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I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
March 14, 2025 | Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

Inside the industry, it feels like we’re getting ready for a big party holiday, and I’m feeling the whole Mardi Gras vibe. This weekend, IPC APEX EXPO kicks off with standards development committees and the Technical Conference before the Expo starts on March 18. We’ll be sneaking out of our network of evil lairs scattered around North America and convening at the I-Connect007 booth, #3520, in the middle of the Anaheim Convention Center. Be sure to stop by and say hello.
There is no shortage of show-related news in the cycle right now. Visit iconnect007.com to read the latest on everything related to this year’s IPC APEX EXPO. But that’s not all that’s going on, so I’ve picked up five key pieces of news that might otherwise get buried in the hullaballoo of the IPC show.
Unsurprisingly, they track right along with much of the mainstream media: tariffs, the global economy, and U.S. industrial investment. There will be lots of conversation on these themes when we convene in southern California next week, and these are the reports you should know to be informed. See you in Anaheim.
Statement from IPC, the Global Electronics Association, on Recent U.S. Tariffs and Global Trade
Published March 7
In a statement attributed to Dr. John W. Mitchell, IPC president and CEO, the decision to postpone tariffs Mexican and Canadian goods is applauded. The Canadian, Mexican, and U.S. electronics industries are so closely intertwined and Mitchell stresses that IPC is eager to work with the Trump administration to build a stronger industrial base. Read more here.
IPC Global Standards Driving Factory of the Future
Published March 10
Chris Jorgensen advocates that Factory of the Future amounts to a revolutionary shift in manufacturing and that IPC task groups strive to be at the forefront of this transformation. Click here to read the summary, and to follow the link to the entire article as published in the March 2025 issue of SMT007 Magazine.
KYZEN Announces the Retirement of Longtime Executive Vice President Tom Forsythe
Published March 13
Well, we hate to see this, but Tom Forsythe has earned his retirement. Tom is responsible for much of KYZEN's success since he joined the firm in 1992. We've run into Tom at trade shows and conferences all over the world, and he always give a fantastic interview. We'll miss him, and we wish him all the best.
Elementary Mr. Watson: Ensuring a Smooth Handoff From PCB Design to Fabrication
Published March 13
John Watson has penned a great colum that compares the design data handoff to the passing of batons during the Olympic relays. As the U.S. relay team learned in 2020, mistakes made during the passing of the baton can snowball and lead to failure. If you're experiencing problems during design data handoff, you won't want to miss this column.
ICT Spring Seminar: Nickel Not Welcome Here
Published March 12
Our favorite road reporter Pete Starkey was in Tewkesbury earlier this month covering the ICT Spring Seminar, which highlighted the industry's shift away from nickel in PCB manufacturing. Experts discussed the environmental and performance benefits of alternative materials, emphasizing the need for sustainable practices. Pete has a way of drilling down to what's most important, and the key topics he covered included advancements in copper and silver-based technologies and the impact on product reliability and cost-effectiveness. I know you'll enjoy this read.
Suggested Items
Advancing Aerospace Excellence: Emerald’s Medford Team Earns Space Addendum Certification
06/30/2025 | Emerald TechnologiesWe’re thrilled to announce a major achievement from our Medford, Oregon facility. Andy Abrigo has officially earned her credentials as a Certified IPC Trainer (CIT) under the IPC J-STD-001 Space Addendum, the leading industry standard for space and military-grade electronics manufacturing.
Magnalytix and Foresite to Host Technical Webinar on SIR Testing and Functional Reliability
06/26/2025 | MAGNALYTIXMagnalytix, in collaboration with Foresite Inc., is pleased to announce an upcoming one-hour Webinar Workshop titled “Comparing SIR IPC B-52 to Umpire 41 Functional & SIR Test Method.” This session will be held on July 24, 2025, and is open to professionals in electronics manufacturing, reliability engineering, and process development seeking insights into new testing standards for climatic reliability.
IPC Rebrands as Global Electronics Association: Interview With Dr. John W. Mitchell
06/22/2025 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007Today, following a major announcement, IPC is embracing the rapid advancement of technology with a bold decision to change its name to the Global Electronics Association. This name more accurately reflects the full breadth of its work and the modern realities of electronics manufacturing. In this exclusive interview, Global Electronics Association President and CEO Dr. John W. Mitchell shares the story behind the rebrand: Why now, what it means for the industry, and how it aligns with the organization’s mission.
Global Electronics Association Debuts; New Name Elevates IPC’s 70-Year Legacy as Voice of $6 Trillion Electronics Industry
06/25/2025 | Global Electronics AssociationToday begins a new chapter for IPC as it officially becomes the Global Electronics Association, reflecting its role as the voice of the electronics industry. Guided by the vision of “Better electronics for a better world,” the Global Electronics Association (electronics.org) is dedicated to enhancing supply chain resilience and promoting accelerated growth through engagement with more than 3,000 member companies, thousands of partners, and dozens of governments across the globe.
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
06/20/2025 | Andy Shaughnessy, I-Connect007It’s been a busy week in this industry, and we have news and articles from the PCB design, fabrication and assembly communities. Some of this news is out of this world. We may be losing the high ground—the really high ground. Columnist Jesse Vaughan explains how the U.S. seems to be falling behind in space, and how this could affect our ability to defend ourselves in the future. We have an update on the U.S.-China tariff talks, which seem to be moving forward, though sometimes at a snail’s pace.