FlexEnable acquires Merck�s OTFT materials portfolio for flexible displays

FlexEnable is the first company to offer a complete solution � materials and processes – for the production of low-cost, large-area flexible displays and OTFT devices

 

CAMBRIDGE, UNITED KINGDOM - Media OutReach - 7
November 2019 – FlexEnable, the leader in the development and industrialisation
of flexible organic electronics, has acquired Merck’s portfolio of best-in-class,
high-performance Organic Thin-Film Transistor (OTFT) materials, including
revolutionary and highly-patented organic semiconductors and dielectrics. The
deal makes FlexEnable the first company to offer display manufacturers both the
only OTFT materials which are proven to have higher performance than amorphous
silicon, and an entire package of industrially-proven manufacturing processes
needed for production of flexible organic liquid crystal displays (OLCD) of any
size. With this material set and manufacturing IP, flat panel display companies
can produce low-cost, area-scalable flexible displays, sensors and devices for
mass-market applications such as consumer electronics, automotive, retail and
beyond.

The acquisition of Merck’s OTFT materials — now branded as
FlexEnable FlexiOM™ — includes over 300 patents covering materials, processes and devices. This brings FlexEnable’s total number of organic
electronics patents to over 1,000. FlexiOM™ materials, together with FlexEnable’s proprietary low-temperature processes,
allow glass TFT backplanes to be replaced with flexible OTFT backplanes enabling
thin, lightweight, shatterproof and flexible devices. The deal includes all of
the trailblazing IP and know-how developed by Merck over nearly 20 years, as
well as the necessary materials supply chain. FlexEnable is now employing key
members of technical staff responsible for the development of the materials and
intends to continue to advance and broaden this materials platform going
forward.

“Across industries such as consumer electronics and automotive,
flexible displays are the catalyst for the next generation of experiences and
products,” said Chuck Milligan, CEO of FlexEnable. “We have been working
closely with the Merck’s organic materials portfolio and team for many years and
we saw here a unique synergy with our expertise that would put us ahead of the
competition to replace flat glass displays in what is currently a $100 billion
addressable market. The addition of FlexiOM™ materials to our industry-leading processes will significantly
increase our revenue opportunity and further strengthen our business model,
while providing a rapid route for display makers to commercialise large-area flexible
displays needed now for many applications.”

“We are delighted to be able to offer our customers the world’s
strongest organic electronics materials set, and also to welcome our new team
members coming from Merck. We are also excited to welcome new customers
requiring these high-performance organic materials for a broad spectrum of
applications outside of displays.” added Chuck Milligan.

The addition of the FlexiOM™ OTFT
materials to the FlexEnable portfolio lowers the barrier to entry for flexible
OLCD production in existing LCD factories. Display manufacturers and OEMs can
for the first time license technical processes and the requisite materials as a
complete solution, accelerating the adoption of OLCD on existing flat panel
display production lines with minimal capital expenditure, while still
utilising the rest of their existing LCD supply chains. 

FlexEnable’s FlexiOM™ OTFT
materials are available immediately to customers worldwide for any organic
electronics applications.

About FlexEnable

With over 1000 patents and more than 1000
engineering years in the development of organic materials and manufacturing
processes, FlexEnable is the worldwide leader in organic electronics. We have
developed and industrialised a complete low-temperature manufacturing process
for small and large-area organic electronics on ultra-thin plastic substrates.
FlexEnable also owns the best-in-class, highest-performance organic materials –
FlexiOM™ – making us the only company to offer both materials which are better
than amorphous silicon and industrially-proven enabling manufacturing processes.
FlexEnable is bringing organic electronics technology to market in
a fabless business model. Our processes and solutions have been developed to be
run on existing flat panel display lines, leveraging existing assets and supply
chain. Applications for FlexEnable’s technology include flexible displays for
consumer electronics and automotive interiors, flexible sensors and optics. FlexEnable supplies FlexiOM™
materials and transfers and licenses its unique technology platform to display
manufacturers. We also work directly with OEM and Tier 1 companies on
developing next generation products, from design to prototyping and product
qualification all the way to volume production.

For more information
please visit www.flexenable.com or contact info@flexenable.com.