From June 23 - 25, 2009, the Organic Electronics Association (OE-A) will host the world premiere of LOPE-C - the Large-area Organic and Printed Electronics Convention. Experts from industry and research will meet to ­exchange knowledge and ideas on opportunities, products and developments in the field of organic and printed electronics at the Congress Center Messe Frankfurt, Germany.

More than 50 exhibitors from industry and research are expected to present their latest products and ­solutions. During the conferences, over 100 presentations offer in-depth insight into the commercial and technical world of organic and printed electronics. The organizers - OE-A and Messe Frankfurt expect more than 600 visitors and delegates.
Andrew Hannah, Vice Chairman of the OE-A and CEO of U.S.-based Plextronics - a supplier of organic materials specialized in printed solar, lighting and circuitry - says: "As the key industry association for organic electronics, it is our pleasure to host an international trade conference of this quality. The more collaboration we can facilitate, the faster our ­industry will develop."
Parallel to the conference an exhibition will take place where companies and R&D institutes present their products and solutions for end-users from the fields of energy production, consumer goods, packaging, logistics and medical technology, to name a few. Organic electronics can, for example, be used as flexible solar cells, printed radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, rollable displays, energy-efficient lighting or disposable diagnostic devices. To round off the offer, leading material suppliers and equipment manufacturers will also display their products.
CHEManager Europe asked OE-A Managing Director Dr. Klaus Hecker about the background of the event, its main content and plans for the future.

CHEManager Europe: What are the reasons for establishing this new event?

K. Hecker: As the leading international network in organic and printed electronics, the OE-A provides the central marketplace for the community. LOPE-C is the annual summit where industry and science convene. The event covers the full range of this emerging industry from research to commercialization.

LOPE-C combines an exhibition with a conference. Why did you choose this concept?

K. Hecker: The field of organic and printed electronics is a new industry sector and therefore the demand for exchanging information is very high. The conference is an excellent platform for the participants to deepen their knowledge and get detailed information on applications and technologies. Customized building blocks - like the business conference, the main conference, the pre-conference seminars and the exhibition - allow the attendees to create their individual program.
During the main conference world class speakers from industry and science offer a detailed insight into the technical world of organic and printed electronics. Moreover, the conference also includes a scientific track: two days of first class research sessions (peer reviewed papers) give established, as well as young scientists and engineers the opportunity to present their topics to the international community.
In addition, attendees have the opportunity to "experience" the latest product developments during the exhibition. They can talk to the suppliers and deepen their knowledge of the field.

In addition to the main conference LOPE-C offers a business conference. What is it about?

K. Hecker: The business conference focuses on the commercialization of new products which is of great interest for end-users and investors as well as for the entire community. Within one and a half days, the business conference offers a quick and concise insight into this field. High-level speakers provide a compact overview of commercialization of organic printed electronics. They present opportunities for new marketing and merchandising concepts, innovations in production processes and materials, ideas on future products and applications as well as financing and value chain considerations.

What are the highlights of the event?

K. Hecker: We offer the newest of the new. Many companies and institutes will present their new products and results for the first time at LOPE-C. We cover the full range from materials, devices to processes and equipment. Materials will play an important role at the conference and exhibition. In addition, latest results for organic and inorganic materials as well as carbon- and nanomaterials will be presented.
Applications and the end-user point of view are further highlights. No other event in organic and printed electronics offers such large number of application-oriented presentations and exhibitors. For example, organic photovoltaics will be highlighted with numerous presentations including several keynotes.
OE-A will show new demonstrators including as set of functional give-away samples with our new brochure. We will also present the new edition of the OE-A roadmap for the first time.

Who should attend the event? What is your target group?

K. Hecker: The event addresses executives, managers and creative experts in management, business and product development, financing and venture capital, research and development divisions and science.
Networking is a keyword at LOPE-C. The event is a perfect place to get in touch with experts in this field, to look for new customers and to discover business opportunities.
Moreover, the aim of the event is to bring together researchers and companies requiring dedicated ­experts. Therefore, during the poster sessions, young scientists get the opportunity to present their latest innovations to the international community.

You expect more than 50 exhibiting companies and 600 visitors and delegates. From which countries do they come?

K. Hecker: All continents are represented. We are proud to welcome speakers, exhibitors and visitors from all over the world. More than 50 % of the exhibiting companies come from abroad.

Do you already have plans for the ­future of the event? If yes, are you planning to organize it in different cities/countries?

K. Hecker: LOPE-C is an annual event taking place each June. For the next years, we'll stay here in Frankfurt. But there are also talks to host it at other places. Our partner Messe Frankfurt Ausstellungen offers excellent opportunities for locations outside Germany and as OE-A is an international association moving to other places is a considerable step in the future.