Nagase and Inkron Collaborate on Novel Optical Materials for Emerging Displays

TOKYO and HELSINKI, Feb. 2, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — Nagase & Co., Ltd. and Nagase ChemteX Corporation (herein after jointly called Nagase), a major global group providing marketing, sales and manufacturing of specialty and electronics materials for semiconductor, display and other electronics applications; and Inkron, a technology leader in printed siloxane based nano-ink and paste materials for the display, semiconductor and printed electronics industries, today announced the start of development and manufacturing collaboration for the area of OLED and on-cell touch sensor materials.

In the advent that foldable and flexible displays are moving to mainstream consumer products such as smartphones, tablets and wearable devices, the demand for new material solutions is rapidly taking off. Major device makers are starting to shift away from LCD with LED backlight illumination to OLED displays which are thinner, have more vivid colors with high dynamic range function as well as improved luminance. OLED displays can also express new forms such as being rolled-up like a newspaper. Emerging displays, including fast growing markets such as automotive and signage, OLEDs market is predicted to reach a value of nearly $40 billion by 2020, with a growth of about 18% CAGR during the 2015-2020 period.

The collaboration relates to Inkron’s Optical Coating (IOC) products of photo-patternable dielectric and light control materials, where features such as unique optical properties as well as excellent processing suitability for OLED and on-cell touch sensors can be implemented. These include low temperature and ultraviolet cure processing as well as physical features such as well controllable optical properties and mechanical flexibility. Moreover, the materials are compatible with major coating and manufacturing methodologies in OLED and touch sensors schemes.

“As unique material needs are arising with a new wave of OLED and flexible displays, we see Inkron’s advanced IOC products addressing well the market demand. This technology offers display solutions which are complementary with our current market offering and technology, and is also well suited to the volume manufacturing capabilities at our Nagase’s factory,” explains General Manager Mr Takahiro Okumura, Electronic Chemicals Department of Nagase & Co., Ltd.

Final products produced under the agreement are being ramped up for volume production during 2016 at Nagase’s factory in Tatsuno, Japan and will be distributed to all major display manufacturing territories in Asia. Inkron will continue to further develop the materials in its R&D center in Finland as well as to provide key siloxane materials for the selected IOC products.

CEO of Inkron Dr Juha Rantala highlights the importance of a strong global partner in novel materials market introduction and says: “We are excited to work with Nagase who has an excellent position to market and expand our technology within very conservative global displays ecosystem. As a leading technology company focused on printed siloxane and nano-metal based ink and paste development, our partnership with Nagase brings us an advanced industrial chemical manufacturing expertise to scale up the production and guarantee security of source for our tier-1 users.