OULU, FINLAND/GYEONGGI-DO, KOREA (10 September 2019) – Today, TactoTek and LS Automotive Technologies (LSAT) announced that LSAT has licensed design and manufacturing rights for TactoTek injection molded structural electronics (IMSE™) technology. The agreement includes rights to use TactoTek proprietary intellectual property and technology transfer that enables LSAT to design and manufacture IMSE parts in Korea and globally.
LSAT is a market-leading vehicle electronics manufacturer in Korea and around the world with strategically located manufacturing operations to serve global customers. “TactoTek’s IMSE technology enables the solutions that our customers are asking for and also supports our core company values,” noted Hyo-Cheol Lee, VP, Advanced Development at LSAT. “IMSE is cutting-edge technology that supports the design innovation that our customers want while being environmentally-friendly because it uses clean, additive manufacturing processes and significantly reduces plastics use. LSAT already has customer projects for IMSE solutions.”
TactoTek develops, industrializes and licenses IMSE™ technology that combines printed electronics and electronic components within single piece, seamless 3D injection molded structures. Surface finishes range from plastics to elegant natural materials, including wood. The company packages its technology for licensees in two products, IMSE Designer™ for IMSE part design, and IMSE Builder™ for IMSE part mass production, testing and quality assurance. For automotive markets, TactoTek licensees mass produce IMSE parts.
“We are honored that LSAT has embraced our IMSE Technology,” said Jussi Harvela, TactoTek CEO, “LSAT is well-known for their technology leadership and process excellence, and those attributes support the quality and total cost efficiency that will propel their success with IMSE. Moreover, LSAT’s global manufacturing footprint will make IMSE solutions easily accessible to OEMs in many new markets.”
TactoTek supports IMSE licensees with a hands-on technology transfer process to ensure that licensees are successful with the technology. “We are very pleased with the rigor of TactoTek’s IMSE technology validation methodologies,” stated Kyoung-Choon Kim, LSAT Chief Strategy Officer. “Based on TactoTek’s technology, we believe LS Automotive can lead the HMI new product market and meet proactively the needs of global customers.”
About TactoTek
TactoTek is a leading provider of solutions for Injection Molded Structural Electronics (IMSE) that integrate printed circuitry and electronic components into 3D injection molded plastics. Leading use cases include in-vehicle applications, home/industrial appliances, and wearable technology. TactoTek adapts customer designs to IMSE technology, develops mass production ready prototypes, and mass produces or licenses the technology for 3rd party mass production. TactoTek is funded by Conor Venture Partners, Ascend Capital Partners, Faurecia Ventures, Plastic Omnium, Nanogate, VTT Ventures and Leaguer VC. For more information, please visit www.tactotek.com
About LS Automotive Technologies
LS Automotive, an automotive parts supplier established in 1973, produces electric and electronic control devices for vehicles such as switch modules, interior lamps, sensors and body control systems as its main items. LS Automotive has ‘a company that considers people and nature and provides safety, convenience and more value than that’ as its corporate mission. It is expanding its range into future automotive areas such as human machine interface (HMI) products, next-generation eco-friendly and safety products, and advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) integrated control modules. As a result of establishing production subsidiaries in major overseas markets and strengthening sales and marketing capabilities, LS Automotive have major global top OEMs such as Hyundai-Kia, GM, VW, NISSAN, FORD, FCA, PSA and RENAULT as well as major Tier 1 customers such as ZF, CONTINENTAL, BOSCH, ADVICS and LEAR.
