Blue Spark Technologies Opens Battery Printing Facility

CLEVELAND, Ohio—Blue Spark Technologies, a leading supplier of thin, flexible, eco-friendly printed batteries, announced it has opened a new high-volume printing and production facility located in West Bend, Wisconsin. The new facility extends Blue Spark’s capability to produce large volumes of its line of disposable, flexible carbon zinc batteries to meet growing demand for printed electronics that power innovations in commercial and industrial packaging.

Blue Spark’s ultra-thin carbon zinc batteries are used as a power source in a host of traditional and printed electronics applications—a market which industry analyst IDTechEx predicts will rise from $2.2 billion in 2011 to $44.25 billion in 2021.

Commenting on the expansion, Blue Spark Technologies’ president and CEO John Gannon, notes: “Our investment in the new Wisconsin facility demonstrates our operational readiness to support wide range market adoption of thin printed batteries that bring ‘power to packaging.’ As one of the pioneers in the research, development and commercialization of printed battery technology, Blue Spark is positioned to help lead the way in bringing new and unique battery-powered applications to the mass market. Working with our global technology partners, we are continuing to grow and to open new markets by providing innovative, cost-effective solutions designed to improve productivity and profitability, as well as brand management and supply chain security.”

Some high-value solution applications using Blue Spark’s thin printed batteries include: interactive packaging for consumer goods, such as food and pharmaceutical products; battery-assisted RFID and RF-linked sensor solutions for product, asset, and people tracking; “smartcards” that provide transactional authentication and security; and a host of interactive printed media products, such as books, magazines, posters, greeting cards, and apparel.

Matt Ream, VP of marketing, adds: “Growing customer demand and analyst predictions of accelerated growth in the worldwide market for printed electronics was a key factor in Blue Spark Technologies’ decision to invest in expanding our production capabilities. Current capacity of the new West Bend plant is estimated at upwards of 300 million batteries per year, depending on the product being produced. It’s an exciting time for Blue Spark—a milestone for our company and an opportunity to add new jobs and boost economic growth right here in the U.S. heartland.”