Thinner, lighter, more sustainable: Printed electronics has long since left the laboratory and is redefining mass markets from mobility to healthcare. Anyone who wants to know which machines are increasing efficiency today and which trends will dominate business models tomorrow should make sure to visit Munich at the end of February. A look at the industry’s highlight event.
Electronics manufacturing is undergoing its biggest transformation since the introduction of surface mount technology (SMT). Where rigid circuit boards and bulky housings once dictated design, functional inks, flexible substrates, and additive processes now enable completely new form factors. For readers of Pro Flextronics, this change is no longer theory, but everyday business. But in a discipline that is developing as rapidly as organic and printed electronics, today’s lead quickly becomes yesterday’s standard.
From February 24 to 26, 2026, Messe München will once again become the global epicenter of this transformation with LOPEC (Large-area, Organic & Printed Electronics Convention). The recipe for success remains as simple as it is effective: the exhibition shows what exists. The conference explains what is important next – and why.
The exhibition: a marketplace of reality
Walking through the LOPEC exhibition halls, you are not entering a museum of dreams for the future, but a workshop of the present. Here it becomes clear: printed electronics is “ready for prime time.” For professionals in the fields of converting, assembly, and system integration, the exhibition offers tangible solutions to current challenges.
Mechanical engineering and process control in action
The live demonstrations are a highlight for every production expert. When Slovenian manufacturer INO presents its industrial screen printing machines, which finish up to 800 sheets per hour with high-precision electronics, the industrial scale becomes tangible. Advances in digital manufacturing, such as the nano-printing technologies from XTPL, also show how material savings and maximum resolution go hand in hand.
Particularly relevant for readers of Pro Flextronics: the entire process chain is represented. From substrate pretreatment and innovative coating and drying systems to final web inspection and quality assurance, decision-makers will find the hardware they need to scale up production.
The Innovation Showcase: hands-on best practices
What happens when these technologies meet creative engineering? The Innovation Showcase provides the answer. Market-ready products are presented here that demonstrate how printed electronics increase added value:
- Mobility: Heraeus’ fully functional smart window shows how functional coatings are changing the automotive world. The use of PEDOT:PSS creates intelligent glass surfaces that can digitally control light and heat without compromising transparency or design freedom.
- Smart Living: EPISHINE shows that battery replacement could soon be a thing of the past with an innovative Google TV remote control. It is powered entirely by a small, integrated organic photovoltaic (OPV) cell – a prime example of efficient energy harvesting in the consumer sector.
- Healthcare: One highlight is the VTT Wearable Sensor. This flexible sensor was developed specifically for life science applications such as dialysis and impressively demonstrates how stretchable electronics make patient monitoring more comfortable and precise.
The Conference: The roadmap for your business success
While the exhibition reflects the status quo, the LOPEC Conference is the place where strategies for the next three to five years are forged. For executives and developers, it is the compass in a complex market.
Why the Conference is indispensable
The message is clear: Those who only visit the exhibition see the fruits. Those who attend the conference understand the roots and growth potential. In the plenary sessions, industry heavyweights provide insights into their visions. When experts from companies such as Marquardt or E Ink Corporation talk about the integration of printed electronics into complex user interfaces, they are not discussing academic details, but future supply chains and market shares.
The conference modules 2026
- Short Courses: Perfect for a quick deep dive. In 45 minutes, experts convey compact knowledge on topics such as bio-based materials, slot-die processing, or the integration of sensor technology in fiber composites.
- Scientific Conference: Leading researchers from around the world define the “state of the art”. For example, when talking about carbon and metal-based materials. Here, they show how highly conductive inks and novel metal structures will push the boundaries of miniaturization and conductivity in industrial printing in the future.
- Business Conference: This module revolves around market analyses and business models. The central question: How can flexible electronics be used to earn money sustainably?
Focus 2026: Sustainability as a competitive advantage
One topic runs like a thread through all areas: sustainability. Printed electronics has a natural home advantage here. Additive processes consume less material and energy than classic etching processes. At LOPEC 2026, this advantage will be massively expanded. Biodegradable substrates and inks that enable true recycling of electronic components will be on display. At a time when regulatory pressure (keywords: The EU supply chain law, CO² balance) is increasing, LOPEC offers the technological answers to the political questions of tomorrow.
Conclusion: Your ticket to the future
LOPEC is more than an exhibition, it is a working tool. It offers the rare opportunity to meet the entire value chain in one place: from materials researchers and machine builders to end users from the automotive or pharmaceutical industries.
For you as a reader of Pro Flextronics, a visit means:
- Technology check: Do your current manufacturing processes still meet industry standards?
- Network expansion: Meet the key players in the industry and establish contacts with new partners.
- Knowledge advantage: Attend the conference to understand which trends (e.g., indoor photovoltaics or humanoid robotics) will trigger the next wave of orders.
Be there when Munich becomes the stage for the electronics of tomorrow. See you at LOPEC 2026!
At a glance: LOPEC 2026
- When: February 24–26, 2026 (conference) | February 25–26, 2026 (exhibition)
- Where: Messe München, ICM (International Conference Center Munich)
- Tickets & program: LOPEC