Oct 31 2003
BASF have invested in Korean plastic film manufacturer I-Components. Through their venture capital investment company BASF Venture Capital GmbH, they will provide I-Components with 2.5 million Euros. STIC Ventures is another major investor.
I-Components produces high quality plastic films for the automotive industry and electronic applications such as and mobile phones, PDA’s, laptop computers, digital cameras etc.
They are also developing novel applications for their films such as plastic alternatives to glass as a carrier material in liquid crystal displays. These will have weight, flexibility, durability, economic and continuous production advantages over the conventional glass products.
I-Components have developed the technology for producing flexible displays. It combines melt extrusion and a special coating process. The development of the product will be accelerated by BASF’s involvement as they have a polyethersulfone material (Ultrason) which is ideally suited to the application.
The venture capital supplied to I-Components will allow them to speed up their market implementation of these new products. They aim to launch the new optical films within 2 years.
For more information on displays, click here.