California-based UST Global has set up a joint venture with German firm Plastic Logic to create digital shelf displays that provide whole-shelf labels to retailers for pricing and promotions.

Plastic Logic designs and makes flexible, glass-free electrophoretic displays (EPDs). The joint venture will let UST provide its retail customers with flexible, whole-shelf electronic shelf labels (ESLs) based on Plastic Logic’s flexible OTFT-based e-paper technology.

The ESLs can be curved into various shapes, measuring up to 120cm long by 4.4cm deep, and will let retailers display product information and pricing across the entire length of a standard shelf, as well as create advertising and promotional messages that can be displayed, rotated and dynamically changed several times a week.

“We’re really excited to be partnering with UST Global to find new and exciting retail applications for our innovative ESL technology,” said Tim Burne, chief executive officer of Plastic Logic. “To date, retailers have struggled to find the right method for creating whole-shelf displays. The combination of our display development efforts and our partnership with UST Global means for the first-time retailers can take advantage of flexible display technology that significantly enhances their customers’ interactions and experiences.”

UST is a long-term digital technology service partner to 12 of the world’s top 20 retailers, including two of the world’s top three mega-retailers.

“Innovation through perfect technology enablers with measurable benefits has always proven to drive exponential growth for large retail organisations,” said Sunil Kanchi, chief investment officer of UST Global. “We see an upward trend in the market for electronic shelf labels. Our global partnership and joint development with Plastic Logic ensure that our retail customers can now drive costs and increase value by adopting flexible shelf labels for centralised pricing and advertisements.”

Niranjan Ram, chief technology officer at UST Global, added: “We are seeing demand from our large retail customers globally for flexible, whole-shelf displays that are not restricted to individual product pricing, but expanding to advertisements along the shelf edge. This joint venture with Plastic Logic allows us to provide retailers the tools to create and change pricing across whole ranges on a standard shelf, as well as incorporate advertising for brands and products. This offers significant RoI opportunities through additional revenue generated from every store shelf, including labour savings and dynamic updates to potentially thousands of labels and advertisements.”

Plastic Logic’s Lectum displays are high-resolution, lightweight and low power, and are more rugged than standard glass-based EPDs. Being thinner and lighter makes them suitable for applications such as shelf displays.

Operating in 25 countries, UST delivers digital transformation strategy services, products and platforms for banking, finance, healthcare, retail, manufacturing, semiconductor, technology and media.

Plastic Logic says it designed the world’s first truly flexible, glass-free electrophoretic displays. Originally made in Dresden, Germany, production is today carried out in manufacturing facilities globally. Founded in 2000, the company is supported by investors including Rusnano and Eink.