-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- smt007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueWhat's Your Sweet Spot?
Are you in a niche that’s growing or shrinking? Is it time to reassess and refocus? We spotlight companies thriving by redefining or reinforcing their niche. What are their insights?
Moving Forward With Confidence
In this issue, we focus on sales and quoting, workforce training, new IPC leadership in the U.S. and Canada, the effects of tariffs, CFX standards, and much more—all designed to provide perspective as you move through the cloud bank of today's shifting economic market.
Intelligent Test and Inspection
Are you ready to explore the cutting-edge advancements shaping the electronics manufacturing industry? The May 2025 issue of SMT007 Magazine is packed with insights, innovations, and expert perspectives that you won’t want to miss.
- Articles
- Columns
- Links
- Media kit
||| MENU - smt007 Magazine
Electronics Industry Endorses US-Mexico-Canada Pact
May 21, 2019 | IPCEstimated reading time: 3 minutes
Top executives from electronics companies across the United States are in Washington, D.C., this week to endorse the proposed U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement (USMCA) and call on the Trump Administration and Congress to support policies that will drive advanced manufacturing.
IPC – Association Connecting Electronics Industries, which represents more than 5,300 member facilities across the $2 trillion electronics supply chain, is hosting its annual U.S. advocacy event, IMPACT Washington, D.C.
In a newly released report, commissioned by IPC and written by economist Shawn DuBravac, the group says it believes the USMCA is a positive step for the electronics sector and should be approved by the U.S. Congress this year.
“Many of our members have deep investments and thousands of employees in the United States, Mexico and Canada,” said IPC President and CEO John Mitchell. “Building a stronger U.S. electronics industry will depend in no small measure on building a stronger North American supply chain. That, in turn, will improve the region’s stature as a bastion of strength, stability, and jobs creation in an uncertain world.”The report notes the total value of U.S. electronics trade with Canada and Mexico was $155.5 billion in 2017. Electronics exports are 31% of all U.S. exports of manufactured goods, natural resources and energy to Mexico, and 18% of all U.S. exports of manufactured goods, natural resources and energy exports to Canada.
Beyond the underlying economics, several specific provisions of USMCA would benefit the industry, including the inclusion of chapters on small and medium-sized enterprises, digital services, and intellectual property protection. On the other hand, IPC is concerned about the sunset clause and proposed changes in regional content requirements for automobiles, both of which create uncertainties.
The IPC member-company executives are meeting today with Daniel Watson, the Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for North America and one of the chief negotiators for the USMCA, to express the industry’s support. The group will meet tomorrow with senior staff of the Senate Finance Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee, both of which oversee trade policy.
In addition to advocating for the USMCA, the C-suite executives are meeting with leaders in Congress and the Executive Branch to discuss other issues including defense electronics, EPA regulations, and workforce education and training. IPC members will meet with 20 congressional offices; Eric Ueland, deputy director of the White House Domestic Policy Council; Mike Molnar, director of the Office of Advanced Manufacturing (OAM) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST); Henry Darwin, acting deputy administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); and Scott Stump, assistant secretary for technical, Career and Adult Education at the U.S. Department of Education.
Participating member companies include Calumet Electronics Corp. of Calumet, Mich.; Chemcut Corporation of State College, Penn.; Eagle Circuits of Dallas, Tex., Juki Automation Systems, Inc. of Fremont, Calif.; Heller Industries Inc. of Florham, N.J.; Lockheed Martin of Orlando, Fla.; Summit Interconnect of Anaheim, Calif.; STI Electronics of Madison, Ala.; TTM Technologies of Sterling, Va.; Uyemura International Corporation of Ontario, Calif.; VirTex Enterprises of Austin, Tex.; and Zentech Manufacturing of Windsor Mill, Md.
More information on IMPACT Washington, D.C. can be found at www.ipc.org/IMPACT-2019.
Fast Facts About the Electronics Industry
- Electronics are at the heart of almost all industries today, from aerospace/military to automotive, information technology, telecom, manufacturing, retail, and healthcare.
- About 80 percent of IPC members are small- and medium-sized businesses, but some are large household names.
- The sector employs more than 2 million Americans in well-paid jobs.
About IPC
IPC is a global industry association based in Bannockburn, Ill., dedicated to the competitive excellence and financial success of its more than 5,300 member-company sites which represent all facets of the electronics industry, including design, printed board manufacturing, electronics assembly and test. As a member-driven organization and leading source for industry standards, training, market research and public policy advocacy, IPC supports programs to meet the needs of an estimated $2 trillion global electronics industry. IPC maintains additional offices in Taos, N.M.; Washington, D.C.; Atlanta, Ga.; Brussels, Belgium; Stockholm, Sweden; Moscow, Russia; Bangalore and New Delhi, India; Bangkok, Thailand; and Qingdao, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Suzhou and Beijing, China.
Suggested Items
Hon Hai Reports New June Sales High Amid AI Boom
07/07/2025 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamTaiwan-based manufacturing giant Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. reported on July 5 that its sales for June rose 10 percent from the previous year, driven by cloud and networking growth because of the boom in artificial intelligence (AI), the Taipei Times reported.
Electronics Industry Wrestles with Cost Pressures and Weaker Profitability
07/07/2025 | Global Electronics AssociationElectronics manufacturers are facing rising material and labor costs according to the Global Electronics Association’s June Sentiment of the Global Electronics Manufacturing Supply Chain Report.
Naprotek Appoints James Eisenhaure as Chief Financial Officer
07/07/2025 | Naprotek LLCNaprotek, LLC, a leading provider of mission-critical electronics technology solutions, today announced that James Eisenhaure has been appointed Chief Financial Officer, effective June 30. Eisenhaure has been serving as interim CFO since earlier this year and now formally steps into the role.
Yannick Green Joins Technica USA as Business Development/Account Manager for Northern California and Northern Nevada
07/07/2025 | Technica USATechnica USA is proud to announce that industry veteran Yannick Green has rejoined Team Technica as Business Development/Account Manager, supporting both supply partners and PCBA customers across Northern California and Northern Nevada.
I-Connect007’s Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
07/04/2025 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007For our industry, we have seen several bullish market announcements over the past few weeks, including one this week by IDC on the massive growth in the global server market. We’re also closely watching global trade and nearshoring. One good example of successful nearshoring is Rehm Thermal Systems, which celebrates its 10th anniversary in Mexico and the official opening of its new building in Guadalajara.