L-R: Thomas Ducellier, Executive Director, Printable Electronics Flagship Program, NRC, with Martin Lavoie, CME’s Director of Manufacturing Policy, Jason Myers, President and CEO of CME, and Mark Majewski, Executive Director of the CPEIA. [click to enlarge]
Printable and Organic Electronics is an emerging manufacturing platform for high-volume, low-cost and automated production of a variety of electronic components. New features and functionality can be added to existing products and applications in a variety of ways, and in a host of market verticals.
Engaging with Canada’s manufacturers, product companies and exporters who can develop, produce and move product in volume is fundamental to building a strong domestic industry that can turn this vast potential into commercial reality.
It’s for this reason that the CPEIA has engaged with Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters (CME), the largest trade and industry association in the country.
Last week, CPEIA and CME signed a memorandum of understanding. Much like the similar agreement the CPEIA signed last month with the Continental Automated Buildings Association (CABA), the intent is twofold – education and enablement.
“To create world-class products and applications enabled with Printable and Organic Electronics, we must lever Canada’s product manufacturing sectors,” said Mark Majewski, Executive Director for CPEIA. “With CME’s industry clout, we can better educate manufacturers and product companies across Canada in a host of industry verticals about the new business opportunities provided by Printable and Organic Electronics and connect them with technology innovators, many of which are already CPEIA members.
In keeping with the CPEIA’s mandate to link stakeholders from across Canada’s ecosystem, Kallai recently invited Jason Myers, President and CEO of CME, and Martin Lavoie, CME’s Director of Manufacturing Policy, to tour the development facilities at the National Research Council of Canada. The NRC operates its own Printable Electronics Flagship Program.
Through its Flagship program, the NRC has made Printable and Organic Electronics a priority. This isn’t just about applied research, but research and private sector partnerships that have a commercialization focus and will yield economic benefits for Canada.
While Printable and Organic Electronics is an emerging sector that has yet to realize its full potential, products and applications enabled by this technology are already all around us, in consumer medical devices, touch displays, intelligent packaging and mobile devices.
“Printable and Organic Electronics can make existing products smart and able to communicate,” said Kallai. “This technology has far-reaching applications to power the connected world and the Internet of Things.”
But challenges remain, and herein lies opportunity for Canada. Innovators and manufacturers must work together to apply new materials, microcircuits, manufacturing equipment and processes, and information systems that connect devices or objects enabled by Printable and Organic Electronics, to realize the full potential.
This opportunity isn’t only about developing new products, components and applications, added Kallai. Great benefit could be seen in the replacement market, and in additive manufacturing.
Printable and Organic Electronics can provide manufacturers and product companies with the means to increase their competitive edge and reduce costs, with production processes that are less expensive, less capital intensive and less complex compared to traditional electronic components, integrated circuits (ICs) and manufacturing processes.
“Canada has a proud pedigree in a host of markets, from aerospace and defence, to automotive, healthcare, consumer products and advanced manufacturing,” said Jayson Myers, President and CEO of the CME. “After engaging with CPEIA and the NRC Flagship PE Program, it’s clear that Canadian industry has within its reach a fantastic opportunity to create new competitive opportunities from our traditional strengths.”