Move could be catalyst for jobs

Jul 30 2009 by Andrew Mernin, The Journal

THE reluctance of some North East businesses to adopt more efficient technologies available through printable electronics could finally be arrested by Government support for the sector.

That is according to a pioneering company in the field which says it has spent the last five years trying vainly to persuade businesses in the region that their future lies in new-age technology.

This week the Government put £20m behind the North East’s bid to grow into a global epicentre for printable electronics in a move which could be the catalyst for thousands of new jobs in the long term.

The funding was awarded to the Printable Electronics Technology Centre (Petec) in Sedgefield, County Durham, to help it tap into a market which could be worth £15bn by 2025.

The technology allows the development of paper-thin and flexible display screens, solar panels and lighting systems which can operate off the grid.

Petec aims to create a national and international supply chain and attract global players into County Durham with the ultimate goal of creating a large manufacturing industry in the region.

But Government support for the industry alongside Petec’s vow to create a research and development space for SMEs could also help many businesses in the region which have so far given the technology the cold shoulder.