Screen-printing applications leader BÖ-LA Siebdrucktechnik GmbH licenses TactoTek® IMSE Builder® to mass-produce IMSE® functional films
Screen-printing applications leader BÖ-LA Siebdrucktechnik GmbH licenses TactoTek® IMSE Builder® to mass-produce IMSE® functional films
Oulu, Finland/Radevormwald, Germany (20 December, 2021) – TactoTek® (www.tactotek.com), the Finland-based company that develops and licenses Injection Molded Structural Electronics (IMSE®) technology, and BÖ-LA Siebdrucktechnik GmbH (www.boela.de), one of the world’s leading specialists for industrial screen-printing applications, today announced that BÖ-LA signed TactoTek’s IMSE Builder® frame license agreement. With IMSE Builder®, BÖ-LA will mass-produce IMSE electronically functional films at BÖ-LA’s factories in Germany.
BÖ-LA is one of the world’s leading specialists for industrial screen-printing applications and, as a pioneer of the Film-Insert-Molding process (FIM), one of the most recognized and competent technology partners in the field of FIM. It offers all FIM manufacturing processes and tooling know-how from a single source. BÖ-LA has been a well-known partner in TactoTek’s supply chain for several years, providing decorative films for TactoTek and its customers. With the new agreement, the cooperation will extend to the mass production printing of more complex functional films used in IMSE solutions. “With our core competencies in decoration processes, 3D-forming and Film-Insert-Molding, BÖ-LA manufactures and supplies decorative assembly groups from a single source. If desired, we can integrate touch-sensitive surfaces and even incorporate illumination,” says Mike Böing-Messing, CEO of BÖ-LA. “By licensing IMSE technology, we will extend our competencies to mass producing more complex functional films for a wider range of industry segments, such as automotive, industrial, aviation, consumer, smart home, and medical industries.”
TactoTek’s IMSE technology combines structure, electronics functions, and aesthetics in light, thin, and rugged smart surfaces. Popular uses for IMSE parts include control panels, functional and styling illumination in automotive, home appliance, and smart home markets. The IMSE training program that BÖ-LA has already started transfers TactoTek’s know-how and enables BÖ-LA to mass produce IMSE functional films. The cooperation between TactoTek and BÖ-LA also provides the option for TactoTek`s Licensees to outsource their IMSE functional film printing and forming to BÖ-LA.
Marko Suo-Anttila, SVP Professional Services TactoTek, comments: “Our cooperation with BÖ-LA has been successful for several years, with both TactoTek and our customers being delighted with BÖ-LA’s professionalism and high-quality deliverables. Expanding our cooperation is the next logical step in the buildup of an IMSE ecosystem. It proves that mass production supply chains are already available, paving the way to broader adoption of IMSE technology.”
About TactoTek
TactoTek is the leading provider of Injection Molded Structural Electronics (IMSE) solutions that integrate printed circuitry and electronic components into 3D injection molded plastics. Leading IMSE use cases include human-machine interfaces (HMI), connectivity and electronic styling features for automotive, smart home, appliances and other markets. TactoTek develops and industrializes IMSE technology, creates mass production ready IMSE prototypes, and licenses IMSE technology for 3rd party IMSE part design and global mass production.
TactoTek is funded by international leaders in finance and industry committed to advancing technology solutions that benefit consumers and the environment. TactoTek investors include 3M Ventures, Repsol Energy Ventures, Faurecia Ventures, Conor Venture Partners, Voima Ventures, Nordic Option Oy, Nidoco AB and Cornes Technologies Limited. For more information, please visit www.tactotek.com.
About BÖ-LA
From its beginnings in 1975 as a small business for promotional items, BÖ-LA Siebdrucktechnik GmbH subsequently developed into one of the leading manufacturers of technical screen-printing films. Today, BÖ-LA is a recognized and competent development partner and supplier to large-scale industries, especially in the business fields of automotive and household appliance industries as well as in the medical and electronics sectors. The company has around 250 employees at three locations in Radevormwald, Germany.
Film-Insert-Molding and innovative backlighting are BÖ-LA’s core technologies. However today, BÖ-LA has a wide range of decoration processes as well as a large scope of foil processing and 3D-forming methods. In the field of injection molding, BÖ-LA is just as broadly positioned and offers nearly the full range of insert-molding processes. On top of that, as a specialist in automation and assembly technology, BÖ-LA offers the ready-assembled decorative assembly from a single source – naturally also with function integration.