Dr Klaus Hecker, OE-A: "Sustainability is a key driver in printed electronics"
On the occasion of drupa 2024, Dr Klaus Hecker, Managing Director of OE-A, a working group within VDMA, speaks about the trade fair and its significance for the printed electronics industry.
"drupa is a great opportunity for the printed electronics industry to come together with the graphic printing industry on one platform. We expect drupa to highlight a range of innovative solutions and the latest sustainable printing methods and practices. Sustainability is a driving force in many industries, including printing and packaging. We believe that printed electronics plays a crucial role, when it comes to more sustainable packaging solutions."
"The global packaging market is expected to grow in the coming years, also driven by the continued growth of e-commerce. The integration of printed electronics will enable smart packaging. Smart packaging supports logistic processes, protects against counterfeiting, and can monitor temperature, humidity, or mechanical stress. It enables active wireless communication and IoT applications by printed NFC and RFID tags."
"Printed electronics provides the toolbox for a wide range of applications including smart packaging: sensors, batteries, lighting, energy harvesting –produced with environmentally friendly and resource-saving processes using sustainable materials and substrates."
The OE-A at drupa 2024
The OE-A booth is in hall 14, D63, right next to the Touchpoint Sustainability, organised by VDMA. Additionally, the OE-A organises two seminars, presented at the drupa cube (hall 6, D03):
29 May, 3 to 5 pm: Printed Electronics Solutions for Sustainable Smart Packaging
4 June, 3 to 5 pm: Printed Electronics Technologies and Applications
Organic and Printed Electronics Association (OE-A)
The OE-A (Organic and Printed Electronics Association) is the leading international industry association for flexible, organic, and printed electronics. The OE-A represents the entire value chain of this emerging industry. Our members are world-class global companies and institutions, ranging from R&D institutes, mechanical engineering companies and material suppliers to producers and end-users. Well over 200 companies from Europe, Asia, North America, and Africa are working together to promote the establishment of a competitive production infrastructure for organic and printed electronics. The vision of the OE-A is to build a bridge between science, technology, and application. The OE-A is a working group within VDMA. More than 3,600 member companies from the engineering industry make VDMA the largest industry association in Europe.
Flexible, organic and printed electronics
Organic and printed electronics stands for a revolutionary new type of electronics: they are thin, lightweight, flexible, robust and produced at low cost. It enables new applications, including single-use devices enabling ubiquitous electronics.
LOPEC
The OE-A and Messe München are the hosts of LOPEC, the premier international exhibition and conference for the printed electronics industry. It addresses end-users, engineers, scientists, manufacturers and investors. LOPEC 2025 will be held 25-27 February, 2025.
Caption: "drupa is a great opportunity for the printed electronics industry to come together with the graphic printing industry on one platform. We expect drupa to highlight a range of innovative solutions and the latest sustainable printing methods and practices," says Dr Klaus Hecker, Managing Director, OE-A. (Picture: OE-A)