Plastic Logic, a leader in the design and manufacture of flexible, glass-free electrophoretic displays (EPDs), has announced a significant investment in its business from DKE Displays, a China-based company specialising in the production of e-paper displays.
The investment cements DKE’s ambition to move into the growing market for oTFT (organic Thin Film Transistor) displays, the high-resolution, lightweight and ultra-low-power products that Plastic Logic specialises in. These displays are more rugged than standard glass-based TFTs – being thinner and lighter makes them ideal for applications such as wearables.
DKE Displays currently provides customised EPD (Electrophoretic Paper Display) products for applications including ESLs (Electronic Shelf Labels), smart cards, smart clothing and smart homes (Internet of Things).
“There is great synergy with Plastic Logic’s oTFT-based flexible displays – we see them as the future and we really wanted to invest in this exciting technology, which we believe represents significant growth opportunities,” said Zhou Aijun, CEO, DKE Displays. “Our motto is ‘Beyond Expectation’ and we are one of the pioneers in the EPD market, with more than 10 years of experience in development and production. With trends such as e-mobility, IoT and AI, we see a real demand for the innovative flexible e-paper displays that Plastic Logic produces.”
“We are very excited about this external industry insider investment from DKE, which is further validation of the technology we have built over the last 10 years,” said Tim Burne, CEO, Plastic Logic. “DKE’s financial strength will take us one step closer to achieving our business growth objectives. We will be able to tap into DKE’s expertise and assembly facilities in China and explore the opportunities for our products in the Asian market. This is more than just an investment in us – it’s a partnership that will bring both companies long-term benefits.”
To meet the new business growth opportunities for e-paper displays, DKE has doubled its production capacity within a year, with a new facility in Zhejiang, in addition to its headquarters facility in Dalian, China. Plastic Logic’s products were originally made in Dresden, Germany, although production is today is carried out in industry-leading manufacturing facilities globally.
Both Plastic Logic and DKE have attracted investments from E Ink Holdings, the leading innovator of electronic ink technology, further validating the growth opportunities for e- applications such as wearables, which alone represent a market opportunity expected to reach over $150bn annually by 2026.*
About Plastic Logic
Plastic Logic designed the world’s first truly flexible, glass-free electrophoretic displays (EPDs)—Lectum®. Originally made in Dresden, Germany, production is today carried out in industry-leading manufacturing facilities globally. Founded in 2000, the company is supported by major investors including the Rusnano Corporation and the E INK Corporation, underlining its market and technology leadership position. Plastic Logic’s glass-free, flexible displays have been integrated into a wide range of applications including smart cards, mobile devices (smartphone accessories, eNotes, eSchoolbooks), digital signage, electronic badges and wearables (e.g. smart jewellery and sports accessories).
About DKE Displays
DKE, founded in 2005, is as an experienced and innovative e-paper manufacturer with a full series of patents, including EPD technology. The company has set up two e-paper production bases – Dalian in Liaoning province and Zhejiang jiashan for domestic and overseas development and production. For EPD products, DKE has partnered with E INK Corporation since 2011. DKE’s customers are mainly in Europe, Asia and North America, and its e-paper products are widely used for IOT (Internet of Things), including Electronic Shelf Labels (ESLs), smart cards, smart wearables and smart houses.
