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E-paper is to go into mass production next year after Cambridge firm Plastic Logic secured funding to build the world's first factory for the project in Germany.

The company, which spun out of Cambridge University in 2000, has secured $100m (£50.6m) equity finance from US finance houses Oak Investment Partners and Tudor Investment Corporation.

E-paper is an electronic screen which has a texture similar to paper and is more comfortable for the eyes than existing digital displays. Certain versions of the technology already in existence do not need a power supply to hold an image.

John Mills, chief operating officer at Plastic Logic said: "Our displays will enable electronic reader products that are as comfortable to read as paper whether you're on a beach, in a train or relaxing on the sofa at home."

Simon Jones, Vice president of product development at Plastic Logic said: "Even in this age of pervasive digital content, our research shows that our consumers are very reluctant to read laptops, phones and PDAs."

The company has predicted sales of 41.6m units by 2010. It will have an initial capacity of more than a million display modules a year and production will start in 2008 at the Dresden plant.

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