SmartKem announce JDA with Major Asian Manufacturer for commercialisation of flexible display

Dec. 19, 2013 - PRLog -- Manchester, UK (12-12-13): SmartKem Ltd, a leader in the synthesis, formulation, application and supply of organic semiconductor materials for flexible display thin-film-transistor (TFT) backplane manufacture, are pleased to announce the signing of a joint development agreement (JDA) with a major Asian display original equipment manufacturer (OEM) for the manufacture of advanced flexible displays. This collaborative venture will involve bespoke customisation of SmartKem^Ò p-FLEX^Ô semiconductors for the solution based manufacture of TFT flexible backplane technology, allowing the display manufacturer to bring cutting-edge flexible display based products and applications to market worldwide.

The new agreement calls for SmartKem to formulate, transfer and supply defined quantities of SmartKem^Ò p-FLEX^Ô materials for flexible display development by its partner. The use of SmartKem^Ò p-FLEX^Ôwill allow the partner to produce high performance TFTs with true flexibility onto plastic substrates through low temperature processing. This will allow the partner a greater manufacturing throughput of flexible display products and enable the commercialisation of fully flexible display technology for consumer applications such as smartphones and tablets.

"SmartKem's ground breaking work on flexible semiconductors and flexible TFT backplanes has paved the way for truly flexible displays. Our joint venture with this new partner further establishes SmartKem’s position in Asia by delivering SmartKem^Ò p-FLEX^Ô to one of the display market’s leading players,” said Steve Kelly CEO of SmartKem Ltd.

“Together we will develop a customised flexible TFT backplane solution for their new generation of flexible displays,” said Gary Tam, Director of Business Development at SmartKem. “This agreement will consolidate SmartKem’s position in Asia as a leader in the delivery of solution-based semiconductors to the display industry supply chain.”

Featuring high mobility and high stability organic semiconductors, SmartKem^Ò p-FLEX^Ô materials enable fully flexible display technology. SmartKem have successfully launched its p-FLEX^Ô products into the display supply chain with some of the largest players in the market, and were recently awarded the Advanced Materials Development Award at IdTechEx Asia; awarded to the most significant technical advancement over the last 24 months in the field of material development.

-ENDS-

About SmartKem

SmartKem is a leading supplier of high performance flexible organic semiconductor materials that can be solution processed onto lightweight low cost polymer films to deliver flexible circuits and transistors. SmartKem’s core offering responds to the demand for low cost, low energy, lightweight, rugged electronics that can be manufactured at room temperature by a range of manufacturing methods and ultimately by roll to roll printing. SmartKem has an unrivalled pipeline of new materials ready for exploitation via chosen business partners and a business model that focuses on delivering expertise in molecular design, synthesis, application engineering and technology transfer to our customers. SmartKem was a recent winner of the Printed Electronics Asia Award for Best Advanced Material Development 2013.

For further press information please contact: David Bertram, The Scott Partnership, 1 Whiteside, Station Road, Holmes Chapel, Cheshire, United Kingdom Tel: + 44 (0)1477 539539 Fax: +44 (0)1477 539540  E-mail: smartkem@scottpr.com