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RTW SMTAI: Libra's Rod Howell Discusses Tariffs Issue
October 24, 2018 | Real Time with...SMTAIEstimated reading time: Less than a minute

At the recent SMTA International 2018 event, Rod Howell, CEO of EMS firm Libra Industries, speaks with I-Connect007 Managing Editor Nolan Johnson about the ongoing tariffs issue, how it impacts the global electronics manufacturing supply chain, and their strategic response to address the issue.
Suggested Items
IPC Update on the Latest U.S.– China Trade Announcement
06/18/2025 | IPCOn June 12, the Trump Administration announced an agreement to implement the framework of the trade deal with China reached earlier in May. Reports indicate the following high-level terms: A 55% combined tariff on imports from China, 10% “reciprocal” tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), 20% IEEPA-based fentanyl tariffs, and Existing Section 301 tariffs, which in many cases are 25%.
The Government Circuit: From Tax Policy to Tariffs, Denver to Delhi, Speaking Up for Electronics
06/18/2025 | Chris Mitchell -- Column: The Government CircuitI had the privilege of attending the June 3 opening ceremony of AT&S’s HTB3 facility in Leoben, Austria—a milestone moment for Europe’s electronics ecosystem. HTB3 is now the first and only facility in Europe capable of both developing and producing high-performance IC substrates—the advanced platforms that allow powerful chips to connect, process, and function. As demand for AI, 5G, and other cutting-edge technologies grows, so too does the need for sophisticated substrates like those HTB3 will produce.
Tariffs: Hope for the Best, Plan for the Worst
06/04/2025 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamPaul Krugman received the Nobel Prize for Economics in 2008 for his work in economic geography and identifying international trade patterns. In April, he told the Goldman Sachs Exchanges podcast1, “The secret sauce of the Trump tariffs is that they are extremely uncertain. Nobody knows what they will be. Nobody knows what comes next. Now, if you’re a business trying to make plans, would you want to invest under those conditions?”
IDC Increases its PC and Tablet Forecasts Despite Tariff Uncertainty
06/02/2025 | IDCAfter recording strong results in the first quarter of 2025, IDC is increasing its traditional PC forecast for 2025 — this comes despite the significant impact that US tariffs have had on its trading partners’ market sentiment.
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
05/30/2025 | Andy Shaughnessy, Design007I don’t have a scorecard, but I do have a weekly wrap-up of must-reads that I think deserve another “bite of the apple,” so to speak. IPC’s Rich Cappetto shares his perspective on everything from tariffs to the CHIPS Act. Columnist Josh Casper discusses the use of AI in 3D AOI systems and the immediate benefits that AI can bring about. Columnist Anaya Vardya explains how technologies like AI can improve our customer service, as well as our manufacturing processes.