Opportunities are continuing to expand for makers of flexible and printed electronics, with smart packaging, sensors and wearables among some of the interesting markets.
 
LOPEC 2017, organized by the OE-A, is hosting its ninth exhibition and conference for the printed electronics industry, from March 28-30, 2017 at Messe Munich
 
With more than 150 companies scheduled to exhibit as well as 200 presenters, attendees will be able to come away with a wealth of knowledge.
 
LOPEC general chair Wolfgang Mildner said that the global scope has always been one of the main characteristics of the LOPEC Conference.            
 
“The 2017 edition will be even more international, with renowned scientists and representatives of industry giants from Asia, Europe, and the USA,” Gruber added.
 
“LOPEC is in its ninth year now and has been steadily continuing its course of expansion,” Barbara Ismaier, project director at Messe Münche, nnoted. “This uptrend is continuing into 2017. With over 150 exhibitors, we have already overtaken the final numbers of last year. Around half of the companies travel from abroad to join LOPEC in Munich. A total of 17 countries are represented in the exhibition this year. The strong international character of the event provides the perfect opportunity for global market orientation. In order to provide sufficient space for all of the new products, the exhibition area has been expanded. As for the LOPEC Conference, roughly 200 presentations will be given by renowned industry experts and scientists from about 30 different countries.”
 
Among the highlights of the conference include plenary speeches will be Dr. Sang Yoon Lee, SVP of Samsung Electronics, and Jennifer Y. C. Lin, CTO of AU Optronics, the largest manufacturer of LCD flat screens.
 
Lin will speak about printed transistors for flexible applications, and for displays in particular, while Lee will provide an insight into South Korean activities and state subsidization programs.
 
A speech on EU initiatives and the success of European funding policy in printed electronics will be given by a representative of the European Commission. Industry experts from ISORG as well as Cambrios Advanced Material and FlexTech Alliance will also be giving talks during the plenary.
 
    The Plenary sessions feature a range of notable speakers, including:  
•  Jean-Yves Gomez, ISORG founder and CEO: “Fully printed organic Sensors”
•  Dr. Melissa Grupen-Shemansky, SEMI CTO/FlexTech: “Collaboration and the Development of a Flexible Hybrid Electronics Ecosystem”
•  Dr. Sang Yoon Lee, Samsung SVP: “Printed Electronics in Korea and Future Prospect of Organic Electronics”
•  John LeMoncheck, Cambrios Advanced Material, president and CEO
•  Jennifer Y.C. Lin, AU Optronics Corporation, associate VP of Advanced Technology Research Center: “Toward Flexible Future of Electronics“
•  Khalil Rouhana, European Commission for Communications Networks, Content & Technology (BE), director
• Prof. Dr. Takao Someya , professor, University of Tokyo
• Thibaud Le Séguillon, CEO of Heliatek GmbH,
 
As for the Business, Technical and Scientific sessions, key markets will include Wearbales, Automotive and Aerospace, IoT, Flexible Displays and Lighting and much more.
   
Andrea Glawe, LOPEC exhibition chair, said that LOPEC 2017 will once again offer its Innovation Showcase, highlighting products that have already reached or are close to reaching consumers.
   
“Our Innovation Showcase will have a lot to offer: a lumbar bandage with textile electrodes for stimulating the muscles, developed by RWTH Aachen for both athletes and pain patients; an Audi production vehicle, whose OLED tail lights do not blind other drivers, but can easily be seen from extreme angles,” Glawereported. “And the multi-award-winning light designer Ingo Maurer will present one of his new OLED lamps. These are just a few of the many innovations already trading in the industry.”
   
LOPEC 2017 is providing new features for its visitors: For the first time, there will be a live coverage of LOPEC 2017 on Twitter. Attendees can follow @LOPECMunich to receive event tips and updates regarding the exhibition and the conference in real time. The official hashtag is #LOPEC2017.
   
“Further, an artificial palm tree awaits the participants in the entrance area of the ICM – Internationales Congress Centre München,” added Dr. Klaus Hecker, OE-A’s managing director. “Under the leaves that contain integrated solar cells, visitors will have the chance to relax, recover from the many business talks and charge up their smartphones at once. This product innovation is a striking example of how printed and organic electronics can make things easier for us in daily life. CSEM Brasil developed this palm tree for the ‘OE-A Competition,’ an innovation contest run by the OE-A (Organic and Printed Electronics Association), the industry association that organizes LOPEC together with Messe München.”
   
Mildner said that LOPEC’s continued growth shows that LOPEC is not only is an excellent platform for networking and establishing business relations in the field of printed electronics, but it is also a mirror of the industry.
   
“The continued growth of LOPEC reflects the increasing interest in the technology,” Mildner added. “More and more companies discover the advantages of printed electronics for their products and industries – a fact that is underpinned by the steadily growing exhibitor numbers. This year for the first time, the exhibitor number passed the 150 mark and LOPEC 2017 is almost fully booked. The growing space further proves the companies have more innovations to exhibit. Also the Innovation Showcase of LOPEC 2017 has doubled in size, presenting a range of real products that are already being produced in mass fabrication. This development underlines that the potential of printed electronics is undisputed.”
   
For more information on LOPEC, visit www.lopec.com.