Printed Electronics Industry Remains Positive But Cautious in 2024

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The results of the latest OE-A Business Climate Survey show slightly lower expectations for 2024 compared to the projections made in the 2023 surveys. However, the decline is at a high level: For 2024, responding association members expect a 13 percent increase in revenue for the flexible and printed electronics industry. "Our industry is even more confident in 2025, with an estimated growth of 17 percent. The relatively young Printed Electronics industry has come a long way in the last 15 years. I am convinced that we are on the right track, despite the challenging geopolitical situation," said Dr. Alain Schumacher, OE-A Vice Chairman and Chief Technology Officer at IEE in Luxembourg. The results of the OE-A Business Climate Survey were presented at the international press conference at LOPEC 2024 in Munich, Germany. The bi-annual survey is conducted by the Organic and Printed Electronics Association (OE-A), an international working group within VDMA. For each survey, OE-A member organizations from the entire value chain, from R&D to material suppliers to end users, are asked to provide qualitative data on the state of the industry, expected sales development and markets.

The positive picture is reinforced by the fact that 74 percent of respondents expect further growth and development in 2024 (Oct. 2023: 46%). This increase shows that the printed electronics industry is convinced that impulses will come from the targeted end-user industries such as Consumer Electronics, Automotive, Medical & Pharmaceutical and Packaging.

OE-A expects 13 percent revenue growth by 2024

With expected revenue growth of 13 percent, the printed electronics community is slightly less optimistic than in the fall of 2023 (+18 percent). By 2025, the industry's outlook brightens to an expected revenue growth of 17 percent. More than half of the companies expect to increase their investments in production within the next 6 months (53%), while the other half expects to keep investments at a constant level. We see a similarly stable picture for research and development: Half of the companies surveyed plan to increase their R&D activities, while the other half will keep activities stable.

On solid grounds

“We are dealing with a very volatile environment. Some of our key end markets are affected, such as the automotive market. For our industry, this is reflected in fluctuating sales forecasts. In addition to geopolitical crises, high energy costs and inflation are also taking their toll," concludes Dr. Alain Schumacher. “But thanks to the broad customer and product portfolio of printed electronics, we expect stable percentage growth in 2024 and beyond. The ingenuity of the industry is unbroken, and I look forward to presenting and seeing the results at LOPEC.”