Organic and Printed Electronics Industry to See 17% Revenue Growth in 2017

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The signs continue to be set for growth in the organic and printed electronics industry. This is the clear message of the latest business climate survey conducted by the OE-A (Organic and Printed Electronics Association), a Working Group within VDMA (Mechanical Engineering Industry Association). Three-quarters of survey participants expect the industry to continue its positive development in the coming year.

With projected sales revenue of 10%, 2016 will be a very successful year for OE-A members which confirms the expected outcomes of the previous survey, carried out earlier this year. For 2017, a continuation of the positive trend in the organic and printed electronics industry is expected – in all areas, from material suppliers to end-users. Companies expect further advancement and revenue growth of 17%.

Organic and Printed Electronics Industry Continues to Grow

The semi-annual OE-A Business Climate Survey sheds light on the anticipated growth of the Organic and Printed Electronics industry. Every six months, all OE-A members – from material suppliers to end-users – are asked to provide qualitative data on the state of the industry and expected development of their companies’ sales.

The positive outlook for 2017 is also reflected in other areas. Companies would like to continue to invest into expanding production. About one third even want to increase these investments. In addition, projects in R&D activities are broadened. Furthermore, there are promising opportunities for employees in the organic and printed electronics industry: 31% of the companies surveyed plan to hire additional staff in the next six months.

Thin, lightweight and flexible are characteristics of organic and printed electronics. These features enable novel applications in numerous areas. “OE-A members in particular are targeting the following sectors: consumer electronics, medical and pharmaceutical, automotive, packaging as well as energy,” says OE-A Chair Dr. Jeremy Burroughes. “Smart packaging, flexible displays, OLED lighting, flexible solar cells, disposable diagnostic equipment, interactive games or printed batteries are just a few examples of the current and future areas of application for printed electronics.”