Eastman Kodak Company and Kingsbury Corporation have entered into an agreement to supply JTOUCH Corporation, a leading manufacturer of touch screen modules, with touch sensor film based on their newly developed silver-based metal mesh technology. JTOUCH will purchase the output of silver-based touch sensor film that will be produced by a Kingsbury manufacturing facility at Eastman Business Park in Rochester. That facility is expected to ramp up production on a new high-volume line during the second quarter of this year to meet demand levels required by JTOUCH. The facility will utilize Kodak’s silver halide technologies to produce the metal mesh touch screen film.
Kodak is supplying Kingsbury with chemicals, substrates and technical support to operate the facility, and is also partnering in marketing efforts. Kingsbury will work with JTOUCH to integrate the new technology into their Asia-based manufacturing facilities.
The new silver-based metal mesh touch screen film will be produced on a roll-to-roll process manufacturing line. Compared to the traditional film-based Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) touch sensors, the advantages of this new process include lower production costs due to fewer manufacturing steps and lower resistance that enables larger-format displays. The high- resolution patterning attributes of these metal mesh sensors address the requirements for multiple form factors as well as compatibility with flexible applications.
“Kingsbury is pleased to provide the manufacturing capability that will allow JTOUCH to be the first company to commercialize Kodak silver-based metal mesh technology into their products,” stated Bill Pollock, Kingsbury CEO.
“This silver halide technology for touch sensor film is just one of the promising technologies that is enabling Kodak to partner with companies and broaden our participation in the rapidly expanding touch sensor market,” said Antonio M. Perez, Kodak’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “This is another milestone in our functional printing business, which represents a major growth area for Kodak.”
Founded in 2001, and now listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange, JTOUCH offers touch panel solutions utilizing copper-based metal mesh touch screen and Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) ranging from 1.6 to 23 inches.
“At JTOUCH, we are always looking for the most innovative approaches to integrate into our touch panel solutions,” said Yu-Chou Yeh, JTOUCH Chairman. ”We are pleased to be working with Kingsbury and Kodak, and to be able to offer an even broader portfolio of touch sensor solutions to meet the needs of our brand-name customers in Taiwan, China, Korea and Japan.”