I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

In 1971, David Bowie released his album “Hunky Dory.” One obscure track (at the time, at least) on that album, “Changes,” would slowly evolve into a Bowie signature piece, stutter and all. As time went on, his admonition for us all to “turn and face the strange” carried more and more weight in popular music and popular culture. Of course, a cover of “Changes” which was featured in the movie “Shrek 2” caused the song to peak again in 2004, 33 years after it was first released. Just a little reminder that change is a constant. 

I confess that I couldn’t get the song’s refrain out of my head as I compiled this week’s top five must-reads. Not only is significant change apparent in this compendium, but I continue to see major shifts and changes in the news and stories we cover with our magazines and books as well. “Turn and face the strange,” indeed. If you’re not already a subscriber, now is a good time to become one.

This week’s top five includes a change of leadership at TTM Technologies; sustainability initatives at BAE; a fundamental shift in manufacturing at a high-profile boutique EMS company in the Bay Area while another Bay Area EMS company adds to their certifications; and financial results from a global materials supplier. 

Enjoy what’s left of the summer! 

TTM Technologies Announces the Retirement of its CFO and Appoints a CFO Successor 
Published August 4

TTM’s Todd B. Schull announced his intention to step down as executive vice president and chief financial officer as of September 11, 2023, continuing on as a special advisor to CEO Thomas Edman until the end of the 2023 calendar year. Daniel L. Hoehle will succeed Schull. Read more about this change of leadership here. 

And Now, a Word About Sustainability With Colin Cupitt, BAE Systems 
Published August 9

This may be the most-read news item all week. IPC Community magazine (subscribe here) spoke with several members of IPC’s Sustainability for Electronics Leadership Council about sustainability initiatives at their respective companies. BAE Systems’ Colin Cupitt’s interview certainly got everyone’s attention. 

Network PCB Assumes Manufacturing Services from Tempo Automation 
Published August 8 

Tempo Automation is transferring manufacturing to San Jose-based Network PCB. From the press release, “Tempo Automation Holdings Inc. announced on August 4th that it has established a manufacturing outsource agreement with Network PCB, a PCB manufacturing and assembly company strategically located in San Jose, California. Tempo realize that this is an abrupt transition, but it was necessitated by unforeseen circumstances that were beyond Tempo’s control.” Check it out.

Green Circuits Achieves IPC Certification for J-STD-001 Space and Military Addendum 
Published August 7 

As stated in the article, “Green Circuits’ successful attainment of the IPC J-STD-001 Space and Military Addendum certification represents a significant milestone for the company. This achievement further solidifies the company’s position as a reliable and trusted partner for customers seeking high-reliability electronics manufacturing solutions.” Read more about what this means for Green Circuits’ service offerings here. 

DuPont Reports Second Quarter 2023 Results
Published August 4 

"We delivered second quarter revenue and operating EBITDA results ahead of our expectations with sequential revenue and earnings growth as well as margin improvement," said Ed Breen, DuPont Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.