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Impressions from THECA 2024
July 31, 2024 | Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

In American pop culture, we often see depictions of a youth athletic team—eight-year-old boys suited up to play American football or girls in soccer gear—and one of the kids shouts, “We may be small,” while the rest of the team answers, “but we are mighty.”
That was the same feeling I had during the inaugural Thailand Electronic Circuits Asia trade show in Bangkok last week. While Thailand's percentage of global production is relatively small, its rate of growth is still quite dramatic. With approximately 20 fabrication facilities planned or under construction, Thailand’s contribution is set to change.
Where are these fabs coming from? Some are Thai-based companies, but most are Chinese-backed facilities responding to the China Plus One strategies being implemented around the globe.
What does seem to be emerging here in Southeast Asia (and the trend is easier to see when one is physically here in the region) is a multi-national supply chain in which regional countries tend to specialize in one portion of the overall process. Semiconductors in Taiwan and Malaysia, PCBs in China and Thailand (to a lesser extent), with assembly in Vietnam. A mix of both specialization and resiliency seems to be developing in response to what we all learned from COVID-triggered supply chain breakdowns.
Less obvious, but even more insightful (in my opinion), is the news that Chinese capital equipment manufacturers are opening Thai facilities as well. Upstream supply chain vendors are following their customers into new overseas markets; the expectation that there will be even more supply chain growth in Thailand is unspoken, but obvious.
It's in this wider environment that the THECA show has launched. The show was very well attended. Exhibitor booth space was sold out. Thailand Printed Circuit Association (THPCA) and Hong Kong Printed Circuit Association (HKPCA), co-organizers for the event, have set a goal to double the size of the show for 2025. THECA kept it small and manageable to get things started, and the event came off without any obvious missteps.
While getting to Thailand is a story in itself, the real story here is what’s happening in this part of the world. While at THECA, our I-Connect007 team captured 16 onsite interviews and gathered photos from the show floor, which can be viewed at realtimewith.com. The interviews showcase the type of companies finding a home in Southeast Asia, the products and services they are providing, and what it means for supply chains everywhere else.
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SEMICON West: The Path to a $1 Trillion Future
10/14/2025 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007After more than 50 years in San Francisco, SEMICON West moved its 2025 show to Phoenix, which is significant because it highlights the importance of Arizona as a semiconductor and tech hub. Though the show will be back in San Francisco in 2026, the overwhelmingly warm welcome SEMI received from Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs, Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, and ASU President Michael Crowe—who has been responsible for ASU repeatedly achieving the U.S. News and World Reports most innovative university ranking—was remarked upon repeatedly. All indications are that SEMICON West may well be back in Phoenix after that 2026 season.
American Standard Circuits to Exhibit at SMTA International
10/06/2025 | American Standard CircuitsAnaya Vardya, President, and CEO of American Standard Circuits/ASC Sunstone Circuits has announced that his company will once again exhibit at SMTA International 2025 to be held at the Donald E Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois on October 19th through the 23rd, 2025.
PCB West 2025 Showcases Success: An Interview with Mike Buetow
10/03/2025 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007For more than 30 years, PCB West has served the PCB and design industries in Silicon Valley, bringing together engineers, fabricators, and designers for technical sessions and networking. The show is organized by the Printed Circuit Engineering Association (PCEA), and this year, PCEA President Mike Buetow was named the association’s first Hall of Fame award recipient. Marcy LaRont spoke with Mike at PCB West to learn firsthand about its origins and mission.
American Standard Circuits to Exhibit at the Battery Show 2025
09/24/2025 | American Standard CircuitsAmerican Standard Circuits/ASC Sunstone Circuits will be exhibiting at the Battery Show North America to be held at Huntington Place in Detroit, Michigan, October 6-9, 2025.
ASC Sunstone Circuits to Exhibit at AEMS 2025
09/09/2025 | American Standard CircuitsASC Sunstone Circuits will be exhibiting at AEMS 2025 (Anaheim Electronics and Manufacturing Show) to be held at the Anaheim Convention Center on September 24 and 25, 2025.