UK-based Plastic Logic is specialized in e-paper introduction. It revealed that its new plant in Germany, the first factor to manufacture plastic electronics for massive consumption, should be able to produce a million sheets of e-paper.

This could mark the beginning of widespread e-paper production and consumption throughout the world.

The e-paper can download a newspaper or book wirelessly, and its battery autonomy is expected to last more than a thousand pages. Plastic Logic claims it will offer a similar reading experience to that of paper, and be as portable as a newspaper sheet.

The investors are serious too, this time around. Equity firms Oak Investment Partners and Tudor Investment Corporation led a first investment closing of $100 million. Amadeus, Intel Capital, Bank of America, BASF Venture Capital, Quest for Growth and Merifin Capital: all are among the big names who have invested in the now-realistic project.

According to James Forsyth, writer for The Business, “the financing is one of the largest in the history of European venture capital”.

2008 could give birth to the e-paper revolution.


Newspapers have already been developing their own strategies: French business title Les Echos announced it should have an e-paper edition available by April, along with its reader.

Perhaps it might be wiser for newspapers to wait until there is a set standard for e-paper platforms, so they can tailor their services to the medium. That doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be considering the options already.

Source: blackenterprise.org