E Ink: Global leader in ePaper Technology settles in Eindhoven

Market leader in ePaper technology

E Ink, a company listed in Taipei and founded in 1997, is the creator, pioneer, and market leader in ePaper technology. With over 3000 employees worldwide, E Ink started at the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven with a small team, but plans for rapid expansion. The potential of E Ink’s technology is undeniable. It can be used in any device requiring a screen that is easily readable, consumes little power, and can be used for extended periods without recharging. Over the years, E Ink has collaborated with large and small electronics companies and secured numerous patents. Think of partnerships with Philips Professional Displays (PPDS) for digital signage and color-changing cars for BMW. In its home country Taiwan, E Ink ranks in the top ten of‘Top Performing Tech Companies.’

Maarten Brouwer, Teamlead Foreign Investments at BOM: “In the field of ePaper technology and displays, E Ink is a significant innovator, often setting industry standards. What’s interesting about this company is: almost everyone is already using E Ink technology, both professionally and personally. However, most people are unaware that the technology originates from E Ink. Think of e-readers, a prime example. With E Ink displays, they offer a reading experience comparable to reading on paper; gentler on the eyes than the LCD screen of a regular tablet and also have a longer battery life. The technology is also already being used in smart price tags in supermarkets and digital signage at stations and airports. We see plenty of opportunities for the application of the technology in markets where Brabant leads, such as logistics, industry, and medical equipment. The possibilities are numerous.”

How the technology works
E Ink’s technology utilizes microscopic particles called microcapsules, containing ink, placed on a substrate to form an image. E Ink displays offer several advantages over traditional LCD screens, such as higher readability in direct sunlight, lower power consumption, and reduced eye strain

Choosing Brabant

The initial contacts between E Ink and Brabant date back to 2013. Over the past ten years, E Ink has visited our country multiple times to investigate the business climate in various regions. Under the guidance of BOM and the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA), E Ink sampled the possibilities offered by Brabant’s ecosystems, assessed the customer potential, and already acquainted themselves with various fellow entrepreneurs and knowledge partners.

Over the years, ecosystems were explored, and a wealth of knowledge was exchanged. On one hand, very practical: for example, to make the benefits of our business climate and legislation clear. On the other hand, very specific and substantive. For example, about generating ‘micropower’.

Tours of the various campuses, introductions to and meetings with fellow innovators and knowledge partners are part of the ‘soft landing’ that BOM aims to provide for international companies. Ultimately, all of this resulted in E Ink’s decision to establish itself in Brabant.

We share the same values with Brabant: we collectively believe in and embrace a sustainable future"

Hui Lee, President of E Ink Netherlands

High Tech Campus

E Ink settled in building HTC69 on the High Tech Campus at the end of 2023. The Eindhoven branch of E Ink is the company’s first location and serves as its headquarters in Europe, following several locations in Asia and the United States.

Maarten Brouwer says: “We explored various locations throughout the country with E Ink and quickly realized: Eindhoven is the place to be for this company. Here, they are in the heart of the High Tech Systems & Materials sector (HTSM), amidst a hotbed of new technologies, innovation, and R&D developments. And we welcome them in Brabant. In the field of ePaper technology and displays, E Ink is a significant innovator, often setting industry standards. In Brabant, there are many opportunities to make companies, technologies, products, and processes more sustainable. For example, we see many opportunities for collaboration and new innovative applications in logistics, industry, and medical hardware. That’s why we’re pleased that E Ink has chosen Brabant as its European springboard and location for its future R&D activities.”

Room for growth in Europe
In the coming period, the team at the Dutch E Ink location will primarily focus on sales, marketing and business development in the European market.

Hui Lee: “Our landing in Brabant was smooth, thanks to the relationships we built with – among others – the people from BOM and the High Tech Campus. The trust they have in us, and vice versa. They are the reason we feel welcome. We feel we have someone ‘on our six’.”

Otto van den Boogaard, CEO of the High Tech Campus Eindhoven: “We are delighted to welcome E Ink to the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven. The arrival of E Ink seamlessly aligns with our mission to bring together innovators and creators of sustainable technologies on the Campus. Moreover, there is already a wealth of knowledge here in areas such as flexible electronics and screens, wireless autonomous technologies, and devices with very low energy consumption, with institutions like Holst Centre. E Ink enriches the existing Campus ecosystem with its innovative technology.”

Leader in sustainability

With E Ink, Brabant brings aboard a top innovator in sustainability. E Ink’s corporate philosophy focuses on delivering revolutionary products, excellent user experiences, and environmental benefits through advanced technological development. Sustainability is interwoven throughout the company. For example, E Ink has pledged to be CO2-neutral (net-zero) by 2040 and to use 100% renewable energy (RE100) by 2030. The company participates in various international climate programs and initiatives related to carbon reduction.