Getting to market by being imaginative: Why our clients use printed electronics (Printed Electronics 2004)

Andrew Ferber is the founder of Colortronics and developed the first pioneering patents, which became the basis for the establishment of T-ink, Inc. Mr. Ferber's career began with the formation of American Ceramicraft, Inc. in 1980, where he proceeded to build an organization that designed, developed, imported and warehoused electronic components for the craft, hobby, toy, and promotional industries. As Mr. Ferber began developing increasingly sophisticated lines of products, he identified the need for a new method of conducting electronic interfaces. This need was the catalyst for creating the technology that spawned the inks that conduct electricity. Mr. Ferber had become more familiar with Engelhard Corporation when ACI was purchasing large quantities of liquid gold for use in the manufacture of its ceramic products. In need of expertise and funds for product development, Mr. Ferber and his new entity, Ferber Technologies, LLC, formed Colortronics in February 1996 as a joint venture with the environmental technologies and precious metals industrial giant, Engelhard Corporation, to develop a business to commercialize the patented conductive ink technology. In August 1998, Ferber Technologies had the opportunity to execute a leveraged buy out of Engelhard Corporation and then owned 100% of Colortronics. In December 2000, T-ink was initially created as a joint venture between Ferber Technologies and Abrams Gentile Group, LLC. Founded in 1986, AGE along with its subsidiaries, is a full service marketing, design, and entertainment company that develops, creates, and produces youth consumer products and family brand entertainment. The assets of Ferber Technologies and AGE have been subsequently consolidated under T-ink, Inc.

Headquartered in New York, T-ink, Inc. is an innovative company that develops, markets and licenses products enabled by its proprietary and patented conductive ink technology. The conductive ink applied through a special formulation on a printable surface; replace buttons, wires, circuits and switches. This core technology has already been applied to a broad range of products such as toys, interactive clothing, youth electronic products, entertainment and consumer goods packaging. T-ink has obtained more than 15 application patents in the US, Europe, and Asia Pacific. Some of the companies that have already introduced products and are planning to roll out products enabled by T-ink technology include, McDonald's, Playtex, News Corporation, Hallmark, Hasbro, Milton Bradley, and Meadwestvaco. T-ink is also close to major agreements in other areas such as security, anti-counterfeiting, home furnishings, and interactive environments.

Mr. Ferber is co-founder and serves as Co-Chairman of T-INK. The company's technology roots began with the founding of Colortronics along with Terry Kaiserman T-INK's CTO. Mr. Ferber developed the first pioneering patents which became the foundation for the establishment of T-INK. Mr. Ferber and Mr. Kaiserman established a joint venture with industrial and materials giant Engelhard Corporation called Engelhard-Colortronics. This joint venture was established to marry the various patented applications for conductive materials with the development of a series of new conductors which incorporated color, washability and design into a range of varied products. Mr. Ferber led the successful buyout of Engelhard's interests in the venture and soon thereafter co-founded T-Ink along with Mr. Kaiserman and Anthony and John Gentile. T-INK continued to develop a range of products that has now spanned into a multitude of industries. Whereas the company's beginnings were in toys, promotional and novelty apparel applications T-INK is now launching products in the Construction, Consumer Electronics, Medical, Military, POP, Packaging, Security, Textiles and Transportation sectors. The management of T-INK has continued to work to establish a global footprint for T-INK's game changing patented technology.