Exception EMS Expands Technical Capabilities and Capacity

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Exception EMS, a leading UK-based contract electronics manufacturing solutions provider, has recorded its highest ever turnover in its history during 2015, as it continues to grow its business into key vertical sectors including telco, energy and defence. As part of its commitment to continually innovate and offer the best technology it can, the company also recently invested over £2m in two new SMT lines with support from Lloyds Banking Group that will see it expand its capability and capacity.

Mark O'Connor CEO at Exception EMS, commented, "This last year has once again exceeded our goal, with a record turnover of around £22m and growth of over 40% in our On Demand business. While we continue to grow our business, our commitment to our customers is we continue to provide them with a service that is second to none, and meets all their requirements in the challenges they face in terms of technical innovation. This latest investment in equipment will ensure we offer our customers the UK's best surface mount lines in terms of configuration, and will ensure operational efficiency to the highest degree."

The two additional lines are based around the Siemens/ASM SX platform, with three SX machines configured in one line and two SX machines in the second line. These two lines supplement the existing, three-unit Siemens line and match Exception's business needs by providing a platform that provides leading-edge technology, flexibility and efficiency.

Supplementing the new ASM equipment are new DEK Horizon temperature and humidity controlled printers, 3D Solder Paste Inspection from Koh Young, Rhem 14 zone reflow ovens, and AOI from Cyberoptics giving the lines  leading edge specification from end to end.  This investment enables a high level of quality control, error elimination and more than doubles the placement capacity of the business.  Integrating within the company’s Aegis MES system, the equipment is Industry 4.0 ready and will offer instant access to production from any device, any time, anywhere.

As Exception EMS continues on its path to be a ‘Smart Manufacturer’ the new equipment ensures operational flexibility, with 90% of products built on one common platform. Bringing faster production with over 100,000 components per line per hour, the new equipment increases capacity overall across the business which now has 3 lines in the main product and 3 more in its dedicated OnDemand facility which has also seen an increase in capacity of 30%.

Tom Lloyd-Jones, relationship director at Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking commented, “Exception EMS has continued to diversify into new sectors as part of its long-term growth strategy, and we’re pleased to support the next stage of its expansion plan. We provided the business with an asset finance facility that enabled it to purchase the new SMT line without paying for it outright, and continue to provide working capital facilities that allow the firm to focus on providing a first-class customer service and securing new contracts to help drive its growth ambitions. ”

About Exception EMS

The company is headquartered in Calne in the UK. It has been on a continuous path of investment to satisfy the needs of the worldwide electronics industry. The CEM business, both in the UK and via its international partners has an electronics manufacturing heritage stretching back over 60 years. Exception serves customers across a variety of sectors including aerospace and defence, transport, oil and gas, automotive, communication architecture, medical, marine, semiconductor, and renewable energy.