The Newly Named FlexTech Alliance Will Support Displays and Accelerate
Advances in the Emergent Flexible Electronics Marketplace
SAN JOSE, Calif., July 9 /PRNewswire/ -- The U. S. Display Consortium
(USDC) announced today that it is formally expanding its mission to support
the emerging flexible, printed electronics market -- subsequently changing
the organization's official name to the FlexTech Alliance to reflect this
new activity and opportunity. The USDC board took this action to signal its
intent to commit resources to the increasingly synergistic technologies
driving advances in the flexible and printed electronics sector. At the
same time, the board recommitted its support for supply chain development
for next-generation displays, such as OLEDs, flexible displays, MEMs-based
and 3D displays.
USDC officials state that the move is a natural progression for the
organization based on the success of the Flexible, Printed and Organic
(FPO) Electronics Initiative that it launched in December 2006, which was
designed to gauge potential development and growth of this new market.
Since the launch of that initiative, industry interest has grown steadily
with a definite need for programs dedicated to the sector. Based on
substantial industry and academic support, as well as the growing synergies
between all of its served markets, the USDC board has now officially
broadened the consortium's mission to serve the common interests of the
display industry and the flexible, printed electronics industry.
As part of this effort, the USDC and all of its programs will be
absorbed under the broader FlexTech Alliance umbrella. In addition to
continued strong emphasis on electronic display supply chain R&D, the
FlexTech Alliance will focus on creating a flexible, printed electronics
infrastructure within North America that will ultimately enable the
production of active, ubiquitous devices. These devices will be
manufactured using new, flexible form factors that deliver high
functionality at low cost. Near-term applications for this market include
RFID tags, sensors (chemical/biological), energy (e.g., solar cell panels
and flexible batteries), solid-state lighting, medical/healthcare,
disposable electronics and displays. Given their myriad applications, FPO
electronics hold tremendous potential, with experts predicting that the
market for some applications could exceed $50 billion by 2017.
Michael Ciesinski, USDC's former CEO, who will now lead the new
FlexTech Alliance in the same capacity, stated, "There is tremendous
overlap between what USDC has undertaken in the display industry and the
work needed to support the flexible, printed electronics industry. The
tools our consortium has at hand-pre-competitive R&D funding, technical
roadmapping forums and a strong set of conferences and workshops -- will
help set an aggressive pace of innovation. The goal set by the Governing
Board is to accelerate the transition from R&D to prototype manufacturing,
and then to commercialization and market acceptance."
The FlexTech Alliance will be overseen by a world-class Governing
Board, along with a seasoned management team that includes Dr. Mark Hartney
as CTO; Kay Mascoli as director of development and planning; Dr. Kevin
Cammack as director of technical marketing and development; and Heidi
Hoffman, director of events and marketing communications. The organization
will deliver its services in national settings, via an expansive industry
web portal, and through regional chapters. To this end, the FlexTech
Alliance will help the North American industry meet the challenges facing
it by facilitating partnerships, ensuring R&D support, developing product
demonstrators, identifying and addressing manufacturing issues, along with
broadening funding opportunities.
Dr. Michael McCreary, VP of R&D at E Ink and chairman of the FlexTech
Alliance Governing Board stated, "I look forward to the expanded role that
the FlexTech Alliance will provide to both the current membership as well
as to new members looking to participate within this broader mission. The
USDC has had more than a decade of experience in helping to stimulate and
expand both new technology and the supply chain infrastructure for the flat
panel display industry. This seasoned management team, along with the
current and new member companies, will now have the opportunity to do the
same within the FlexTech Alliance to accelerate the creation of this new
emerging flexible, printed electronics industry, in addition to displays."
According to Dr. Dan Gamota, director of printed electronic platforms
at Motorola, "The FlexTech Alliance is poised to address the need for an
organization dedicated to facilitating and promoting the flexible, printed
electronics and display industries in North America. The fact that USDC has
changed its name and expanded its mission to be inclusive of these emergent
markets speaks volumes to the future potential that is just waiting to be
tapped. We will all benefit from the proven power of the USDC organization,
which has a demonstrated track record of success in developing the
infrastructure needed to facilitate the launch of high-growth markets."
The FlexTech Alliance will leverage the strong relationships USDC has
already forged with industry, the academic community, investment banks and
venture capital firms, along with federal agencies including the U.S. Army
Research Laboratory and the National Institute of Standards and Technology
(NIST), which funded early federal initiatives in printed electronics. The
FlexTech Alliance will also continue to work closely with the Flexible
Display Center (FDC) at Arizona State University and the Binghamton
University (N.Y.)-led Center for Advanced Microelectronics Manufacturing
(CAMM) -- both of which have substantial activity in this dynamic industry.
Today, the FlexTech Alliance will host a live webcast delving more into
this announcement beginning at 8:00 a.m. PST. Media and others interested
in learning more about the expanded organization along with the displays
and emergent flexible electronics marketplace can visit
http://www.videonewswire.com/event.asp?id=49675 to register/participate.
