Printed electronics: the highlights at LOPEC 2025

More practical examples, more insider knowledge, more compact information for users: LOPEC, the world’s leading trade fair and conference for flexible, organic and printed electronics, covers the entire value chain from research and production to the final product. The following highlights await visitors in Munich from February 25 to 27, 2025.

In times of artificial intelligence and an increasingly connected world, there is no way around printed electronics. “LOPEC 2025 builds seamlessly on the top results of previous years, and visitors can also look forward to an expanded range of products and services,” says Wolfgang Mildner, General Chair of LOPEC and CEO of the consulting and technology company MSWtech. The LOPEC Conference, for example, has been supplemented by application sessions on the focus topics of Mobility (February 26, 11:20–13:20) and Smart Living (February 27, 11:20–13:20). Researchers and industry representatives from all over the world will present specific applications for printed electronics, ranging from safety features in the car to telemedicine. Guided tours of selected exhibitors will take place straight after the application sessions.

Smart windows and more in the Innovation Showcase

Fascinating innovations will be brought together once again this year in the LOPEC Innovation Showcase. In addition to innovative sensors and solar cells for everyday products, a smart window for vehicles and buildings, developed by Heraeus in collaboration with the Korean company Dongwoo Fine-Chem, will be on display. The light transmittance of the glass can be controlled via liquid crystals. The electricity required for this is supplied by a transparent organic photovoltaic module integrated into the glass.

The healthcare sector is also represented in the Innovation Showcase. The U.S. company InkSpace Imaging, for example, is showing a vest with printed coils for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The product, which has already been approved by the FDA, makes MRI scans more comfortable for children while at the same time improving the image quality. CEO Dr. Peter Fischer will explain how InkSpace Imaging achieved its breakthrough in his presentation at the LOPEC Conference (February 25, 09:00).

Thomas Kolbusch, Vice President of Coatema in Dormagen, has a German success story to share. The company is one of the pioneers in plant construction for printed electronics. Kolbusch is also a member of the board of the LOPEC co-organizer OE-A. In his keynote (February 26, 08:30), he will provide an overview of the market and show ways to scale up and monetize printed electronics.

Focus on sustainability and design

The award ceremony for the OE-A Competition on Wednesday evening (February 26) during the LOPEC Get-Together is also a highly anticipated event. Over 20 projects and products were submitted. Sustainability, without giving away too much, plays a key role here. The scope ranges from compostable batteries and sensors for hydrogen tanks to sustainable electronics made from wood-based nanomaterials.

Speaking of sustainability: The LOPEC Conference will be stressing the environmental compatibility of printed electronics with the short course on “Sustainability” (February 25, 15:00–15:35) and the “Circular Economy and Green Electronics” session (February 26, 11:20–13:20). From a design perspective, printed electronics are already unbeatable, as the thin, flexible components can be integrated seamlessly into any shape of object. The hands-on Design@LOPEC workshop (February 25) at this year’s LOPEC is aimed at designers from various industries. Under the guidance of Dutch fashion designer Marina Toeters and Dr. Marie O’Mahony, an expert in e-textiles and wearables at the Winchester School of Art, the participants will develop their own prototypes, which will then be on display in the LOPEC Innovation Showcase. The LOPEC Round Table (February 26, 15:00–16:00) will also focus on the topic of design.

“LOPEC sees itself as a cross-industry meeting place that brings together players from along the entire value chain,” Mildner concludes. Whether it’s material manufacturers, plant manufacturers or users, technology experts or designers, LOPEC 2025 is a must for everyone who wants to actively shape our economy and lead it into a sustainable future.

LOPEC 2025 takes place in Munich from February 25-27 (exhibition: February 26 and 27).