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Westaim’s iFire Technology Inc. and TDK Corporation of Japan announce equity partnership for production of newly developed flat panel display |
02/17/2000 |
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TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA - iFire Technology Inc., a subsidiary of The Westaim Corporation, today announced it has entered into a US$25-million strategic partnership agreement with TDK Corporation of Japan for technology collaboration and production of iFireTM-based flat panel displays, which are a breakthrough in inorganic electroluminescent display technology. Applications will target the automotive display sector, including full-color console displays, instrumentation, navigation and passenger entertainment units, and applications in industrial, medical, home appliance, and consumer markets.
“TDK is one of the most respected electronic components and materials companies in the world,” said Michael Goldstein, President of iFire Technology Inc. “This partnership combines TDK’s mass-production expertise, global marketing and distribution channels, and materials technology with our proprietary flat panel display technology and manufacturing know-how. Together we intend to establish iFireTM flat panels within the small graphics display market and also accelerate development of larger flat panels for the large screen TV market.”
Under the agreement, TDK will invest US$7.5 million for a 2.5 per cent stake in iFire Technology Inc., and the two companies will join forces to further accelerate the technical development and mass production infrastructure for iFire flat panel displays. TDK will also receive a license to manufacture iFireTM flat panel displays for applications under 12 inches in size. As part of this collaboration, TDK will apply its proprietary device, material and manufacturing technology.
“This is a unique opportunity to accelerate the launch of a new high-value technology that has a huge potential in the flat panel display market,” said Hajime Sawabe, President and CEO of TDK Corporation. “We are entering into this long-term relationship with iFire Technology Inc. because I believe this will be an ideal collaboration between a unique technology inventor and an expert technology executor.”
“As a technology incubator, Westaim is committed to advancing its technology businesses from the lab to the commercial marketplace as fast as possible,” said Kevin Jenkins, President and CEO of The Westaim Corporation. “In just three years, iFire Technology Inc. accomplished what it took others decades to achieve. No other flat panel technology has gone from conception to commercialization as quickly as the iFireTM flat panel display.”
About TDK Corporation’s technology
TDK has a portfolio of technologies originally developed for its businesses involving electronic materials, components and devices, semiconductor, recording media and data storage devices. Its technical leadership includes materials research and development for dielectric, organic and semiconductor materials, process technologies for thick and thin film, metal, ceramic, semiconductors and integration technologies. TDK technologies can be found in multimedia, audio, video, television, personal computers, mobile communications, components, and semiconductors.
About iFireTM flat panel displays
Unlike many flat panel display technologies that depend heavily on the use of expensive semiconductor-type thin-film manufacturing processes, the iFireTM flat panel display is a solid state electroluminescent technology that relies mostly on lower-cost, thick-film processes. Its manufacturing process uses a simpler screen-printing technique well known in the capacitor and printed circuit board industry that is less sensitive to contaminants. This translates into fewer process steps, higher yield and lower cost production equipment and facilities.
Compared with most other flat panel technologies, an iFireTM flat panel display is a very simple device. It does not involve vacuum, gases or liquids, making it more robust than other flat panel technologies with reduced susceptibility to shock, vibration and breakage. iFireTM displays emit light from the front portion of the display, resulting in a wide viewing angle and crisp, clear, full-color images. iFireTM flat panel displays boast one of the widest operating temperature ranges of any electronic display technology, meeting the demanding requirements of transportation displays and other high-reliability applications.
TDK is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, and is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TDK. TDK manufactures and markets electronic materials, components and devices, semiconductors, recording devices and recording media. It has more than 31,000 employees and annual sales of 676,250 million yen (US$6.3 billion).
The Westaim Corporation is a technology incubator that launches exceptional technologies into the marketplace. Its technology subsidiaries include Westaim Biomedical Corp., which has developed an infection control technology for use in the treatment of wounds, and iFire Technology Inc., which has developed a revolutionary low-cost flat panel display. A TSE 300 company, Westaim’s common shares are listed on The Toronto Stock Exchange under the trading symbol WED.
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CONTACTS:
Tony Johnston
Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs
The Westaim Corporation
(403) 234-3103
Website: www.westaim.com
e-mail: info@westaim.com
Kazutoshi Kogure
Manager, Corporate Communications Dept.
TDK Corporation
Tel: (03) 5201-7102
Website: www.tdk.co.jp
e-mail: kazuto4@mb1.tdk.co.jp
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