ELK Corporation - Technology - Touch Panel Roadmap

Roadmap

Touch panel roadmap

Currently, ELK's customers use more Resistive Touch technology in their products than Capacitive Touch technology. Over the next 2 years we believe that this preference will be reversed. In line with this trend, ELK continues to invest to maintain our leadership in the manufacture of Capacitive Touch sensors.

The increasing adoption of Capacitive Touch technology will need to be driven by a fall in the cost of this technology, thereby opening up new and wider applications. The growing use of Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) sensors, as manufactured by ELK, rather than glass sensors, will play a key part in delivering this cost reduction. In addition, ELK continues to adopt new materials and implement process improvements that deliver better value to our customers. ELK's current pricing is very competitive but it is our internal target to reduce it significantly over the next 12 months. This is reflected in our forward pricing.

Product performance and quality are equally important. ELK is continuously investing in new processes, equipment, and capacity to meet the growing demands of our customers. Over the last few months alone, this has included the introduction of camera-based printing and cutting systems into our touch sensor manufacturing, and then investment in ACF bonding lines within our facility. ELK has the necessary capital and space to maintain this strategy of continuous improvement, and is committed to doing so.

Through widening our range of products and services ELK is now able to manufacture everything from an individual touch sensor through to a complete direct bonded touch display module. ELK will continue to broaden our capabilities in line with the requirements of our customers. For example, we are now being asked for advice and support in emerging technology fields such as "haptics", and ELK is now actively involved in this area.

Looking to the future, ELK sees the touch panel market expanding fast, driven to an extent by increasingly sophisticated and cost competitive Capacitive Touch technology. At the same time the customers for this technology are looking to buy complete touch panel assemblies rather than sourcing all the various elements individually. It is this vision that is driving our ongoing programme of investment and improvement.