New NanoMarkets Reports States That OLED Lighting Markets to Reach $4.5 Billion by 2013
According to a new report from NanoMarkets LC, the OLED lighting market will reach almost $4.5 billion by 2013 and grow to $5.9 billion by 2015. The firm claims that in the past year the prospects for OLED lighting have made great leaps forward because of improvements in OLED performance and manufacturing.
The new NanoMarkets report, "OLED Lighting Markets 2008" provides a complete analysis of the commercial opportunities for OLED lighting used for backlighting, general illumination, specialty/architectural lighting, vehicular lighting, signage and niche applications. It also includes detailed eight-year (volume and value) forecasts of these markets for as well as strategic profiles of all the leading firms developing and marketing this emerging technology, as well as the activities of government funded projects in the US and Europe.
A companion report addressing OLED materials will be released in early October.
Key findings from the report:
- The unit costs of OLED lights are likely to remain higher than older general lighting technologies but the extra costs will be offset by improved OLED lifetimes and efficiencies. During 2008, OLED lifetimes improved from 24 Khrs to 100 Khrs. Meanwhile, the US Department of Energy now expects OLED lighting to reach 150 lm/W efficiency in 2012 rather than 2014 as previously forecast. NanoMarkets believes that these and other improvements in OLEDs will drive the general illumination market to $2.3 billion in revenues by 2015.
- Manufacturing processes for OLEDs have also progressed significantly. GE and the Fraunhofer Institute have both demonstrated roll-to-roll manufacturing of OLED lighting which will ultimately lead to significant cost improvements in OLED fabrication. Low cost printing approaches and new small molecule inks will also help propel OLEDs into the backlighting market. NanoMarkets expects that the OLED backlighting market will reach $1.1 billion by 2015. And while the first OLED lighting panels are quite small, the recent scaling up of factories in Asia to build large OLED displays will certainly benefit the manufacturing infrastructure for OLED lighting and lead to larger panels within a few years.
- The flat and flexible format presented by OLEDs creates an opportunity to design high-value added lighting fixtures with an appeal to upscale consumers and especially architects. During 2008, lighting designer Ingo Maurer introduced the world's first OLED "function table light" and researchers at GE are targeting lighted curtains and lighted wallpaper. By 2015, NanoMarkets projects that sales of OLED architectural and specialist industrial lighting will reach $1.9 billion.
Applied Nanotech Holdings, Inc. Expands Research Agreement
Applied Nanotech Holdings, Inc. has been expanded the third phase of its research project with an industrial chemical products company in Japan, and the previously announced funding of $700,000 has been increased to $1.2 million over the next year in order to accelerate the prototyping of copper inkjettable inks and product introduction. The parties also expect a fourth phase of the project, of at least the same magnitude, to begin in October 2009 to expand the applications.
In addition, the companies agreed to enter negotiations to finalize an exclusive worldwide license to Applied Nanotech’s copper inks technology within the parameters set forth in the current research agreement between the companies. These parameters include an upfront payment of up to $2 million and a running royalty rate of 4 percent on sales of the copper ink product. The parties agreed to finalize and execute the license agreement no later than April 15, 2009. During the period until then, the parties will formulate a comprehensive worldwide license agreement drafted in both English and Japanese, based on the results of the R&D partnership.
OE-A Establishes New North American Operations
In September 2008, the Organic Electronics Association (OE-A) established local representation in the North American market to improve service to members. The OE-A promotes organic and printed electronics globally by providing the premier international industry network. “Following the recent global expansion, especially in the United States, we are forming a North American chapter of the Organic Electronics Association,” said Wolfgang Mildner, chairman of the OE-A and Managing Director of Poly IC GmbH & Co KG. Barbara M. Fisher was appointed as Regional Manager OE-A in North America. Ms. Fisher brings a strong background in the automotive and chemical industries as well as extensive international experience to this newly created position. The North American office of the OE-A will be based in Pittsburgh, Penn. to provide local service to members of the industry association.
The new North American chapter will be an integral part of the international network while enhancing direct contact to leading global member companies and institutes. In addition, the OE-A conducts quarterly working group meetings for members to advance this important emerging industry in the US as well as worldwide.
