Hsinchu, Taiwan – June 11, 2019 – E Ink Holdings, “E Ink” (8069.TW), the leading innovator of electronic ink technology, today announced a strategic investment in Plastic Logic HK, the newly formed fabless designer and manufacturer of flexible, glass-free electrophoretic displays (EPDs), focused on Organic TFT (OTFT) technology that is suitable for developing flexible EPD devices in wearables applications.
The market for wearable technology will reach $70 billion by 2025, with medical, fitness and wellness expected to be the dominant sectors, according to IDTechEx. The always-on nature of E Ink technology combined with the flexible feature of Organic TFT are ideally suited for wearables, especially for clothing.
OTFT technology offers a light-weight and robust backplane solution for wearable devices. “With the advancement of E Ink’s materials, such as three-color ePaper materials and ACeP (Advanced Color ePaper), the combination of color ePaper and Organic TFT technology can be an attractive display solution for many wearable device manufacturers,” said Johnson Lee, President of E Ink Holdings. “E Ink supports its ecosystem partners, including Plastic Logic, to help enlarge the market for ePaper applications to facilitate the vision of E Ink making every surface smart.”
Plastic Logic HK was formed by Rusnano to bring commercial mass produced OTFT EPD’s to market, building upon the legacy of nearly ten years of investment and support of the technology.
“Using technology originating at Cambridge University, Plastic Logic HK has exclusive access to the leading OTFT technology and is the only company in the industry that can mass produce OTFT backplanes for electronic paper displays.” Tim Burne, CEO, Plastic Logic HK commented, “Following this investment we are delighted to be working more closely with E Ink as Plastic Logic HK completes the last stage of transition to a fabless OTFT EPD display business. Plastic Logic HK will be leveraging E Ink’s supply chain and module facility to improve the cost structure of Plastic Logic’s organic ePaper display module. Plastic Logic HK is a fabless entity that will partner with existing TFT makers to enable them to use the patented organic TFT design and processes needed to make OTFT-based EPD displays.”
About E Ink Holdings
E Ink Holdings Inc. (8069.TWO), based on technology from MIT’s Media Lab, has transformed and defined the eReader market and is redefining the signage, architecture and design, mobile, wearable and retail markets with its ePaper technology, enabling a new multi-billion dollar market in less than 10 years. Its corporate philosophy aims to deliver revolutionary products, user experiences and environmental benefits through advanced technology development. This vision has led to its continuous investments in the field of ePaper displays as well as expanding the use of its technologies into a number of other markets and applications including smart packaging and fashion. Its Electrophoretic Display products make it the worldwide leader for ePaper. Its Fringe Field Switching (FFS) technologies are a standard for high-end LCD displays and have been licensed to all major liquid crystal display makers in the world. Listed in Taiwan’s Taipei Exchange (TPEx) and the Luxembourg market, E Ink Holdings is now the world’s largest supplier of ePaper displays. For more information please visit www.eink.com.
About RUSNANO
RUSNANO Joint-Stock Company was founded in March 2011 through the reorganization of state corporation Russian Corporation of Nanotechnologies. JSC RUSNANO contributes to the implementation of the state policy on the development of the nanotechnology industry by investing directly and through investment funds of nanotechnology in financially effective high-technology projects providing the development of new production facilities in the Russian Federation. Its primary investment focus is in electronics, optoelectronics and telecommunications, healthcare and biotechnology, metallurgy and metalwork, energy, mechanical engineering and instrument making, construction and industrial materials, chemicals and petrochemicals. 100 percent of RUSNANO’s shares are state owned. Thanks to RUSNANO’s investments, there are currently 97 factories and R&D Centers opened in 37 regions in Russia. JSC RUSNANO has been profitable for the last 5 years.
Management of assets of RUSNANO JSC is carried out by a Limited Liability Company established in December 2013, the RUSNANO Management Company. Anatoly Chubais is the Chairman of its Executive Board.
Work to establish nanotechnology infrastructure and carry out educational programs is fulfilled by RUSNANO’s Fund for Infrastructure and Educational Programs, which was also established during the reorganization of the Russian Corporation of Nanotechnologies. www.rusnano.com
About Plastic Logic HK
Plastic Logic HK is the leader in the development and manufacture of innovative flexible, plastic electronics based and glass-free electrophoretic displays (EPD). The company builds upon world renowned heritage of early leadership in the field of flexible electronics manufacturing and inherits a legacy that includes the set up and operation a full-scale, pilot facility in Dresden, Germany, with over a decade of experience.
Having fully industrialised the process, Plastic Logic has now outsourced manufacture of the most flexible and robust EPDs on the market to volume production partners. Its displays are available in a wide range of sizes, including custom display solutions for high volume orders. Plastic Logic’s EPDs offer a range of advantages over conventional EPDs being truly flexible, lightweight and shatterproof in addition to the inherent daylight readability and low power consumption of conventional EPDs.
Plastic Logic’s glass-free, flexible displays have been integrated in a wide range of applications including smart cards, mobile devices (smartphone accessories and eNotes, eSchoolbooks), digital signage, electronic badges and wearables (smart jewellery and sports accessories amongst others). www.plasticlogic.com
