Wearables are already integrated into everyday life, and we expect further growth. Consider, for example, smartwatches. Especially in the wellness and sports market, there are many applications, such as "smart" T-shirts which analyse the pulse, breathing or posture of athletes. Or shoe soles with integrated electronics which analyse foot roll and gait. A person’s gait pattern provides initial indications of certain clinical conditions such as Parkinson’s or dementia.

It's important to realise that clothing is an extremely price-sensitive industry. In addition, fashion operates in relatively short cycles. Putting printed electronics into products often represents a revolution for these companies because they basically have to become an electronics manufacturer, which requires additional and completely different competencies. But we are seeing first examples, where electrical functionalities are integrated in smart textiles. Especially in sports apparel.

Development cycles always take several years and even when the products have reached market readiness, in the automotive or medical technology sectors it takes another three to five years until the product enters the market. This is just the standard timeframe in these industries. Overall, we are talking about a very dynamic market that constantly produces new applications, and its growth dynamics surpass those of conventional electronics, although, of course, we are talking about a different order of revenue.

Sustainability is a very important topic for our industry in many ways. On the one hand, the manufacturing processes of printed electronics are resource-efficient because printing processes consume very small amounts of material and are performed at low temperatures. In most processes, no, or relatively harmless, sol- vents are used. Even batteries can be produced in an environmentally friendly way through printing, as fewer and less critical materials are used compared to conventional batteries.

On the other hand, our technology enables products to be designed more sustainably. Printed electronics is thin, lightweight, flexible, robust, and, not least, resource-efficient. Take, for example, electronics in automotive applications: These account for a growing percentage of the total weight of the electric components and thus of the fuel consumption. Printed electronics applications help to reduce the weight of the car, and less weight means less fuel consumption. Or consider packaging in the food sector with smart labels that can indicate whether the cold chain has been broken. The use of printed electronics offers great opportunities for combatting food waste. Many other application areas related to sustainability can be mentioned. Applications for patient monitoring can relieve the strain on health- care providers. "Smart Living" technologies make leakage protection systems for homes a possibility. In the automotive sector, efficient heaters are possible examples.

Indeed, many applications developed by companies in our industry are already in use. Take logistics, for example, where printed electronics facilitate seamless monitoring of the logistic chain, by tagging pallets, for example. There are always new projects and collaborations between providers in our industry and others. In the food industry, there is a certain reluctance when it comes to printed electronics which can create more transparency for consumers, such as by making expiration dates more visible. As an association, we are continually initiating discussions, providing information about the possible applications, and inviting decision- makers from other industries to share their thoughts.