products to be exempt from retaliatory tariffs. As one of the first in the industry to complete such a layout, MLS plans to fully leverage this early-mover advantage by further expanding production capacity at the Mexico plant in 2025.

Additionally, MLS subsidiary LEDVANCE has adopted a pricing strategy to offset tariff pressure. It previously announced a price increase effective May 2025 and will implement another increase in June 2025. The company aims to use its Mexico facility to produce more U.S.-bound goods to minimize the impact of tariffs.

Dongshan Precision: U.S. Sales Less Than 5%, Most Tariffs Borne by Customers

Although Dongshan Precision’s export business accounts for over 80% of its revenue, direct exports to the U.S. make up less than 5%. Most of the tariffs on exported goods are borne by its customers, so the overall impact is limited. The company will keep a close watch on tariff policy trends and maintain close communication with clients while exploring multiple strategies to handle challenges.

Colorlight: Low U.S. Revenue Share, Strategic Measures in Place

Colorlight noted that in 2023, its overseas sales made up about 13% of total revenue, with U.S. business representing only a small portion. While the new tariffs may have some effect, the company previously had U.S. clients bear tariff and freight costs. Moving forward, it will continue working closely with customers to minimize the impact and actively monitor policy changes. Colorlight also plans to assess risks and adopt favorable countermeasures accordingly.

CVTE: Low U.S. Revenue Share, Focused on Innovation and Capacity Optimization

CVTE stated that revenue from the U.S. accounted for a small portion of its total earnings in 2024. The company is closely following policy shifts and maintaining communication with clients to jointly navigate external changes. It remains committed to technological innovation, enhancing product differentiation, strengthening brand influence, optimizing global production capacity, and boosting its core competitiveness.

Dahua: Fully Exited the U.S. Market

Dahua has officially exited the U.S. market. Its products and services now cover over 180 countries and regions, including Latin America, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Europe. Its overseas business is geographically diversified, with a high proportion of revenue coming from developing countries and regions.

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