January 22, 2026
Cree Lighting Furloughed Again. Still No Plan.
Messaging shifts to “re-entry,” but output and confidence continue to decline
The announcement landed one day before the current end date: Cree Lighting’s furlough is being extended once again, this time through February 13, marking the sixth extension since the company first paused most operations on October 2. The total furlough span now reaches four and a half months.
In messages to furloughed employees and business partners, President Sabu Krishnan assures that discussions with “interested parties” remain “very positive.” Both audiences are told that Cree Lighting is working toward a strategic plan, which the company “expects to announce on or before February 13.”
The positive wording is familiar. So is the ambiguity. But the tone this time is more assertive — especially in the external communication, where leadership frames the new extension as a deliberate move “to ensure that we can meet this goal.” It’s the strongest verbal commitment to a timeline Cree Lighting has made since October.
Whether that’s a signal of real momentum — or a bid to hold off further defections — remains to be seen.
Still Operating, but With Shrinking Reach
In both employee and partner messages, Cree Lighting reiterates that it is operating at “limited capacity.” The external letter goes further, listing four active functions: processing orders, handling returns and warranty claims, providing lighting layouts and technical support, and assisting customers through a shared inbox.
Yet sources close to the matter describe a very different trajectory — one of declining shipment output and deepening internal silence. Communication from executive leadership, they say, has been minimal outside of these regularly scheduled furlough emails.
One new detail in the partner letter suggests that Cree Lighting may be leaning on external resources: the company says it is working with third parties “to facilitate our backlog production using our suppliers.” The phrase could imply a growing dependence on contract manufacturing — a move that allows Cree Lighting to maintain the appearance of order activity while core operations remain deeply reduced.
October 1, 2025
3 WEEKSOriginal Furlough Announced
Duration: October 2 – October 23
Company cited "limited availability of materials" as the reason for the pause. Phone support was shut down immediately.
ARTICLE » Cree Lighting Announces Furlough, Stirring Uncertainty
October 22, 2025
+3 WEEKSFirst Extension
Duration: October 24 – November 14
Doubts increase throughout the channel. Customer support points to a shared inbox as phone lines remain closed.
ARTICLE » Cree Lighting Extends Furlough, Raising More Doubts
November 14, 2025
+2 WEEKSSecond Extension
Duration: November 15 – November 28
Messaging shifts to "strategic and financial solutions." Employees remain unpaid for 6+ weeks. Attrition accelerates as staff begin seeking other opportunities.
November 25, 2025
+2 WEEKSThird Extension
Duration: November 29 – December 12
First explicit mention of financing negotiations and a potential "closing prior to year-end." Interested-party site visits confirmed.
ARTICLE » Cree Lighting Signals Financing Deal Before Year-End
December 11, 2025
+3 WEEKSFourth Extension
Duration: December 13 – January 2, 2026
Company describes "final phase of negotiations." Limited capacity operations continue for orders, layouts, and warranty support.
December 30, 2025
+3 WEEKSFifth Extension
Duration: January 3 – January 23, 2026
New letter extends furlough through January 23. Reason cited: "holiday-period delay in availability of key parties." Limited-capacity activities continue including orders, layouts, warranty support, and shared inbox responses.
ARTICLE » Cree Lighting Extended Furlough for the Fifth Time
January 22, 2026
+3 WEEKSSixth Extension
Duration: January 24 – February 13, 2026
Messaging shifts to "re-entry" planning. Company commits to announcing strategic plan "on or before February 13." Third-party resources reportedly being used to facilitate backlog production. Output and internal confidence continue to decline despite positive messaging.
February 13 Becomes the New Marker
February 13 now looms as the next milestone. This time, the company isn’t just floating the date — it’s signaling that the extension is structured to support an actual plan announcement. Whether that plan involves a relaunch, a sale, or something in between, the wording suggests a shift from indefinite holding pattern to finite runway.
But the gap between messaging and motion remains wide. Despite the continued use of positive language, Cree Lighting has not disclosed what the deal structure might be, or how operations would scale back up. Meanwhile, attrition continues, many vendors reportedly remain unpaid and one supplier lawsuit is already on the books.
This isn’t a full shutdown — Cree Lighting continues to stress that operations remain active, however limited, and furloughed employees technically remain on the books. But after six extensions and more than 100 days of constrained activity, the outlook is narrowing. The February 13 deadline may bring clarity. Until then, what customers, employees, and agents are left with is the same thing they’ve had since October: a company in holding mode, talking about tomorrow, but giving little certainty about what — if anything — that future holds.
