Guangzhou OED Technologies raring to wrap the world in e-paper

By Qiu Quanlin (China Daily) Updated: 2016-03-21 08:17

The e-paper display, developed by Guangzhou OED Technologies, is on a Russian Yotaphone's backside. [Photo/China Daily by Qiu Quanlin]

"Following strong investment in technologies, China, the birthplace of paper-making in ancient times, can also lead the global e-paper display industry," said Chen.

Towards this end, OED has jointly developed a soft e-paper display laboratory with Sun Yat-sen University, which is strongly supported by top researchers.

According to Chen, OED will start exporting its products to the US, where the market is dominated by global e-paper display producers such as E-Ink Corporation, a supplier to Amazon, maker of the widely-used e-reader Kindle.

"We are positioning to break the global market rule by shipping advanced technologies and products to traditional markets," said Chen. "After years of research and development, you need to bring your advanced technologies of e-paper display to the market," said Chen.

OED has so far developed more than 155 domestic and international patents of e-paper display technologies, said Chen.

Emerging markets, especially countries and regions along the Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, will play an important role for the company's future growth, said Chen.

In the past, OED's strong research and development in the e-paper display sector had resulted in a big deal with a leading mobile phone producer based in Russia.

In October last year, the company signed an agreement with Russian smartphone maker Yota Devices, to provide its technologies to the Russian company, which is developing its next generation of products with double-sided displays.

"With closer cooperation with Chinese suppliers, a substantial increase in sales is expected in China in the near future," said Vladislav Martynov, chief executive officer of Yota Devices, during the agreement signing ceremony.

Yota launched its YotaPhone2 in the Chinese market in May last year. Its dual-screen phones got a big blast of publicity in China after Russian President Vladimir Putin gave one as a gift to Chinese President Xi Jinping at the 2014 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders' Meeting in Beijing.

The novel smartphone has a second e-paper display screen on its back, which can provide various notifications and messages and help reduce battery use.

But it was not smooth sailing always for OED Technologies in the global markets. It's just over a year since the company successfully fought off a bruising patent infringement suit filed in early 2012 by its global rival E Ink Corporation.

Memories of that case still rankle Chen.