Electroninks, an Austin-based firm that makes metal complex inks for electronic uses, has announced a collaboration with SAKATA INX, a prominent Japanese ink manufacturer which also caters to the electronics industry. This collaboration will help Electroninks to grow its global footprint and boost its R&D efforts, while assisting SAKATA to diversify their own product lines in electronics production.
Notably, this isn’t the first such tie-up for Electroninks with Japanese material providers. In fall 2022, the Texan company had partnered with FUJIFILM Imaging Colorants Inc. Under this agreement, this branch of the renowned Japanese optics firm started the contractual manufacturing of silver inks from Electroninks’ range at Imaging Colorant Inc.’s unit located in New Castle, Delaware. Consequently, through its association with SAKATA INX, Electroninks has successfully established a mutual relationship with the Japanese market.
As of now, Electroninks’ portfolio comprises of conductive inks made out of substances like silver, platinum, nickel, copper, and gold. The company is also the creator of the Circuit Jet inkjet printer, which is purpose-built for printed circuit board (PCB) prototyping.
In context of the newly-formed alliance with Electroninks, Yoshiaki Ueno, the chief executive officer and president at SAKATA INX, commented in an official statement, “Given the increasing anticipation around improved product functionality, we expect a substantial surge in demand for high-value-added materials within the electronics domain. In view of this, our aim is to work hand in glove with Electroninks, our global tech collaborator, to introduce new products and establish fresh business avenues.”
Electroninks has several links to US governmental bodies, including funding from the venture capital fund of the intelligence community, In-Q-Tel, the Air Force Rapid Sustainment Office, and grant aid from the Department of Energy (DOE). Additionally, the firm has received investment from the global venture capital branches of global corporations such as semiconductor producer Applied Materials, and pharmaceuticals manufacturer Merck.
Forever an essential aspect of the world economy’s dynamics, the trade interaction between the US and Japan has seen a resurgence over the past year, markedly, as key US investors have funnelled considerable capital into the country. The mutual aim of these two nations to oppose the commanding presence of China in the South China Sea is one clear reason for the recent speedup in the US-Japanese strategic alliance.
Moreover, the reality is that the bonds between both countries are so widespread that any major adjustments to one economy would be practically unachievable without concurrently modifying the other. This indicates that any alliances between the US and Japan have special relevance in predicting the growth path of advanced manufacturing.
If the US and Japan are increasingly connecting around conductive inks, as it seems, this alone implies the rising pertinence of conductive inks to the evolving global advanced manufacturing framework. While the global expansion of Electroninks isn’t the only supporting evidence for this argument, it does seem likely that 3D printed electronic components will be a feature of the upcoming industrialization era.
Images courtesy of Electroninks
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