Ever wonder how traffic signals or digital clocks light up? Probably not. But
working behind the scenes to illuminate such vital technology are the unsung heroes
of the electronics world — light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Energy-efficient
and durable, LEDs have been replacing incandescent light bulbs for more than 30
years, and Pervaiz Lodhie’s company, LEDtronics, has been leading the way.
“This revolution is growing faster than computer technology,” says
Lodhie ’71 BS, president and CEO of LEDtronics, which designs and manufactures
LEDs for 80 percent of the Fortune 500 companies. LEDtronics has come a long
way since its modest beginnings in 1983, when Lodhie and his wife, Alma, started
it up in their garage. “We’ve grown from a two-person operation
to more than 140 employees,” Lodhie says. Now the Torrance-based company
employs people from all over the world, and has a satellite office in Karachi,
Pakistan. Projects range from lighting on local bridges to walkway illumination
on the next-generation space station. “The variety of markets for which
we design is mind-boggling. I can’t think of any other product that can
cover such a broad spectrum.”
LEDs are more energy-efficient than ordinary incandescent bulbs because they
don’t have a filament that burns out, don’t get especially hot and
are illuminated solely by the movement of electrons in the semiconductor material.
Considered a global pioneer of the LED light bulb, Lodhie says his company
sets design standards for the entire industry. He has also put this innovative
technology to great use in his native Pakistan. “Many people there do
not have lighting, so they burn toxic kerosene, or rely on candles,” Lodhie
explains. “This energy-efficient lighting used with solar panels can help
Pakistan.”
Lodhie says that his time at Cal State L.A. helped him immensely. “I
found my first engineering job as a student through the Center for Career Planning
and Placement. And Cal State L.A. provided me with a hands-on, affordable education,
and gave me all the tools I use in the field of mechanical engineering.”
Lodhie, a 1999 Distinguished Alumnus, remains active as a member of the College
of Engineering, Computer Science, and Technology Advisory Board. He also established
the Pervaiz and Alma Lodhie Scholarship for engineering students.
Most of all, he loves what he does. “It’s very rewarding to be
in a business where I’m able to solve problems,” Lodhie says. “I’m
constantly driven to find ways to make life easier.”
Publish Date: April, 2004
Copyright © by California State University, Los Angeles
