OE-A Expands Its International Network

International cooperation is inalienable in terms of driving organic and printed electronics into the market. “How do we bring products to market? How do we optimize and standardize materials and processes?” These questions are key issues. The OE-A (Organic and Printed Electronics Association) together with the Japanese Association JAPERA (Japan Advanced Printed Electronics Technology Research Association) organized a working group meeting in Tokyo, Japan, which dealt with the questions above and further completed the OE-A’s international network.
 
There was great interest: more than 70 participants from around the world came together in Tokyo in late January.
 
“The attendees took the opportunity to get an overview of the international state of technology and to make new contacts,” said OE-A chairman Dr. Stephan Kirchmeyer. All sides were very open. Several participants are planning intercontinental collaboration on research projects. The willingness to do so was made possible thanks to the open dialogue with JAPERA.
 
During the working group meeting there was a clear focus on current trends. High-level speakers talked about technology developments in the Japanese market. Additional highlights were the visits to Japanese companies’ research centers – Sumitomo Chemical, for example. The chemicals company develops OLED materials for the next generation of televisions and materials for organic photovoltaics, batteries and fuel cells. KOMORI Corporation, a leading Japanese manufacturer of printing machines, is developing printing methods for touch screens. AIST TIA, the Innovation Arena for Nanotechnology, deals with research, analysis and prototyping.
 
“Both big companies increasingly rely on the use of printed electronics,” Kirchmeyer said. For Japanese companies, printed electronics is a strategic issue. Investments are being made in the development of materials and the optimization of printing processes on the path to the future market for printed electronics. Lots of investments are being made in the development of materials and the optimization of printing processes to become well-positioned for the future market of printed electronics.
 
One important issue of the meeting was networking. “We need good international cooperation to bring organic and printed electronics to the market in large-scale applications,” said Prof Toshihide Kamata, deputy chairman of the OE-A, CTO at JAPERA and director of Flexible Electronics Research Center in AIST.
 
“During the meeting, cultural and linguistic barriers were reduced through personal contacts,” reported Dr. Kirchmeyer.
 
The participants want to continue to expand the network in order to pave the way for new developments in the field of organic and printed electronics. To do so, the OE-A is planning additional working group meetings in cooperation with national Japanese associations.
 
The OE-A also expanded its network at the exhibition Printable Electronics / Nanotech / Convertech in Tokyo during the last week of January right after the meeting. The OE-A was represented with a joint booth including various OE-A members.
 
“Our international seminar with distinguished speakers on the topic was very well-attended,” said OE-A managing director Dr. Klaus Hecker. This also shows that interest in the subject continues to be great.