Organic and Printed Electronics Association’s (OE-A) latest member survey expects growth for 2026, although down by half from the previous one last fall.
OE-A members expect sales growth of 7 percent this year, down from 14 percent in the last survey. The bi-annual OE-A Business Climate Survey gathers insights from OE-A members across the value chain, including R&D institutes, material suppliers, manufacturers and end users. It provides qualitative data on industry trends, sales growth and market outlook, providing a snapshot of the current state and future direction of the industry.
The survey shows that the industry as a whole is very confident: 73 percent of OE-A members surveyed expect the printed electronics industry to continue growing this year, up from 58 percent last October.
Optimism Prevails
Despite uncertainties, the industry is clearly on a growth path, commented Dr. Klaus Hecker, Managing Director of the OE-A, on the results of the latest Business Climate Survey.
“Companies are investing specifically in technology, capacity, and new talent – a clear sign of strong demand and great confidence in the future of printed electronics,” said Dr. Hecker. “Nevertheless, the mood remains positive: printed electronics continues to grow – despite geopolitical tensions and economic challenges.”
Double Digit Sales Growth in 2027
In the current survey, a third of respondents said they plan to increase production investment in the next six months, while 70 percent of companies intend to maintain their current investment level. In terms of employment, 84 percent of members plan to hire more staff, compared to only 30 percent in the October 2025 survey.
The increased focus on innovation is encouraging according to OE-A officials: 94 percent of companies want to expand their R&D activities, up 20 percent from the last survey.
Hecker noted these results, along with the industry’s forecast for 2027 having an expected growth of 10 percent, are significantly higher than those of the last survey.
“Despite lower expectations for revenue growth, the business climate is more positive in many areas compared to last year. The data clearly shows that overall economic developments are influencing our industry, but they are not slowing it down,” he said. “At the same time, more intensive R&D activities and increases in investment and employment emphasize that companies are actively preparing for a promising period in a dynamic market.”