OE-A: Printed Electronics Expects Another Year of Growth

The signs are still set for growth in the organic and printed electronics industry; this is the clear message to result from the latest business climate survey conducted by the Organic and Printed Electronics Association (OE-A), a working group within VDMA.

90% of the survey participants expect the industry to continue its positive development in the coming year. The worldwide crisis caused by Covid-19 will however not leave companies unaffected.

The semi-annual OE-A Business Climate Survey sheds light on the anticipated growth of the organic and printed electronics industry.

During each survey, OE-A members – from material suppliers to end-users – are asked to provide qualitative data on the state of the industry and their expected sales development.

With a projected sales revenue growth of 8%, 2020 will be another successful year for OE-A members. This figure confirms the forecast from autumn 2019.

For 2021, a continuation of this positive trend within the organic and printed electronics industry is expected. The companies expect further development and stable growth in revenue of 10%. This growth is expected along the entire value chain.

The positive forecasts for 2020 are also reflected in other areas. Investments in production facilities and expenditure in R&D shows a slight growth.

Furthermore, according to the survey, the employment situation remains stable within the organic and printed electronics industry. The most important user industries are consumer electronics, automotive as well as medical and pharmaceutical.

“The expected increase in sales is of course very good news in a currently difficult global environment. However, it is at present unclear what the exact effects of the Coronavirus will be,” said Dr. Klaus Hecker, OE-A managing director. “We are experiencing the first delays in supply chains and postponements of projects and orders from our members, which will lead to a loss of sales. The exact extent cannot yet be estimated.”