OE-A Business released its bi-annual OE-A Business Climate Survey, which gathers insights from OE-A members across the value chain, including R&D institutes, material suppliers, manufacturers, and end users. 

The survey provides qualitative data on industry trends, sales growth, and market outlook, providing a snapshot of the current state and future direction of the industry. The survey is conducted by OE-A, an international working group within VDMA.

“Despite uncertainties, the industry is clearly on a growth path: companies are investing specifically in technology, capacity, and new talent – a clear sign of strong demand and great confidence in the future of printed electronics,” commented Dr. Klaus Hecker, Managing Director of the OE-A, on the results of the latest Business Climate Survey. “Nevertheless, the mood remains positive: printed electronics continues to grow – despite geopolitical tensions and economic challenges. The industry is clearly thinking ahead, as evidenced by an improved forecast for 2027 with expected growth of 10 percent.”

The survey shows that the industry is very confident: 73% of OE-A members surveyed expect the printed electronics industry to continue growing this year (Oct. 2025: 58%). OE-A members also expect sales growth of 7% this year, down from 14% in the last survey. 

In the current survey, a third of respondents said they plan to increase production investment in the next six months, while 70% of companies intend to maintain their current investment level. In terms of employment, 84% of members plan to hire more staff, compared to only 30% in the October 2025 survey. The increased focus on innovation is also encouraging, as 94% of companies want to expand their R&D activities (Oct. 2025: 74%).

“Despite lower expectations for revenue growth, the business climate is more positive in many areas compared to last year. The data clearly shows that overall economic developments are influencing our industry, but they are not slowing it down. At the same time, more intensive R&D activities and increases in investment and employment emphasize that companies are actively preparing for a promising period in a dynamic market,” Hecker added.