As drupa 2024 kicked off today in Düsseldorf, Germany, Dr Klaus Hecker, Managing Director of OE-A (a Working Group within VDMA), shared his thoughts on the show and its significance for the printed electronics industry.
“drupa is a great opportunity for the printed electronics industry to come together with the graphic printing industry on one platform. We expect drupa to highlight a range of innovative solutions and the latest sustainable printing methods and practices. Sustainability is a driving force in many industries, including printing and packaging. We believe that printed electronics plays a crucial role when it comes to more sustainable packaging solutions.”
Integration of printed electronics enables smart packaging
“The global packaging market is expected to grow in the coming years, also driven by the continued growth of e-commerce. The integration of printed electronics will enable smart packaging. Smart packaging supports logistic processes, protects against counterfeiting, and can monitor temperature, humidity, or mechanical stress. It enables active wireless communication and IoT applications by printed NFC and RFID tags,” Hecker emphasised.
“Printed electronics provides the toolbox for a wide range of applications including smart packaging: sensors, batteries, lighting, energy harvesting –produced with environmentally friendly and resource-saving processes using sustainable materials and substrates.”
OE-A seminars at drupa
OE-A exhibits in hall 14, D63, right next to the drupa Touchpoint Sustainability. Furthermore, the industry association has announced two seminars at the drupa cube (Hall 6, D03):
29 May, 03-05 pm: Printed Electronics Solutions for Sustainable Smart Packaging
4 June, 03-05 pm: Printed Electronics Technologies and Applications