Nolan’s Notes: Everyone Has Their Eye on India
Standard of Excellence: The Human Touch in an Automated World
The Government Circuit: Navigating New Trade Headwinds and New Partnerships
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
June 2, 2023 | Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
This week has been both speedy and newsy. Of course, those two characteristics often seem to travel as a pair, don’t they? A four-day week here in the United States, accompanied by a wave of high-impact news from a wide variety of sources, would suggest that readers could be expected to spread out all over the news map. Not so much, judging from readership numbers; folks all found their highest value in the same type of news coverage. What do I mean by that?
This week's list of must-reads is dominated by market reports as a result of that focused readership. On our list, we have PCB fabrication and EMS book-to-bill reports, a 10-year market forecast report, and a supply chain sentiment report. In addition, readers flocked to the EWPTE show coverage. Finally, we saw significant reader interest in the most recent podcast on sustainability in our logistical operations.
EWPTE, the Cable and Wire Harness Industry’s Exclusive Trade Show Draws More than 3,000 Attendees
Published May 26
Wire harnesses and cabling share a close connection (see what I did there?) with board assembly. So, it would follow that there might be a close affiliation between EMS companies and the Electrical Wire Processing Technology Expo (EWPTE), held by the Wiring Harness Manufacturer’s Association (WHMA) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, May 16-18. Readership was strong for this article. No surprise, either, that attendance also was stronger than expected.
Readers interested in this article should also find Happy Holden’s dispatch from the event to be of interest here.
North American PCB Industry Sales Up 12.1% in April
Published May 26
April numbers in the IPC surveys show a mixed result. Shipments are strong, while bookings are softer. Shawn DuBravac, IPC chief economist, share his thoughts on why. Also published and inter-related is IPC’s EMS market report here.
Sustainability in Logistics: Reducing Your Carbon Footprint
Published May 31
Now available on I-007e Podcasts and Spotify, Episode 4 of I-Connect007’s new podcast, On the Line with… features an interview with Christian Wendt, marketing and communications department head at Siemens Digital Logistics. Wendt discusses the most obvious area of concern for logistics sustainability: reduction of the carbon footprint. Fossil fuel costs are one thing, but Wendt explains a wide variety of logistics-related areas to consider, ranging from employee burnout to governmental regulations and how they vary from country to country.
Electronics Manufacturers Reporting Cautious Optimism, Especially for Second Half of 2023
Published May 31
Market reports from IPC were in high demand for readers this week. This news item teases the May 2023 Global Sentiment of the Electronics Supply Chain report. IPC chief economist Shawn DuBravac’s team shares data and analysis that suggests cost pressures are receding, and demand currently remains positive. The article uses the phrase “cautiously optimistic.” Learn more about what DuBravac summarized, and read the full report, here.
EMS Market to Surpass $794.32 Billion, at 4.27% CAGR By 2030
Published May 29
This piece received a lot of reader attention. The article summarizes a number of factors contributing to this growth, both market-driven and internal/process driven. For example, this passage:
“With the introduction of advanced automation solutions and the rise of Industry 4.0 systems, the electronics manufacturing services market is projected to experience continual innovations in manufacturing processes and technology. These technologies are intended to aid in the optimisation of production costs, resulting in increased profitability for EMS service providers. Furthermore, the rising demand for artificial intelligence-based electrical goods and solutions is expected to propel the EMS industry in the coming years. Along with automation, miniaturisation is another trend that is predicted to boost the growth of the EMS industry.”
Read the article here to learn what else will be driving the EMS industry for the next 10 years.
Share on:
Testimonial
"The I-Connect007 team is outstanding—kind, responsive, and a true marketing partner. Their design team created fresh, eye-catching ads, and their editorial support polished our content to let our brand shine. Thank you all! "
Sweeney Ng - CEE PCBSuggested Items
Dan Feinberg on Walt Custer: Remembering an Extraordinary Business Associate and Friend
09/09/2025 | Dan Feinberg, Technology Editor, I-Connect007The passing of Walt Custer marks the end of an era for all those who knew him and were helped and impressed by his presence, both personally and professionally. Walt's life was characterized by his unwavering commitment to the industry, his profound wisdom and willingness to share it, and his infectious enthusiasm for everything he did.
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
09/05/2025 | Andy Shaughnessy, I-Connect007It’s almost fall here in Atlanta, and that means that the temperature is finally dropping. And it quit raining! It’s been raining since March, and I’m so over it, as the social influencers say. Last night we grilled out on the deck, and it wasn’t hot, and we didn’t get rained on. Life is good. It was a busy week in the industry. In this installment of my must-reads, we say goodbye to Walt Custer, the man who made PCB data points interesting for the rest of us.
UHDI Fundamentals: UHDI Technology and Industry 4.0
09/03/2025 | Anaya Vardya, American Standard CircuitsUltra high density interconnect (UHDI) technology is rapidly transforming how smart systems are designed and deployed in the context of Industry 4.0. With its capacity to support highly miniaturized, high-performance, and densely packed electronics, UHDI is a critical enabler of the smart, connected, and automated industrial future. Here, I’ll explore the synergy between UHDI and Industry 4.0 technologies, highlighting applications, benefits, and future directions.
Nolan’s Notes: Everyone Has Their Eye on India
09/03/2025 | Nolan Johnson -- Column: Nolan's NotesIn this issue of SMT007 Magazine, we turn our attention to the Indian EMS market. We start with an interview with David Bergman, whose foresight in the early 2000s opened doors for the Global Electronics Association to begin helping Indian EMS companies with standards and certifications that would give EMS companies a footing to enter a global EMS market.
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
08/29/2025 | Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007This week, we bring you Global Electronics Association’s Chris Mitchell’s government relations column on—you guessed it—trade deals. TTM is balancing its facilities between East and West. The Global Electronics Association released July numbers for North American PCB shipments, and the news is good. Meanwhile, the corresponding report for EMS might seem like bad news, but that’s misleading. Be sure to look deeper for the rest of the story. Finally, for a bit space-science palate cleansing, I’m sharing news of the latest launch of NASA’s X-37B.