Cree SmartCast PoE Chosen by mindSHIFT Cloud Services Facility

DURHAM, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

mindSHIFT, a leading IT outsourcing and cloud services provider, selected SmartCast^® Power over Ethernet (PoE) LED lighting by Cree, Inc. CREE integrated with a Cisco network for the build-out of its cloud mounting services facility in Long Island, N.Y. SmartCast PoE is an intuitively simple, scalable and open platform that enables the Internet of Things (IoT) for buildings through better light. The system embeds intelligence to make buildings more efficient and people more productive, while delivering far better light for less energy than ordinary LED lighting systems.

"As a leading IT outsourcing and cloud services provider, we were looking for a lighting system with IT integration that would help us meet aggressive energy savings goals while enabling us to take advantage of additional intelligence benefits, such as control, data collection and analytics, well into the future," said Tim March, mindSHIFT vice president, data center operations. "Cree's SmartCast^® PoE is the newest LED technology on the market that helps us package lighting into our overall operations system to be more productive."

Working with A+ Technology & Security Solutions as the systems integrator, Cree's SmartCast PoE LED lighting integrated with a Cisco standards-based PoE-powered network to create a Digital Ceiling solution. It was deployed across 40,000-square-feet of data center and office space. As a technology company focused on adopting the latest and best integrated IT solutions, mindSHIFT was attracted by the value of the entire solution, including its efficiency, sophisticated control and opportunities to utilize its connectivity for data collection, systems integration and future applications.

"Cree's goal is to provide better light that is simple and intelligent with limitless possibilities," said David Elien, Cree senior vice president, lighting. "Cree SmartCast^® Technology with PoE can deliver energy savings up to 70 percent greater than LED lighting alone, while making new services and experiences possible."

mindSHIFT was confident in selecting an intelligent lighting platform that brings together two technology industry leaders. Cree^® SmartCast PoE is part of the Cisco^® Digital Ceiling framework, which connects disparate systems into a single IP network to create smart, more secure, seamlessly connected building systems.

"Cisco is excited to work with Cree and the partner community to continue making the Digital Ceiling framework a reality," said Tony Shakib, vice president, IoT verticals business unit, Cisco. "Cree's expertise is important as we make this shift in the industry to help customers in the enterprise begin to harness the benefits of network powered lighting solutions."

The overhead lighting for the campus is delivered by Cree's CR Series LED troffers, including the CR22^™, CR24^™ and CR14^™ troffers. The architectural troffers provide a combination of extreme energy productivity and a more personalized light experience that's so intuitive and simple, it just works. Featuring adjustable color temperatures, the dynamic lighting solutions enable better control over spaces while simplifying project specification, ordering and installation – all while achieving remarkable color quality and consistency. Using SmartCast PoE Technology, the troffers deliver unrivaled performance and efficiency with up to 4000 lumens of 90+ CRI light while achieving up to 130 lumens per watt.

SmartCast PoE and the SmartCast Manager solve the inherent commissioning complexities of deploying network-powered smart lighting within buildings. Cree's SmartCast PoE works out of the box, just like the original SmartCast Technology, and SmartCast Manager enables an entire building to be commissioned at one time with a single stroke. Cree's series of SmartCast^® lights, light switches and dimmers operates with a Cisco standards-based PoE-powered network. This platform provides power and networking for the lights with a standard Ethernet cable, eliminating the need for separate data and high-voltage power connections.

Cree SmartCast PoE is commercially available, and additional installs are underway. Visit www.cree.com/smartcast for more information.

About Cree, Inc.:

Cree is a market-leading innovator of lighting-class LEDs, lighting products and semiconductor products for power and radio frequency (RF) applications. Cree believes in better light experiences and is delivering new innovative LED technology that transforms the way people experience light through high-quality, interior and exterior LED lighting solutions.

Cree's product families include LED lighting systems and bulbs, blue and green LED chips, high-brightness LEDs, lighting-class power LEDs, power-switching devices and RF devices. Cree's products are driving improvements in applications such as general illumination, electronic signs and signals, power supplies and inverters.

For additional product and Company information, please refer to www.cree.com.

This press release contains forward-looking statements involving risks and uncertainties, both known and unknown, that may cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated. Actual results may differ materially due to a number of factors, including the risk that actual savings and lifetimes will vary from expectations; the risk we may be unable to manufacture these new products with sufficiently low cost to offer them at competitive prices or with acceptable margins; the risk we may encounter delays or other difficulties in ramping up production of our new products; customer acceptance of our new products; the rapid development of new technology and competing products that may impair demand or render Cree's products obsolete; and other factors discussed in Cree's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its report on Form 10-K for the year ended June 28, 2015, and subsequent filings.

Cree^® and SmartCast^® are registered trademarks and CR14^™, CR22^™, and CR24^™ are trademarks of Cree, Inc. mindSHIFT^® is a registered trademark of Mindshift Technologies, Inc.

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