The OE-A targets entities from the entire supply chain of organic and printed electronics; member companies range from material suppliers, equipment and device manufacturers to research institutes and end-users. Recent new memberships in the US reflect that the activities of the OE-A are important for the entire value chain: equipment manufacturer Kammann Machines and The Marketing Store have joined to drive membership in the OE-A over 100 members worldwide, more than tripling global membership in the association since its inception in 2004.
Report Predicts Promising Future for Printed Electronics
Research and Markets now offers Printed and Thin Film Transistors and Memory 2008-2028. According to the report by IDTechEx, printed electronics will be a $300 billion market within 20 years. The largest segment will be printed transistors and memory. They will drive lighting, displays, signage, electronic products, medical disposables, smart packaging, smart labels and much more besides. The chemical, plastics, printing, electronics and other industries are cooperating to make it happen. Already, more than 150 organizations are developing printed transistors and memory, with first products being sold in 2008.
This 339 page report is intended for those wishing to see the big picture and those new to the subject. There are no equations or academic references and the text will be readily understandable for those from all the industries now seeking a place in this value chain.
There is much more to printed electronics than commonly appears in press reports and research papers. This is a huge revolution impacting most aspects of human endeavor. Billion dollar suppliers will be created and even the smallest organizations involved are already signing deals with some of the largest - there is room for everyone.
Those thinking that this is all about organic electronics are boxing themselves into a corner. Those that think that printed transistors and memory are being developed by the few companies often mentioned in the press are missing the work at more than150 organizations, most of it very exciting indeed. The companies are distributed as follows.
The immediately accessible markets for printed transistors are commonly described as being back plane drivers for displays and use in RFID but that is misleading. We give the big picture - something not previously available - and also look at the impediments to successful commercialization of these components, in an honest and balanced appraisal. Forecasts are given for the next ten years and beyond.
Novaled Nominated for CleanTech 100 Award
Novaled AG, a company focused on power efficient and long living Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLEDs) is a nominee of the 2008 CleanTech 100, a grant awarded by The Guardian Library House every year.
Novaled is nominated in the electrical category with its unique doping technology. The company develops a new OLED generation for visionary lighting and display applications and other Organic Electronics (OE) like Organic Solar Cells and Organic Transistors.
Clean technology is attracting billions of dollars of investment and carries the hope of a low-polluting and sustainable future. By considering growth potential and environmental impact potential, the Guardian Library House 2008 CleanTech 100 formed a collection of 100 companies among those most likely to change the world. Library House's expertise lies in tracking fast-growth innovation-based private companies in different sectors.
Novaled OLEDs have longest lifetimes for red color OLEDs of up to 1 million hours (corresponding to 100 years) in permanent operation. Another advantage of OLEDs in comparison to other lighting sources like energy saving bulbs is that the devices don‘t use mercury, a very problematic material for health and environment.
Ford Flex Partners with Esquire and E Ink to Present First Digital Magazine Cover
In celebration of its 75th Anniversary, Esquire Magazine and the new Ford Flex make publishing history with the first digital cover. The magazine merges print and electronic technology in a first-or-its-kind electronic cover that represents the best-in-class technology available from the Ford Flex crossover.
The cover of the October issue of the magazine and the double-page advertisement for the Flex inside the front cover gives the illusion of moving words and images of Ford's newest crossover "electrifying the night," courtesy of flexible electronic display technology produced by E Ink, the same company that developed the technology used in Amazon.com's e-book device, the Kindle. The display provides an exceptional reading experience on an electronic screen that looks and feels like paper.
Esquire will distribute 100,000 issues with the special cover, – each with a built-in battery that will keep the display active for as long as six months, on newsstands. The magazines are available at Borders, Barnes & Noble and select newsstand vendors. |
Creative Materials has introduced a series of silver conductive inks specifically for the thin film photovoltaic industry. These products are designed to offer high conductivity and contact resistance along with excellent adhesion to a variety of transparent conductive oxides (TCO). The products operate over a wide temperature range, offer flexibility and provide excellent environmental aging. This series of inks and adhesives are designed to operate in high humidity environments and offer excellent thermal cycling stability. One and two component curing epoxy systems are offered. 
10th Annual OLEDs World Summit
Printed Electronics 2008
3rd Annual Plastic and Thin Film Photovoltaics
Organic Photovoltaics 2009