Hong Kong & Rochester, N.Y., Jan. 12, 2003 - Varitronix International Limited, (stock code: 710), a multinational supplier of advanced display products today announced it has obtained license for using Eastman Kodak Company's award-winning organic light-emitting diode (OLED) technology.
"I am very proud that Varitronix has become the only Hong Kong-based company amongst Kodak's list of licensees. Having identified the OLED technology as one of the mainstay display technologies for the future, Varitronix is committed to staying at the forefront of its applications. The licensing rights are not only instrumental to our ongoing research efforts in this area, but also help secure our advantages in further exploring this future market." said Dr. C. C. Chang, Chairman of Varitronix.
The royalty-bearing license to Varitronix covers use of passive-matrix OLED modules in a variety of flat panel display applications. The agreement also gives Varitronix the opportunity to purchase Kodak's patented OLED materials for use in manufacturing displays. This license illustrates the versatility of Kodak's OLED technology and its utility in developing new businesses and new markets for the company.
"Varitronix brings strong credentials of seasoned research and manufacturing, along with marketplace savvy, adding to the momentum that OLED technology has been gaining since the late 1990s. We are delighted to have them in the family," said Dr. Leslie Polgar, President, Display Products, Eastman Kodak Company. "Their decision to pursue OLED technology and focus a subsidiary's business on OLED displays underscores both the technology's broad utility and its business potential."
Organic solid-state displays offer bright, full-motion image display that is viewable from a very wide angle, making them ideal for image-rich mobile communications that underpin the infoimaging market. The displays comprise specially designed organic thin-film materials that emit light when stimulated by an electric charge. Benefits over conventional technologies include higher contrast for superb readability in most lighting conditions and faster response time to support streaming video, as well as industry-leading (165+ degree) viewing angle and thinner design for better ergonomics.
Owing to the simple manufacturing process for OLED, the production cost will ultimately be dramatically lower than that of TFT LCD. Varitronix believes the technology will be used in many display applications, especially in the automotive industry and consumer markets. Their initial products will be monochrome and multi-color character and graphic panels. Ultimately, the company plans to introduce full-color panels.