Verified Nov 2026
Lighting
·
Durham, North Carolina
·
Since 1987
Cree LED manufactures application-optimized LED chips, discrete LEDs, LED arrays, and LED modules for lighting and display uses. The company is headquartered in Durham, North Carolina, was founded in 1987, and has between 1,000 and 5,000 employees. It operates as a brand of Penguin Solutions and serves the automotive, electronics, renewable-energy, industrial-equipment, plumbing-hardware, and consumer-goods industries. In November 2026, Penguin Solutions announced an agreement to sell the Cree LED unit to Transom Capital Group.
Cree LED at a glance
Employees
1,000-5,000
Founded
1987
Headquarters
Durham, North Carolina
Certifications
IATF 16949 · ISO 9001
Industries
Automotive
Electronics
Plumbing & Hardware
Renewable Energy
Industrial Equipment
Consumer Goods
STABILITY SIGNALS
Established & active
39 years in operation (founded 1987).
Holds IATF 16949, ISO 9001 certification(s) per public sources.
Overview
Cree LED manufactures application-optimized LED chips, discrete LEDs, LED arrays, and LED modules for lighting and display uses. The company is headquartered in Durham, North Carolina, was founded in 1987, and has between 1,000 and 5,000 employees. It operates as a brand of Penguin Solutions and serves the automotive, electronics, renewable-energy, industrial-equipment, plumbing-hardware, and consumer-goods industries. In November 2026, Penguin Solutions announced an agreement to sell the Cree LED unit to Transom Capital Group.
At a glance
Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
Founded | 1987 |
Headquarters | Durham, North Carolina |
Employees | 1,000-5,000 |
Primary capability | Lighting |
Certifications | IATF 16949 · ISO 9001 |
What Cree LED makes
The company holds IATF 16949 and ISO 9001 certifications and lists products in LED lighting, electronics, and printed circuit board assemblies, including fully assembled L2 PCBA solutions introduced in January 2026.
Products and capabilities described on the company's own site include Electronics, LED, Lighting, PCB (source: cree-led.com).
Certifications
Cree LED is associated with the following certifications in public sources. Confirm the certified scope for the specific plant producing your part:
IATF 16949 — cree-led.com
ISO 9001 — cree-led.com
Latest developments
2026-11-04 — Penguin Solutions - Penguin Solutions Announces Agreement to Sell Cree LED to Transom Capital Group (penguinsolutions.com)
2026-11-04 — Penguin Solutions to sell Cree LED unit to Transom Capital By Investing.com (investing.com)
2026-03-09 — LED Studio Ushers in a New Era of Intelligent LED Display Technology Powered by Cree LED - Cree LED (cree-led.com)
2026-01-13 — Cree LED Introduces Fully Assembled L2 PCBA Solutions that Address a Wide Range of Indoor and Outdoor Lighting Use Cases - Cree LED (cree-led.com)
2025-12-02 — SANlight Chooses Cree LED for New Luminaire Series - Cree LED (cree-led.com)
2025-06-30 — "We let our customers focus on their end products without the IP concerns" (hortidaily.com)
Company details
Cree LED states that it holds over 30% of the global market share in high-power lighting LEDs. Cree LED was founded in 1987, has an estimated 1,000-5,000 employees, and is headquartered in Durham, North Carolina. On the LightSource stability read it is rated "Established & active": 39 years in operation (founded 1987). Holds IATF 16949, ISO 9001 certification(s) per public sources.
Frequently asked questions
What does Cree LED make?
Cree LED manufactures application-optimized LED chips, discrete LEDs, LED arrays, and LED modules for lighting and display uses. The company is headquartered in Durham, North Carolina, was founded in 1987, and has between 1,000 and 5,000 employees. It operates as a brand of Penguin Solutions and serves the automotive, electronics, renewable-energy, industrial-equipment, plumbing-hardware, and consumer-goods industries. In November 2026, Penguin Solutions announced an agreement to sell the Cree LED unit to Transom Capital Group.
Where is Cree LED headquartered?
Cree LED is headquartered in Durham, North Carolina (4400 Silicon Dr, Durham, North Carolina, 27703-8013).
When was Cree LED founded?
Cree LED was founded in 1987.
How big is Cree LED?
Cree LED has an estimated 1,000-5,000 employees.
What certifications does Cree LED hold?
Cree LED lists IATF 16949 · ISO 9001 on its website. Confirm the certified scope for the specific plant producing your part.
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Last verified Nov 2026. Is this your company? Request a correction.
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