Emerson & Cuming adds Acheson’s printable circuit assembly materials

Emerson & Cuming has added the series of polymer thick films, conductive inks and coatings of sister company Acheson Electronic Materials to its own circuit assembly materials offerings, allowing it to now offer printed, sprayable, jettable and dispensed materials for a wide array of electronic component assembly applications. 

In addition to its adhesives, coatings, encapsulants and sealants for circuit assembly, Emerson & Cuming will market Acheson Electronic Materials’ internationally recognized brands of Electrodag, Lumidag and Minico polymer thick films beginning in the fourth quarter of 2007. The product ranges include polymer thick films for printing via screen, rotogravure and flexographic methods. Acheson polymer thick film inks are used for the production of flexible circuits for membrane switches, flexible circuits for PC and notebook keyboards, heating elements, printed circuit boards, smart cards, RFID antenna, battery check labels, biosensors, EKG/ECG electrodes, EL-lamps, potentiometers, and touch screens. The product lines are well known in medical sensor, automotive sensors, RFID, display and lighting, and industrial and consumer membrane switch applications and complement Emerson & Cuming’s pastes and encapsulants in these same markets and applications.

Acheson Electronic Materials’ sales and applications experts in the product lines will join Emerson & Cuming. All research and new product development will be consolidated in Emerson & Cuming’s facility in Billerica, Massachussetts, with personnel relocating from AEM’s Port Huron, Michigan facility in 2008. Both Acheson and Emerson & Cuming are an integral part of National Starch and Chemical Company’s Electronic Materials Division.

Electronic Materials’ management anticipates that the addition of Acheson’s polymer thick films, conductive inks and coatings to Emerson & Cuming’s portfolio will bring critical mass to the development and commercialization of new products for the entire business. ‘Combining expertise in both printed and dispensed materials into one company is a true advantage for customers served by both businesses. It will allow new solutions, derived from know-how in both Emerson & Cuming and Acheson areas of expertise, to be offered to meet market needs in RFID applications, as an example,’ said Cindy Yanch, Acheson EM global business director. The company expects to accelerate development of single-source solutions for RFID inks and adhesives.