British company secure €444K of European funding to make flexible OLED lighting a reality

Date Announced: 22 Jan 2013 Epigem, a hi-tech British company, has secured €444,000 to play a key role in delivering a new form of lighting, the so called flexible OLED (Organic LED). Epigem is a member of the consortium that has committed €11.2m including EU funding to the Flex-o-Fab project, to help bring this new technology to market within six years.The Redcar-based company’s role is to produce the anode film based on its existing Epimesh product. Epimesh film has been developed as a flexible electrode (anode/cathode) with very low sheet resistance combined with high optical transparency. The film comprises an ultra-fine metal mesh embedded into a polymer coating which is adhesively bonded onto one side of a flexible carrier film. Surface resistance is very low, typically in the range 0.4 to 1.5 ohm/square, depending on the mesh pitch. Light transmission through the metal grid and polymer layers is typically above 90%. The newly launched Flex-o-Fab project will create a pilot-scale manufacturing chain for flexible OLEDs, and use it to develop reliable production processes. Funded through the EU’s 7th Framework Programme, the project will strengthen Europe’s leading position in the lighting industry by making flexible OLEDs a commercial reality, opening the doors for many new forms of lighting.Tim Ryan, managing director of Epigem, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to work with other leading technology companies and show what can be achieved by combining Europe-wide expertise, skills and experience. We will play a strong role in helping to deliver this exciting new lighting form to market. “I’d like to thank the EU for its foresight in assessing the technology as ready for significant investment to bring to market. Success will create a new industry, potentially creating hundreds of jobs and generating millions for the economies of Europe.” Flex-o-Fab’s Project Manager, Flora Li of the Netherlands’ Holst Centre said: “This is an industry-led project that brings together companies and institutes with strong backgrounds in organic electronics from across Europe. They are all leaders in their respective fields whose knowledge and expertise complements each other perfectly – and we are keen to hear from other potential partners who can add to the mix.”

Contact
Billy McKenna, Aro Consulting, t 01752 894 786 m 07930 189 404

E-mail:[email protected]

Web Site:www.epigem.co.uk