Global OLED Technology LLC explained

Global OLED Technology LLC develops and administers intellectual property purchased by Korea's LG Group from the Eastman Kodak Company for US$100 million^[1] in December 2009.^[2] Comprising some 2,200 patents,^[3] its portfolio of technologies arises from Kodak's research into organic light emitting diodes which stretches back to the 1970s^[4] or early 1980s.^[5]

Ownership

In June 2010 the Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd., a petrochemical company based in Tokyo, Japan, acquired a 32.73% stake in Global OLED Technology for several billion yen.^[6] LG Display had an existing relationship with Idemitsu's Electronic Materials Department, having secured a strategic supply of high-performance OLED material through a 24 June 2009 memorandum of understanding.^[7]

The balance of the company is held by three subsidiaries of LG Corp^[8]

• LG Chem, Ltd. - Established in 1947 as Lak-Hui Chemical Industrial Corp., LG Chem is the senior arm of the LG chaebol
• LG Electronics, Inc. - Produces consumer goods including televisions, mobile phones, semiconductors, and home appliances.
• LG Display Co., Ltd. - Founded in 1999 as a joint venture between LG Electronics, Inc. and Koninklijke Philips Consumer Electronics, N.V., it was known as LG.Philips LCD until Philips sold off its stake in 2008.

Licensees

Companies licensing Kodak-developed technologies include^[9]

• Nippon Seiki Co., Ltd. - Mainly incorporates passive OLEDs into automotive instrument panels^[10]
• Optrex Corporation - Wholly owned subsidiary of Kyocera Corporation effective 1 February 2012.
• Ritek Corporation - Maker of the first Taiwanese AMOLED display.^[11]
• Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd. - Owners of leading P-OLED research centre Cambridge Display Technology^[12] in Cambourne, Cambridgeshire, Sumitomo has built a large P-OLED materials factory^[13] near Osaka, Japan and developed a 423-ppi inkjet printing method of flexible polymer OLED panel manufacture.^[14]
• TDK Corporation - Put small transparent OLED screens into early mass production^[15]
• Tohoku Device Co., Ltd. - Subsidiary of the Pioneer Corporation responsible for the manufacture of speakers, mechatronics, and OLED displays.^[16]
• Truly Semiconductors Limited - Display manufacturer headquartered in Hong Kong.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Kodak's OLED unit was sold for $100 million. OLED-Info.com. 31 December 2013.
2. Web site: Who We Are. Global OLED Technology LLC. 31 December 2013.
3. Web site: What We Do. Global OLED Technology LLC. 31 December 2013.
4. Web site: Miller. Paul. Kodak selling OLED display business to LG, cross-licensing like there's no tomorrow. Engadget. 4 December 2009 . 31 December 2013.
5. Web site: Welcome to Global OLED Technology. Global OLED Technology LLC > Home. 31 December 2013.
6. Web site: http://www.osa-direct.com/osad-news/idemitsu-kosan-acquires-stake-in-lg-group-oled-patent-business.html. The OSA Direct Newsletter. 31 December 2013. dead. https://archive.today/20131231234610/http://www.osa-direct.com/osad-news/idemitsu-kosan-acquires-stake-in-lg-group-oled-patent-business.html. 31 December 2013.
7. Web site: LG Display Forms Strategic Alliance with Idemitsu Kosan for AMOLED. LG Display Newsroom. 31 December 2013. 1 January 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140101084009/http://lgdnewsroom.com/press_releases/560. dead.
8. Web site: Investors. Global OLED Technology LLC. 31 December 2013. 21 January 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140121051920/http://www.globaloledtech.com/investors.html. dead.
9. Web site: Partners. Global OLED Technology LLC. 31 December 2013.
10. Web site: Display products. Nippon Seiki. 31 December 2013. 1 January 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140101142722/http://www.nippon-seiki.co.jp/global/products/dsp_products_e/. dead.
11. [Ritek#Displays]
12. Web site: Introduction to P-OLEDs. Cambridge Display Technology. 31 December 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20140220045242/http://www.cdtltd.co.uk/technology/introduction-to-p-oleds. 20 February 2014. dead.
13. Web site: Panasonic's printed 56" 4K OLED TV prototype uses Sumitomo's PLED materials. OLED-Info.com. 31 December 2013.
14. Web site: Sumitomo Chemical Develops Printed OLED Panel Technology. LED Inside. TrendForce Corp.. 31 December 2013. nicole88.
15. Web site: O'Brien. Terrence. TDK starts mass production of transparent OLEDs, makes texting and walking safer. Engadget. June 2011 . 31 December 2013.
16. Web site: PM-OLED Standard Models. Organic EL Displays. 31 December 2013.