Knocking Down the Bone Pile: Gold Mitigation for Class 2 Electronics
Punching Out: Your Financial Preparation for a Sale
Nolan's Notes: The Next Killer App in Component Manufacturing
2019 IPC EMS Management Meeting Wrap-up
March 19, 2019 | Tracy Riggan, IPCEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
EMS leaders gathered on January 28 at IPC APEX EXPO 2019 to discuss issues critical to EMS providers today including supply chain issues, customer contracts, labor optimization and talent shortages, and market insights. Roundtable sessions offered dynamic discussions. Participants noted that the sharing of experience and networking that took place at these meetings was invaluable.
The highlight of the day was a supply chain challenges panel and discussion featuring supplier, distributor, and end-user perspectives on addressing component supply and lead time challenges. Panelists included Steve Ulm of Vishay, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of discrete semiconductors and passive electronic components; Olaf Korn of Arrow Electronics, a global provider of products, services, and solutions to industrial and commercial users of electronic components and enterprise computing solutions; and John Caltabiano of Jabil Inc., a top manufacturing solutions provider.
Among other factors, the panel pointed to customer-specific requirements as a key driver of supply chain disruption. Vishay’s Ulm brought to light many of the contributing factors to the growth in lead times and recent slowdowns. Arrow’s Korn highlighted the constant mismatch between downstream demand levels and upstream production capacity and complex demand patterns causing distortion of demand. He suggested BOM flexibility and forecasting far beyond lead times are key to mitigating supply chain disruption. Caltabiano from Jabil tagged a “new normal” with regards to how we think and plan supply chain, pointing to a consolidation of the supply base, demand expansion, and rapid technology transfer among other trends.
Elsewhere in the agenda, Jeff Roth and Allen Anderson of F&B Law Firm gave a thorough review in the much-needed area of customer contracts. Roth and Anderson addressed features such as compliance clauses, potential pitfalls or “gotcha” clauses, and other critical contractual considerations. The gentlemen from F&B stressed the critical nature of legal review in protecting company interests. Throughout the day, the forum tackled labor issues from two directions—automation opportunities and talent shortages. Neil Hamlett of IBM Watson brought to light some developing AI solutions. These new AI capabilities may soon have application in manufacturing processes where the challenges are affordability and practicality in high-mix, low-volume situations. Colette Buscemi, IPC’s senior director of education programs, provided a quick update on IPC workforce development initiatives as a lead-in to a roundtable discussion on experiences, ideas, and strategies to address workforce and talent shortages.
To read the full article, which appeared in the in the Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2019 Show & Tell magazine, click here.
Share on:
Suggested Items
Hunting for Clues: Feng Xue Solving Circuit Board 'Crimes' With AOI Standard
05/08/2025 | Linda Stepanich, IPCWhen residents in sleepy English villages needed a top-tier detective to solve a murder, they called on Belgian super-sleuth Hercule Poirot, author Agatha Christie’s fictional detective famous for using his “little grey cells” to solve crimes. In the same way, IPC standards development committees, when creating a standard to detect defects in circuit boards using Automated Optical Inspection (AOI), call on IPC A-Team, Hercule.
IPC Strengthens Global Focus with Promotion of Sanjay Huprikar to Chief Global Officer
05/08/2025 | IPCIPC, the global electronics association, announces the promotion of Sanjay Huprikar to chief global officer. This newly created position reflects the association’s forward-looking strategy and industry needs to strengthen the electronics supply chain.
Navigating Global Manufacturing in an Era of Uncertainty
05/07/2025 | Philip Stoten, ScoopThe EMS industry faces unprecedented challenges as global trade tensions rise and tariff announcements create market uncertainty. In an overview of IPC Europe’s podcast, MADE IN EUROPE, industry experts from GPV and Zollner examine how these developments impact our businesses and customers, and what strategies will prevail in this new landscape.
Nick Koop Launches IPC Flex Design Class
05/06/2025 | Andy Shaughnessy, Design007 MagazineNick Koop is director of flex technology for TTM Technologies, and he’s been a staple of IPC’s flex committees for decades. He’s also a longtime flex design instructor, and he’s about to debut a new IPC class, Flex and Rigid-Flex Design for Manufacturability, which will run May 12–21. In this interview, Nick tells us about this new class and what attendees can expect to learn.
The Government Circuit: Trump’s Trade War Disrupts the Electronics Ecosystem
05/06/2025 | Chris Mitchell -- Column: The Government CircuitThere is certainly no shortage of work to be done in the IPC Government Relations department, as the U.S. waged a tariff campaign on practically every industrial country in the world and several countries embarked on high-tech initiatives with a mix of approaches to the crucial foundations of electronics manufacturing. Indeed, the breadth and speed of U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff campaign continues to be a serious challenge for our industry.