Caerphillys developmental communications company E-lumin has bought Cambridge Consultants electro-luminescent display arm, Pelikon, after securing 4m second-round funding from Advent Venture Partners.

The Pelikon team will remain in the Cambridge area to develop its electro-luminescent technology, which could see the production of multi-section lit billboard designs.

The displays use a plastic substrate with advanced phosphor screen-printing and conductive layer on top in a sandwich, which can also be powered and split into segments. The material produces light when a low current is passed through it.

E-lumin technical director Chris Fryer said: "At the moment were working with complex displays with segments. You could have 128 areas lit individually but powered and controlled by the same processor."

Fryer said the advantage of the process was that it was not constrained by the need for glass and that E-lumin had produced an A0 size section. "We expect to see electro-luminescent products on the shelves within six months, which will give innovative manufacturers a real advantage."

Story by John Davies