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I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
May 24, 2024 | Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Recently, I was reading a report from Deloitte on the Mexican economy (and don’t judge me what I read while I wait my turn at the gym). This particular report is cited in an interview scheduled for the June 2024 issue of SMT007 Magazine. I made note of a few things.
The construction of industrial facilities in the country has grown 19% in the first six months of 2023, compared to the same period last year. Factories within Mexican border can affix the “Made in Mexico” label on their goods and pay zero duty on a large number of products exported into the U.S. Since March 2022, Mexico is now the largest commercial partner of the United States, passing China.
The authors are quite clear in their conclusions: “Mexico is a manufacturing country, and more importantly, it is a reassembler. It imports intermediate goods that it transforms into semifinal or final products, which are then largely exported. This phenomenon is quite significant in Mexican commerce, as manufacturing exports represent almost 90% of total exports, while non-oil intermediate imports represent 70% of total imports.”
We’ll be looking at the changing EMS landscape in the upcoming issue of SMT007 Magazine, and the dynamics in Mexico make for a great case study. That issue will publish in early June. Until then, here are my picks for the top news items of the past week, all of which report on fundamental shifts to the landscape of our industry.
DuPont Announces Plan to Separate into Three Independent, Publicly Traded Companies
Published May 23
DuPont announced a plan to separate into three distinct, publicly traded companies. New DuPont will be a premier diversified industrial company powered by deep materials science and application engineering expertise, industry-leading innovation, top-tier manufacturing capabilities, and iconic brands such as Tyvek®, Kevlar® and Nomex®. New DuPont will have a strong presence in fast-growing healthcare end-markets including applications for biopharma consumables, medical devices, and medical packaging. As independent entities, both Electronics and Water will benefit from increased focus and agility in their respective industries. At separation, each of the three companies will have strong balance sheets, attractive financial profiles and compelling growth opportunities.
Real Time with… IPC APEX EXPO 2024: Unveiling the New Chief Strategist of Advanced Packaging at IPC
Published May 21
As IPC's new chief strategist of advanced packaging, Devan Iyer shares his industry experience and the objectives of his role and emphasizes the necessity for solid standards and guidelines for new packaging technologies and design methodologies. He also highlights the significance of diverse package technologies. This is one to keep an eye on as IPC leads the conversation on this topic.
Scalable ZLD and a Solution for PCB Start-ups
Published May 23
Alex Stepinski continues to share his innovative thinking and design insights in developing manufacturing processes that deliver on ecological sustainability goals. In this interview, Stepinski discusses his Zero Liquid Discharge systems, and his concerns for the global PCB fabrication industry. You can always count on Alex to keep the industry moving forward.
China Retains Market Advantage in Battery Development Despite U.S. Raising Tariffs on Chinese Battery Imports to 25%
Published May 23
Trendforce reports that in the short term, increased tariffs and IRA regulations underscore the growing geopolitical influence on the EV industry. U.S. automakers can mitigate these impacts by partnering with established battery makers from Japan and South Korea or investing in solid-state battery technology. In the long term, scaling up EV sales to achieve economies of scale is crucial for reducing battery costs.
IBM to Acquire Octo
Published May 20
IBM announced an agreement to acquire Octo, a U.S.-based IT modernization and digital transformation services provider exclusively serving the U.S. federal government, including defense, health, and civilian agencies. IBM's acquisition of Octo establishes one of the largest digital transformation partners to the federal government. This acquisition speaks to the increased strategic importance of data management and digital transformation to all industry, not solely electronics manufacturing.
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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.
Summit Interconnect Names Milan Shah as Vice Chairman of the Board
08/26/2025 | Summit Interconnect, Inc.Summit Interconnect, a leading provider of advanced PCB manufacturing, today announced that Milan Shah has been named Vice Chairman of the Board.