It’s Only Common Sense: Customers Capabilities—and Confidence
Beyond the Board: How a Diminished Supplier Base Affects Complex PCB Manufacturing Readiness in Defense
Advanced Materials Roundtable
April 23, 2026 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
Driven largely by the need for advanced chip technology for super compute ability and AI applications, low Dk, low-loss resin systems, and heavy copper laminate are attracting significant attention and global resources. There are numerous unavoidable challenges in this market that will impact manufacturers and the supply chain, and they may be hitting critical mass sooner than OEMs and fabricators think.
In this roundtable discussion, moderator Marcy LaRont speaks with topic experts: Mark Goodwin, COO of Ventec International; John Fix, senior manager of Glass Fiber Marketing at Nittobo America’s Glass Fiber Research and Marketing division; and Ed Kelly, principal of Four Peaks Innovation and an expert consultant to material manufacturers such as Nanya. They discuss some of these dynamic material trends and what is driving them, as well as examining the current state of global supply for glass and copper, and what that implies. What are manufacturers and OEMs to do? Listen and find out.
Participant Bios
Mark Goodwin, COO
Mark Goodwin is Chief Operating Officer at Ventec International Group, an established leader in technology and supply chain solutions, dedicated to innovative solutions in the electrical and electronic materials manufacturing industry. With over a decade of steering operations at Ventec International Group and extensive experience across the global laminate and PCB supply chain, he works closely with OEMs, PCB fabricators, and industry partners to support strategic material planning and long‑term supply chain resilience.
Ed Kelley, Technology and Marketing Executive
Ed Kelley is a Technology and Marketing Executive with more than 38 years of experience in printed circuits and electronic materials development and commercialization with broad functional experience in Research & Development, Process Engineering, Operations, Product Management & Marketing, New Product Introduction, Applications Engineering & Business Development. He holds extensive global experience in North America, Asia, and Europe, including 9 years living in Asia. A results-driven leader with a proven track record, Ed is the author of the base material chapters of the Printed Circuits Handbook, was Chair of the iNEMI PCB & Laminate Technology Integration Group from 2020-2023, is a contributor to the iNEMI PCB & Laminate Roadmap, and 2024 recipient of iNEMI's Dedicated Service Award.
John Fix, Senior Manager of Glass Fiber Marketing
John Fix is the Senior Manager of Glass Fiber Marketing at Nittobo America Inc., specializing in the planning, coordination, and direction of research and marketing initiatives for Glass Fiber products. With a long tenure on the supply side of electronics manufacturing, he is skilled in setting and achieving sales and growth goals and developing and implementing strategic plans.
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