Democrat and chronicle_20130714_e01
1
IN TOUCH ROCHESTERNEXT.COM Rochester has staked out a role in the touchscreen sensor industry The basic technology under- lying the booming touchscreen industry is in the midst of a ma- jor transition and Rochester is poised to capitalize on the new developments. More than 90 percent of touchscreens use transparent indium tin oxide (ITO) as the conductor that detects finger- tip motion. But, experts say, ITO is expensive, difficult to work with, and found only in one area of mainland China, which controls its availability and price. A new alternative approach uses virtually invisible nano- scale lines of copper or silver instead of ITO to form a metal mesh conductor for smart- phones, tablets and other de- vices. The advantages could lead to a major shift in manufactur- ing and provide enormous op- portunities for developers of the new metal mesh technol- ogy. While ITO must be applied to a stiff surface, such as glass, metal mesh can be used on flex- ible surface or substrate, and that’s where Eastman Kodak Co. comes in. Industry doubling Kodak’s expertise and re- sources for making film natu- rally gives it a leg up on produc- ing the flexible substrate with a nearly invisible metal mesh “printed” on the surface. That led to an announcement in April that Kodak and UniPix- el Inc. agreed to manufacture touch sensors in Eastman Busi- ness Park. The $24 million plant is now under construction in Building 326 at the park. “UniPixel hasn’t had a pur- chase order yet. Right now they’re ramping capacity to meet anticipated demand,” said Grant Stude, an analyst for Lio- lios Group in Newport Beach, Calif., an investor relations firm representing UniPixel. By the end of 2013, UniPix- el’s Rochester facility is ex- pected to have a capacity of 1.3 million square feet of touch- screen sensors and employ 65 to 75 workers, who will largely Democrat and Chronicle Sunday, July 14, 2013 Len LaCara Business Editor (585) 258-2416 [email protected] Len LaCara “The city was and still is the center of a various, intelligent, enterprising, liberal, and growing population. ... Its people were industrious and in comfortable cir- cumstances — not so rich as to be indiffer- ent to the claims of humanity, and not so poor as to be unable to help any good cause which commanded the approval of their judgment.” — Frederick Douglass on Rochester, in his autobiography Frederick Douglass moved to Roches- ter in 1847 and stayed for 25 years. Does today’s Rochester reflect the feelings of Douglass? I applaud the Democrat and Chronicle for pushing into daylight the discussion of race in our community. The pronounced racial divide in wealth and income has led to the unhealthy development of two distinct communities, the urban poor and suburbia. It has also been well-document- ed that Rochester is one of the most char- itable regions, per capita, in the U.S. I’m growing concerned that we may be suf- fering from what French philosopher Albert Camus observed: “Too many have dispensed with generosity in order to practice charity.” Last month, my wife and I went to the final evening of the jazz festival and were part of the multitude entertained by Trombone Shorty. The crowd was big, diverse and getting along great. It was a sea of humanity at its finest. The business of music can create a non-threatening and non-judgmental medium by which dialogue can bridge the community, to gain a better appreciation and understanding of others’ circum- stances and trials. If we could find a way to further community dialogue on race in this setting, progress could be made and economic opportunities developed. The expression of an art form, music in this case, has proved to be a catalyst for innovation since the Greek philoso- pher Pythagoras put forth the theory 2,500 years ago that music was equally as important as math. Every couple of Saturdays, I go to the Rochester Public Market on North Union Street. If you have never gone, you owe it to yourself to go. It is easily the most diverse place in Rochester, as citizens from all walks of life conduct business as buyers, sellers or simple social observ- ers. I’ve been going to the market since my mother took me as a child in the ’60s, and it hasn’t changed. Rich, poor, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, men, women and children — they are all there. The market-goers have great respect for each other, which is evident in the courteous and thoughtful way they inter- act. It is a lesson in civility and promotes understanding of others and their cul- tures. It seems this may be another venue that could be used to further the con- versation on what we can do together to address the issues of poverty, unemploy- ment and our urban education crisis. In 2003, the Ford Foundation published “Public Markets as a Vehicle for Social Integration and Upward Mobility.” It concluded that when commercial and social integration goals are in balance, the market becomes both an anchor for com- mercial activity and a magnet for social interaction. Rochester has a gem at 280 N. Union St.; I think it could prove worth- while in furthering our desire to “Unite.” So let’s get to work. Two local settings where the dividing lines vanish [email protected] Patrick Burke OUTSIDE INSIGHTS GO DEEPER ON DIGITAL Scan the code or click on this story at RochesterNext.com for a video featur- ing Kingsbury CEO Bill Pollock. Bennett J. Loudon Staff writer D&C See TOUCH, Page 5E WHY DOES IT MATTER? The explosive growth of touchscreens has local firms, including Eastman Kodak Co, looking at ways to take advantage of the multibillion dollar market. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY DANI CHERCHIO Leslie Bamann Assistant Vice President – Business Banking Officer Canandaigua National Bank & Trust Business Banking Solutions: more than just great products and services. You get a team of business bankers, specialized technical support, quick loan decisions, and a 23-office retail network. You’ll also enjoy: Call today and a Business Banking Professional will tailor a package just for you. We’ve been investing in ways to better serve your business. • NEW Business Debit Rewards Program • Multiple Checking Options • CNBusiness BillPay • Cash Management Solutions • Comprehensive Business Financing • Online Banking for Business Deposit products—Member FDIC CNBank.com/Business (585) 419-0670 DC-0000308793
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Transcript of Democrat and chronicle_20130714_e01
IN TOUCH
ROCHESTERNEXT.COM
Rochesterhas stakedout a rolein thetouchscreensensorindustry
The basic technology under-lying the booming touchscreenindustry is in themidst of ama-jor transition and Rochester ispoised to capitalize on the newdevelopments.
