The New Chapter: Navigating Maternity Leave in the Electronics Industry
American Made Advocacy: There's No Substitute for American-made Microelectronics
It’s Only Common Sense: When Will Big Companies Start Paying Their Bills on Time?
Saying ‘Yes’ to Additive Technology at Winonics
May 28, 2024 | Marcy LaRont, PCB007 MagazineEstimated reading time: 1 minute
California-based PCB manufacturer Winonics has been on a journey to develop additive manufacturing technology that can go the distance. CEO Dennis Brown, Director of Technology Gary Abel, and VP of Operations Sidali Koulougli discuss the company’s history, acquisition strategy, and investment in new equipment, as well as highlight their R&D efforts in additive manufacturing. The team's commitment to quality, customer service, and flexibility as a smaller, nimbler company is part of what makes it a go-to PCB manufacturer for the projects that others turn away.
Marcy LaRont: Dennis, please start by sharing some history and context to Winonics, especially regarding your involvement in additive manufacturing technology.
Dennis Brown: Additive patents were the vehicle that started our direction. The investment group that we report to acquired a patent a number of years ago and then looked for a circuit board company to help exploit it, expand the technology, and develop some R&D to the point of production and marketability.
In 2019, knowing we needed our own fab, we came across Winonics Brea (Winonics), a 55,000-square-foot facility primarily focused on small, commercial work in rigid boards. It felt like a fit. We liked the property and the assets, even though they were a little dated. It was a good opportunity to get our foot in the door in terms of manufacturing PCBs and exploiting our patent in the additive realm. We acquired them in 2020. About a year later, we acquired Bench2Bench Technologies, an operation in Fullerton that does primarily flex. This acquisition added a 25,000-square-foot building to the Winonics portfolio. Now we have the operations, and from an investment standpoint, we also control the real estate.
To read this entire conversation, which appeared in the May 2024 issue of PCB007 Magazine, click here.
Share on:
Suggested Items
Additive Design: Same Steps, Different Order
04/12/2022 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamWe recently spoke with Dave Torp, CEO of Winonics, about the company’s additive and semi-additive processes and what PCB designers need to know if they’re considering designing boards with these new technologies. As Dave explains, additive design is not much different from traditional design, but the steps in the design cycle are out of order, and additive designers must communicate with their fabricators because so much of the new processes are still proprietary.
Winonics Receives Lockheed RMS Supplier Approval
03/14/2022 | WinonicsWinonics announces the recent approval by Lockheed RMS as an approved supplier for rigid printed wiring boards for IPC-6011 and 6012 specifications. The approval followed a rigorous quality and systems audit that was conducted by the Supplier Quality Services department of Lockheed RMS based in Moorestown, NJ.
Winonics Department Leaders Successfully Complete IPC-6012 Training
02/24/2022 | WinonicsWinonics announces the successful completion of IPC-6012 training for five department leaders in their Brea, CA facility. The recent certifications are part of a larger company-wide initiative begun in 2021, with a plan to have all production employees trained and certified by the end of 2022.
Winonics Invests $3.9M in Equipment for Lean Six Sigma Renovation
09/30/2021 | WinonicsWinonics Brea, an Additive Circuits Technologies, LLC company is pleased to announce its “Facility Master Plan.”
Catching up with Winonics’ Mark Eazell
12/11/2015 | Dan Beaulieu, D.B. Management GroupI have always thought of Winonics as one of the hidden gems of the North American PCB industry. Their well-equipped and well-laid-out facility in Brea, California is one of the more impressive looking PCB facilities in North America today. Winonics is one of three PCB companies owned by JR Controls, the other two being Cosmotronic and Bench2Bench. I had the opportunity to talk with Mark Eazell, the general manager at Winonics, who also oversees the operation of all three JR Controls’ PCB companies.