Happy’s Tech Talk #41: Sustainability and Circularity for Electronics Manufacturing
Facing the Future: Challenges and Opportunities in Reshoring PCB Manufacturing
It’s Only Common Sense: Stop Chasing New Customers and Start Keeping the Ones You Have
A Brief History of IPC APEX EXPO
March 13, 2024 | Alicia Balonek, IPCEstimated reading time: 1 minute
Although IPC APEX EXPO was launched in 2000, the story began in 1994 with the opening of the IPC Printed Circuits Expo in Boston, where more than 1,700 people attended the event and which hosted 158 exhibitors.
In 1998, the Surface Mount Equipment Manufacturers Association (SMEMA) approached IPC for help. Because of IPC’s success with the Printed Circuits Expo and recognizing the need to establish control of its own event, the discussions between SMEMA and IPC ensued. This led to a merger between the two organizations and provided SMEMA with IPC member benefits. To further meet the needs of equipment manufacturers as well as other suppliers to the assembly industry, a new conference and exhibition was born. The goal of the IPC and SMEMA council was to produce the premier event for the electronics assembly industry, providing a cost-effective forum for user/supplier dialogue with the guiding principles of reduced costs, focus, and fairness. Named APEX, this new event focused on the full electronics manufacturing process and associated technologies.
In 2004, IPC took the next logical step by co-locating the Printed Circuits Expo and the Designers Summit with APEX to create one event for the entire electronics interconnection industry. The intent of the APEX event was to concentrate solely on the electronics assembly industry. EXPO, the trade show floor exhibition, was designed to ensure that each exhibitor, regardless of booth size, is provided an equal opportunity to select exhibit space and that all show rules are fairly and uniformly applied to all exhibitors.
To that end, the exhibitor lottery drawing has remained the best way to guarantee each exhibitor has an equal opportunity to choose the best exhibit space. In keeping with IPC’s 40-year policy and to support the integrity of this important industry event for all paid exhibitors, no one who is not a part of the event’s official program can conduct or sponsor a function of any kind from the opening to the closing of the event. In short, any function that is not part of the event’s official program is prohibited.
To read this entire article, which appeared in the February 2024 issue of PCB007 Magazine, click here.
Share on:
Testimonial
"We’re proud to call I-Connect007 a trusted partner. Their innovative approach and industry insight made our podcast collaboration a success by connecting us with the right audience and delivering real results."
Julia McCaffrey - NCAB GroupSuggested Items
Review: PCEA Orange County Summer Meeting
08/06/2025 | Dan Feinberg, Technology Editor, I-Connect007The Printed Circuit Engineering Association (PCEA) represents a community of engineers, designers, and industry influencers dedicated to the advancement of PCB technology, design, and manufacturing, and the growth and knowledge of its membership. PCEA regularly hosts events to share the latest developments, best practices, and visions for the future of electronic design and manufacturing. The Orange County chapter seems to be one of the largest and most active ones and I was invited to attend the latest chapter event on July 24 in Costa Mesa, California.
Register Now for the HATS²™ Technical Day at GEN3 HQ
08/05/2025 | GEN3GEN3 a world-leading manufacturer of testing, measurement and production solutions for electronics reliability. Headquartered in Farnborough, UK, GEN3 is announcing the final call for registrations to attend the exclusive HATS²™ Technical Day — a hands-on, live demonstration event showcasing the Highly Accelerated Thermal Shock Tester (HATS²™), the groundbreaking innovation from industry pioneer Bob Neves.
Strengthening U.S.-Japan Industry Ties
08/11/2025 | Yusaku Kono, Global Electronics Association—East Asia Japan RepresentativeThe Global Electronics Association-East Asia (formerly known as IPC East Asia) hosted a high-level Executive Roundtable in Tokyo on March 5, bringing together more than 50 senior executives, policymakers, and experts from Japan’s electronics and manufacturing sectors.
Technica to Host Demo Days Event August 13-14
08/04/2025 | Technica USATechnica USA is proud to announce its upcoming Demo Days Event, taking place August 13–14 at the company’s Demo Center in San Jose, California. The event will feature live demonstrations and presentations from key supply partners ESSEMTEC, INOVAXE, and PARMI showcasing the latest innovations in SMT manufacturing and automation technology.
A Vision for India and Beyond: Gaurab Majumdar's Leadership Across the Southern Hemisphere
07/23/2025 | Michelle Te, Community MagazineGaurab Majumdar, vice president of the Global Electronics Association—India, Southeast Asia, Middle East, and Africa, joined the Global Electronics Association (formerly known as IPC) in 2020 and has taken full advantage of the industry's enormous growth by leading the Global Electronics Association—India to increase membership and certification by 40%, partnering with more than 50 companies to promote the benefits of Association membership, and collaborating with more than 20 government stakeholders.