Real Time with... electronica 2024: STARTEAM GLOBAL Meeting Challenges Head-on

Estimated reading time: 12 minutes

Starkey: This is a very significant opportunity, but if we look at China, an awful lot of electricity generation is still on coal-fired power stations. How does that affect your calculation?

Schneider: Of course, it affects it heavily because if you look at the rule to calculate the CO₂ footprint in China, it includes how they charge for electricity consumption, and the energy mix— it's 80% carbon coal-powered, 20% renewable.

Our factory in Sichuan is close to the hydropower. Our energy mix is 67% renewable, and this has a huge impact. Additionally, our factory roof is covered with solar panels to produce our own electricity and use it for our manufacturing process.

There are a lot of influencing factors, which ends in a CO₂ number for individual printed circuit boards, but it’s more important to get the data from the purchased material. We have direct and indirect materials, chemistry, salts, metals, and we need to know the CO₂ footprint for each single element of material, and then put all the data together with the time we need to produce, so we know exactly what is causing out of it.

Starkey: Clearly, you have an acute awareness of the situation and a really comprehensive view.

Schneider: Yes, and it's even more important than just having a number for our customers' CO₂ footprint. We have a treasure box of improvement areas, where we can optimize our processes, reduce the material, water, and energy consumption. It’s where we can optimize starting from now for the next few years, to become more efficient in sustainability.

Starkey: Do you have an interest in recyclable bits of boards?

Jacob: Sure. We have them in our showcase here at our electronica booth, which contains our first 100% recyclable printed circuit board. We did it with a well-known, traditional German company which brings measurement tools into the market. A year ago, they came to us and said, “Let’s do a lighthouse project. We need a printed circuit board which is recyclable.” We said, “No way; the FR-4 material is not recyclable, today.” Of course, the metals are no problem, but then we started to think about how to do it, and we found a way.

It's expensive, but it’s 100% recyclable. Now we are working on scaling it up. We have been working with two manufacturers of base materials. One is a UK company that’s based on fibers and we’re working with a well-known laminate manufacturer in Asia. We have a demo material in our production, already. It’s very exciting to find out how we can produce a printed circuit board with FR-4 base material that can be recycled.

Starkey: Establishing the technology at this stage puts you in a very strong position for the future.

Schneider: There are a lot of challenges to be solved. For example, how do you call back the individual printed circuit boards produced with this recyclable-based material? You need to find them first.

Starkey: Initially, your marketing has to be very specific to servicing and support. It's just so exciting.

Jacob: We are enjoying and excited about what we are doing. Our people are passionate about it. You can see the whole team is motivated to be different, to make a difference and  walk the extra mile, that's the key part. That's how we need to face the competition. We need to face the global market. I’ve been living for 15 years in Hong Kong, and when I come back to Europe, I tell everyone, “Where there are challenges, there are also opportunities. Let’s not blame or complain about political things; we can't change it anyway. Let's find the opportunities and work together on being excellent in our technology and sales.” I see everyone headed in one direction and that’s one of our strengths.

Starkey: Gentlemen, thank you for being so open and for being excited about your work.

Jacob: Martin and I are working on so many big and small projects and are open to answering questions any time. You’re more than welcome to get in touch with us.

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