DURHAM, N.C.  — Cree, Inc. (Nasdaq: CREE) introduces a series of LED T8 replacement tubes that finally gives commercial lighting users reasons to switch to LED lighting and stop using linear fluorescent tubes. The Cree® LED T8 Series is the first linear fluorescent replacement to deliver on the promise of LED technology with the industry’s best light quality, 30 percent energy savings and near-universal driver compatibility. The Cree LED T8 Series is eligible for utility rebates, comes with a five-year warranty, and has a suggested retail price of $30.

“With the Cree® LED T8 Series, customers no longer have to accept outdated fluorescent technology as their only choice,” said Chuck Swoboda, Cree Chairman and CEO. “Similar to what we’ve achieved with the Cree LED Bulb in the residential market, the Cree LED T8 Series is revolutionizing the commercial lighting market with a product that saves energy, delivers superior light quality and is universally compatible with nearly all existing fluorescent T8 ballasts. There’s no reason to install another linear fluorescent tube again.”

Powered by Cree TrueWhite® Technology, the Cree LED T8 Series delivers the industry’s best color quality and accuracy in both 3500K and 4000K color temperatures. Its innovative oval shaped design allows for more uplight than other LED replacement lamps, creating more uniform light output during its 50,000-hour lifetime. The Cree LED T8 Series’ patent-pending circuit design enables compatibility with Instant Start, Programmed Start, Rapid Start and most dimmable fluorescent ballasts. The most compatible LED T8 replacement tube on the market, the Cree LED T8 Series provides flexibility for customers looking for an easy upgrade to LED, especially for education, health care and commercial office applications.

The Cree LED T8 Series is available in the U.S. and Canada. Please visit www.cree.com/lighting/T8Series to learn more.

About Cree

Cree is leading the LED lighting revolution and making energy-wasting traditional lighting technologies obsolete through the use of energy-efficient, mercury-free LED lighting. Cree is a market-leading innovator of lighting-class LEDs, LED lighting and semiconductor products for power and radio-frequency (RF) applications.

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

Visit www.cree.com/lighting for additional product and company information.

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 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; the risk that actual savings and lifetimes will vary from expectations; customer acceptance of LED 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 30, 2013, and subsequent filings.