More than 130 locations of convenience restaurant chain Sheetz, Inc. now feature state-of-the-art LED lighting by Cree, Inc. (Nasdaq: CREE). The installation of energy-efficient Cree interior and exterior lighting at Sheetz® retail gasoline locations is delivering a 45 percent reduction in energy costs for interior lighting and 50-55 percent reduction in exterior lighting compared to the antiquated lighting it replaced.
"LED technology has improved dramatically over the last several years and we saw that Cree was on the leading edge of LED lighting innovation," said Doug Knisely, director of building and petroleum construction, Sheetz, Inc. "We collectively determined that the conventional, antiquated lighting that we were using at Sheetz needed to be upgraded. High-quality lighting is an imperative to our business and is extremely vital to our customers that choose Sheetz to refuel their cars and refresh their bodies."
According to Sheetz, ranked 58th on Forbes Magazine's 2011 List of Top Private Companies, Cree® LED lighting will provide a significant return on investment. From Cree's near maintenance-free operation to the more than 50,000 hours of longevity, Sheetz expects a reduction in maintenance costs and to considerably lower the amount of kilowatt-hours of electricity used annually.
Knisely continued, "We are a customer service-focused brand and Cree's high-quality LED lighting makes our stores appear brighter, more visually appealing and helps us deliver a safer feeling atmosphere for our customers. We continue to reinvent ourselves and bring innovation to our industry and as we open new locations in our six-state footprint, we look forward to utilizing Cree LED lighting to help us maintain our commitment of quality to our customers."
"As an adopter of LED lighting in its new and remodeled locations, Sheetz is revolutionizing the customer experience in the retail gasoline and convenience store marketplace," said Christopher Ruud, Cree vice president, global sales, lighting. "Cree LED products, with high efficiency and low maintenance, are the ideal solution for the round-the-clock operations of convenience stores and gas stations."
Cree Edge™ area and flood luminaires and 227 Series™ canopy luminaires replaced the exterior metal halide lighting fixtures, providing enhanced color quality, uniformity and optimized illumination performance. Additionally, 46 of the 131 upgraded Sheetz stores are illuminated with CR14™ linear luminaires and CR6™ downlights, updating the original fluorescent and compact fluorescent lights.
