LOPEC 2016 – Printed electronics as a key technology of the future

 

From 5 to 7 April 2016, LOPEC displayed pioneering and innovative products from the field of printed electronics in Munich, Germany. 148 companies made their way from 18 countries to exhibit at the International Exhibition and Conference for the printed electronics industry. Falk Senger, managing director of the organiser Messe München GmbH, is delighted with the record number of exhibitors: “This year, we have seen our exhibitor numbers increase by over 10%. More and more sectors are putting their trust in this key technology and using LOPEC as a platform for presenting their innovations on an international level.”

For the first time, Indian, Spanish, and South Korean companies were among the exhibitors. The international pavilions from France and Japan as well as the high number of exhibitors from the UK and the USA confirmed how important LOPEC is on a global scale. More than 2000 visitors from over 40 countries attended LOPEC 2016. The key industry markets were also reflected in the most strongly represented nations in terms of visitors, which, besides Germany, were the UK, the USA and Japan.

LOPEC set the stage for the European premiere of Audi's OLED tail lights. Stephan Berlitz, head of development, Lighting Functions and Innovations at Audi, summarises: “Back in 2013, we had the chance to discuss potential solutions with the specialists at LOPEC and now, three years later, our OLED tail lamps are being put into series production.” At this year's event, Audi revealed this latest innovation during its plenary session at the LOPEC Conference as well as displayed their technology at the Innovation Showcase, an exhibition area dedicated to product innovations and prototypes.

Other key industry players—including adidas, Carta Mundi and Schneider Electric—offered fascinating insights into their requirements for printed electronics during their own talks at the LOPEC Conference.