OLED mask market expected to grow 34% in 2022

The global OLED mask market is expected to grow 10% from 2020 this year to be worth US$354 million, according to market research firm Omdia.

But it will grow 34% year-on-year in 2022 to be worth US$476 million, the firm said.

Fine metal masks account for 98% of OLED masks. They are used to deposit red, green and blue emission layers. The fine metal mask market is dominated by Dai Nippon Printing and Toppan Printing of Japan. 

Dai Nippon Printing is the exclusive supplier of the masks to Samsung Display for high-resolution OLED panels __ used in Galaxy S, Galaxy Note and iPhones.

Omdia said the fine metal mask market will show rapid growth from Chinese panel makers’ expanded production capacity and line operation rates as well as high demand for high-resolution panels.

Demand for 450ppi panels are high. Samsung’s Galaxy S21 series offers 421ppi for the normal S21 model, 341ppi for the Plus model and 515ppi for the Ultra model.

Meanwhile, open metal mask used to deposit the transportation layer in OLED will be worth US$8 million this year and US$9 million in 2022, according to Omdia.

Open metal mask are reused more often compared to fine metal mask.

In South Korea, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy has given a national project for local companies to develop fine metal masks. Poongwon Precision, which is developing an etching method for the masks similar to way Dai Nippon manufacture theirs, as well as APS materials, which is developing a non-etching method, will take part in the project up to 2023. 

Olum Material and Philoptics, developing etching and non-etching methods respectively, have been dropped out of the national project but are continuing to develop technologies on their own. Wave Electronics is also a fine metal mask developer. For open metal masks, companies working in the area in South Korea include Poongwon Precision, Sewoo Incorporation and Pims.