LOPEC 2025 is in the books. With 2,400 trade visitors and around 170 exhibitors from 29 countries, the positive numbers from 2024 were confirmed.
After a record-setting first exhibition day on 26 February, LOPEC, as in previous years, was affected by a large strike at the German airports on the second day – a “tradition” that the organisers at Messe München would certainly like to eliminate as soon as possible!
Murky waters
Like many other industry sectors, the printed electronics community is affected by the erratic and unpredictable policies of the new administration in the United States, as well as the overall reluctance of buyers to invest. In these murky waters, the outlook that LOPEC co-organiser OE-A (Organic and Printed Electronics Association) was able to present in its latest Business Climate Survey is still rather positive and encouraging.
According to the OE-A, “Growth expectations for 2025 have dropped significantly, with association members now forecasting a 9 percent increase in revenues – down from the 17 percent growth expected in the previous survey.” Thus, while there is certainly room for improvements, things could be far worse.
New faces
The sentiment that printed electronics can be an opportunity in these challenging times is certainly reflected by the presence of some key machinery and equipment suppliers from the converting and coating industry. This means on the one hand that companies that want to invest in printed electronics technologies can select from a wider range of machinery suppliers. On the other hand, established suppliers may have to face the reality of more competition within this niche.
Design choices
When it comes to Mobility, the LOPEC Conference offered fascinating insights into the current design choices of automotive companies and display manufacturers.
Audi’s Dr Werner Thomas reported that, even after ten years of usage, the first generation of mass-produced OLED backlights doesn’t show any signs of malfunctions. Moreover, he presented customisable OLED backlight concepts that can also display warning signals for the traffic following behind the car. My concern is that design elements that will almost never be seen by the actual owner of the car may not play the largest role in the purchase decision . . .
Wan-Tsang Wang from Taiwanese display maker AUO focused on the car interior in his Plenary Session lecture. Haptic feedback is clearly a missing element in today’s flat car touchscreens – his company’s concept for a stretchable display on a ‘knob’ is a potential solution for this problem.
Market development
Smart Living and Mobility will remain the main market drivers of printed electronics, while OPV has also taken further steps towards mass-market adoption. The market is evolving and constantly changing. LOPEC has once again managed to attract several first-time exhibitors, which is another piece of good news for the entire sector.
Written by Martin Hirschmann, Editor-in-Chief