More than 90 percent oftouchscreens use transparentindium tin oxide (ITO) as theconductor that detects finger-tip motion. But, experts say,ITO is expensive, difficult towork with, and found only inone area of mainland China,which controls its availabilityand price.
A new alternative approachuses virtually invisible nano-scale lines of copper or silverinstead of ITO to form a metalmesh conductor for smart-phones, tablets and other de-vices.
The advantages could leadto a major shift in manufactur-ing and provide enormous op-portunities for developers ofthe new metal mesh technol-ogy.
While ITO must be appliedto a stiff surface, such as glass,metalmeshcanbeusedon flex-
ible surface or substrate, andthat’s where Eastman KodakCo. comes in.
Industry doubling
Kodak’s expertise and re-sources for making film natu-rallygives it a leguponproduc-ing the flexible substratewithanearly invisible metal mesh“printed” on the surface.
That led toanannouncementinApril thatKodak andUniPix-el Inc. agreed to manufacturetouch sensors in EastmanBusi-nessPark.The$24millionplantis now under construction inBuilding 326 at the park.
“UniPixel hasn’t had a pur-chase order yet. Right nowthey’re ramping capacity tomeetanticipateddemand,”saidGrant Stude, an analyst for Lio-lios Group in Newport Beach,Calif., an investor relationsfirm representing UniPixel.
By the end of 2013, UniPix-el’s Rochester facility is ex-pected to have a capacity of 1.3million square feet of touch-screen sensors and employ 65to 75 workers, who will largely
Democrat and Chronicle Sunday, July 14, 2013
Len LaCara Business Editor (585) [email protected]
Len LaCara
“The city was and still is the center ofa various, intelligent, enterprising, liberal,and growing population. ... Its peoplewere industrious and in comfortable cir-cumstances — not so rich as to be indiffer-ent to the claims of humanity, and not sopoor as to be unable to help any goodcause which commanded the approval oftheir judgment.”
— Frederick Douglass on Rochester, in hisautobiography
Frederick Douglass moved to Roches-ter in 1847 and stayed for 25 years. Doestoday’s Rochester reflect the feelings ofDouglass?
I applaud theDemocrat and Chroniclefor pushing into daylight the discussion ofrace in our community. The pronouncedracial divide in wealth and income has ledto the unhealthy development of twodistinct communities, the urban poor andsuburbia. It has also been well-document-ed that Rochester is one of the most char-
itable regions, per capita, in the U.S. I’mgrowing concerned that we may be suf-fering fromwhat French philosopherAlbert Camus observed: “Too many havedispensed with generosity in order topractice charity.”
Last month, my wife and I went to thefinal evening of the jazz festival and werepart of the multitude entertained byTrombone Shorty. The crowd was big,diverse and getting along great. It was asea of humanity at its finest.
The business of music can create anon-threatening and non-judgmentalmedium by which dialogue can bridge the
community, to gain a better appreciationand understanding of others’ circum-stances and trials. If we could find a wayto further community dialogue on race inthis setting, progress could be made andeconomic opportunities developed.
The expression of an art form, musicin this case, has proved to be a catalystfor innovation since the Greek philoso-pher Pythagoras put forth the theory2,500 years ago that music was equally asimportant as math.
Every couple of Saturdays, I go to theRochester Public Market on North UnionStreet. If you have never gone, you owe itto yourself to go. It is easily the mostdiverse place in Rochester, as citizensfrom all walks of life conduct business asbuyers, sellers or simple social observ-ers. I’ve been going to the market sincemymother took me as a child in the ’60s,and it hasn’t changed. Rich, poor, black,white, Latino, Asian, Native American,
men, women and children— they are allthere.
The market-goers have great respectfor each other, which is evident in thecourteous and thoughtful way they inter-act. It is a lesson in civility and promotesunderstanding of others and their cul-tures. It seems this may be another venuethat could be used to further the con-versation on what we can do together toaddress the issues of poverty, unemploy-ment and our urban education crisis.
In 2003, the Ford Foundation published“Public Markets as a Vehicle for SocialIntegration and UpwardMobility.” Itconcluded that when commercial andsocial integration goals are in balance, themarket becomes both an anchor for com-mercial activity and a magnet for socialinteraction. Rochester has a gem at 280N. Union St.; I think it could prove worth-while in furthering our desire to “Unite.”
So let’s get to work.
Two local settings where the dividing lines vanish
PatrickBurkeOUTSIDE INSIGHTS
GO DEEPER ON DIGITALScan the code orclick on this story atRochesterNext.comfor a video featur-ing Kingsbury CEOBill Pollock.
Bennett J. LoudonStaff writer
D&C
See TOUCH, Page 5E
WHY DOES IT MATTER?The explosive growth of touchscreenshas local firms, including EastmanKodak Co, looking at ways to takeadvantage of the multibillion dollarmarket.
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY DANI CHERCHIO
Leslie BamannAssistant Vice President – Business Banking Officer
Canandaigua National Bank&Trust Business Banking Solutions: more than just great products and services.You get a teamof business bankers, specialized technical support, quick loan decisions, and a 23-office retail network.You’ll also enjoy:
Call today and a Business Banking Professional will tailor a package just for you.
We’ve been investing in ways to better serve your business.
• NEWBusiness Debit Rewards Program •Multiple CheckingOptions • CNBusiness BillPay• CashManagement Solutions • Comprehensive Business Financing • Online Banking for Business
Deposit products—Member FDIC CNBank.com/Business (585)419-0670DC-0000308793