Lastly, the FlexTech Alliance will be chairing and presenting on
flexible and printed electronics at a TechXPOT technical session, which
will be held during SEMICON West (Moscone Convention Center, West Hall, San
Francisco, Calif.) on Thursday, July 17, 11:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
About the FlexTech Alliance
The FlexTech Alliance is the only organization headquartered in North
America exclusively devoted to fostering the growth, profitability and
success of the electronic display and the flexible, printed electronics
supply chain. Leveraging its rich history in promoting the display industry
as the U.S. Display Consortium, the FlexTech Alliance offers expanded
collaboration between and among industry, academia, and research
organizations for advancing displays and flexible, printed electronics from
R&D to commercialization. To this end, the FlexTech Alliance, based in San
Jose, Calif., will help foster development of the supply chain required to
support a world-class, manufacturing capability for displays and flexible,
printed electronics. More information about the FlexTech Alliance can be
found at the industry portal: http://www.flextech.org.
Note to Editors: Photos of the FlexTech Alliance's management team are
available upon request. Additionally, a testimonial sheet, which includes
quotes from FlexTech Alliance member companies immediately follows this
release.
FlexTech Alliance Member Quotes
Applied Materials' Corporate Business Development Group
"The USDC has been successful in promoting collaboration among display
technology public & private industry leaders, academia and government. We
are excited to be part of the FlexTech Alliance as they take on this new
mission of fostering the growth of the emergent flexible electronics and
display industry in North America."
-Tom Edman, Vice President and General Manager
Cornell University
"I think that the proposed change to USDC is a logical progression as
its leadership role grows from one focused on displays to the rapidly
developing and economically important field of flexible electronics. The
country needs this expanded role to help guide us through the very
competitive and quickly changing economic landscape."
-Christopher Ober, Francis Bard Professor of Materials Science, and
Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies
E Ink Corporation
"I look forward to the expanded role that the FlexTech Alliance will
provide to both the current membership as well as to new members looking to
participate within this broader mission. The USDC has had a decade of
experience in helping to stimulate and expand both new technology and the
supply chain infrastructure for the flat panel display industry. This
seasoned management team along with the current and new member companies
will now have the opportunity to do the same within the FlexTech Alliance
to accelerate the creation of this new emerging flexible, printed
electronics industry in addition to displays."
-Dr. Michael McCreary, Vice President of R&D, and Chairman of the
FlexTech Alliance Governing Board
GE Global Research
"We are extremely excited to be part of the FlexTech Alliance. We
believe this organization has tremendous potential in bringing the right
people together in order to bridge the gap between technology development
and emerging flexible electronics markets."
-Jeff Popielarczyk, Business Development Manager
Hewlett Packard Laboratories
"The FlexTech Alliance is unlike any other organization out there, as
it has tremendous bench strength with a proven history in promoting
collaboration and fostering growth in new and innovative markets when it
operated as USDC. So, we at Hewlett Packard are extremely confident of
their ability to expand their expertise to the flexible displays and
electronics sector."
-Carl Taussig, Director, Information Surfaces Lab
Mark Andy, Inc.
"USDC is uniquely positioned to take on this new mission of fostering
the growth of the emergent flexible electronics industry in North America.
Based on their demonstrated success over the last decade, we are confident
that FlexTech Alliance will be successful in helping grow the flexible
printed electronics industry to new levels."
-Paul Brauss, President
Motorola
"The FlexTech Alliance is poised to address the need for an
organization dedicated to facilitating and promoting the flexible, printed
electronics and display industries in North America. The fact that USDC has
changed its name and expanded its mission to be inclusive of these emergent
markets speaks volumes to the future potential that is just waiting to be
tapped. We will all benefit from the proven power of the USDC organization,
which has a demonstrated track record of success in developing the
infrastructure needed to facilitate the launch of high-growth markets."
-Dr. Dan Gamota, Director of Printed Electronic Platforms
Palo Alto Research Center
"PARC has a large research program in flexible and printed electronics
because we believe these are important future technologies with many
applications. The FlexTech Alliance will meet the unique needs of the
flexible electronics industry, and will foster collaboration among public &
private industry leaders, academia, R&D organizations and government."
-Bob Street, Senior Research Fellow
Universal Display Corporation
"The USDC has been a significant force in supporting the development of
critical materials and infrastructure for the growing display industry.
Their newly expanded mission is great news for the emerging flexible and
printed electronics sectors. Under their new FlexTech Alliance name, this
organization is extremely well positioned to provide expertise and
leadership to flexible and printed electronics as they will continue to do
for electronic displays."
-Janice K. Mahon, V.P. of Technology Commercialization
SOURCE USDC
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Related links:
http://www.flextech.org
CONTACT:
Marie Labrie of MCA, +1-650-968-8900, ext.
119, mlabrie@mcapr.com, for USDC
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