The Organic and Printed Electronics Industry Expects Increase of 11 Percent in Sales in 2016

The signs are still set for growth in the organic and printed electronics industry. This is the clear message of the latest business climate survey conducted by the OE-A (Organic and Printed Electronics Association), as 80 percent of survey participants expect the industry to continue its positive development in the coming year. The results of this survey, carried out for the fifth time now, were presented by OE-A Chair Dr. Jeremy Burroughes to the international press at LOPEC 2016 – the international trade fair and conference – in Munich, Germany.

The semi-annual OE-A Business Climate Survey sheds light on the anticipated growth of the organic and printed electronics industry. Each time, all of the OE-A members – from material suppliers to end-users – are asked to provide qualitative data on the state of the industry and expected development of their sales.

“With a projected sales revenue of 11 percent, 2016 will be a very successful year for OE-A members – even if the growth is 7 percentage points lower compared to the forecasts in 2015. “It is understandable that companies are careful in making predictions at the beginning of the year,” said Dr. Burroughes.

For 2017, a continuation of the positive trend in the organic and printed electronics industry is expected – in all areas, from material suppliers to end-users, as well as in all regions: Europe, Asia and North America. The companies expect further advancement and revenue growth of 13 percent.

Thin, lightweight and flexible are characteristics of organic and printed electronics. These features enable applications in numerous areas. OE-A members in particular target the following sectors: consumer electronics, medical and pharmaceutical, automotive, energy, as well as printing and graphic arts.

“That these sectors are important to the organic and printed electronics industry becomes apparent at LOPEC 2016,” said Dr. Burroughes. “Applications in the areas of wearables, automotive, packaging and smart buildings are key topics, at the trade fair as well as the conference”.

The positive forecasts for 2016 are also reflected in other areas. Companies want to continue to invest into expanding production. About one third even want to increase these investments. Survey respondents especially want to expand capacity in R&D activities. Furthermore, there are good opportunities for employees in the organic and printed electronics industry: 32 percent of the companies surveyed plan to hire additional employees in the next six months.