Global Citizenship: Together for a Perfect PCB Solution
Smart Automation: Odd-form Assembly—Dedicated Insertion Equipment Matters
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
August 5, 2022 | Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
By now, you have probably heard that I-Connect007 has joined forces with IPC; Andy Shaughnessy led with that news in his Top 5 last week. I-Connect007 is constantly the source of news in the industry, but it’s not often that we’re the subject of the news. This week, it’s a different story.
To top it off, this week has been particularly newsy. So, I’m making the executive decision to include the merger news item as a piece of bonus news. If you haven’t read the July 28, 2022 press release by now, you’re getting another chance to find it here:
The Top 5 list this week contains industry analysis from IPC’s Shawn DuBravac, news on the passage of the U.S. “CHIPS Plus” bill, new materials from Ventec, and a chemistry company completing their acquisition, plus a brand new book in the I-Connect007 eBooks series.
We’ll see you next week, and for many weeks to come (we promise!)
'CHIPS Plus' Bill Passed with IPC’s Active Support
Published August 2
From the press release, this passage jumps out, “IPC advocated strongly for the passage of legislation that would fund the CHIPS Act and urged Congress to include $2.5 billion in the first fiscal year for the National Advanced Packaging Manufacturing Program. IPC applauds both the Senate and the House for reaching an agreement and sending the bill to the President’s desk.” Click through here to read all the particulars and see the high-level numbers associated with CHIPS Plus.
Q4 Concerns: Hold on to Your Hats
Published August 3
With our industry booming, even as we face inflation, rising interest rates, and a worker shortage so acute it might be slowing company growth, and a potential economic recession on the horizon, the signals are decidedly mixed. I-Connect007 talks with IPC Chief Economist Shawn DuBravac, looking ahead to the end of the year. DuBravac does his best crystal ball reading to tell us what to expect.
Ventec Expands Flex-rigid Material Range for Critical Military, Aerospace, and Ultra-high Reliability Applications
Published August 2
The new materials from Ventec include a flex-rigid No Flow / Low Flow prepreg range – tec-speed 4.0 (VT-462(L) PP NF/LF), offering high-Tg, low Dk, low loss, and excellent thermal reliability, designed for military, aerospace/space, and other ultra-high reliability applications. Get a sense for the specification details here.
New Book from I-Connect007 Examines Evolution of Electronics Industry NPI
Published August 1
In “The Electronics Industry’s Guide to…The Evolving PCB NPI Process,” Siemens topic experts Mark Laing and Jeremy Schitter offer a timely look at how the slowdown of production and delivery of materials and components in recent years has impacted the NPI process in the global marketplace. Check it out.
MKS Instruments, Atotech Receive China Antitrust Clearance for Pending Acquisition of Atotech
Published July 29
Mergers and acquisitions continue. MKS Instruments and Atotech “have received unconditional merger approval from China’s State Administration for Market Regulation for MKS’ pending acquisition of Atotech. The transaction has now received all required regulatory clearances.” Now is the time for making acquisitions.
Share on:
Testimonial
"We’re proud to call I-Connect007 a trusted partner. Their innovative approach and industry insight made our podcast collaboration a success by connecting us with the right audience and delivering real results."
Julia McCaffrey - NCAB GroupSuggested Items
Smartphone Production Rises 4% QoQ in 2Q25 as Inventory Adjustment Ends
09/12/2025 | TrendForceTrendForce’s latest investigations reveal that global smartphone production reached 300 million units in 2Q25, up 4% QoQ and 4.8% YoY, driven by seasonal demand and the recovery of brands such as Oppo and Transsion following inventory adjustments.
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
09/12/2025 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007We may be post-Labor Day, but it is still hot-hot-hot here in the great state of Arizona—much like our news cycles, which have continued to snap, crackle, and pop with eye-raising headlines over this past week. In broader global tech news this week, AI and tariff-type restrictions continues to dominate with NVIDIA raising its voice against U.S. lawmakers pushing chip restrictions, ASML investing in a Dutch AI start-up company to the tune of $1.5 billion, and the UAE joining the ranks of the U.S. and China in embracing “open source” with their technology in hopes of accelerating their AI position.
Delta Electronics Posts 26.7% Growth in Sales Revenues for August
09/12/2025 | Delta ElectronicsDelta Electronics, Inc. announced its consolidated sales revenues for August 2025 totaled NT$47,860 million, a 26.7 percent increase as compared to NT$37,770 million for August 2024 and a 5.4 percent increase as compared to NT$45,397 million for July 2025.
Flex Named to TIME's World's Best Companies List for Third Consecutive Year
09/12/2025 | FlexFlex announced its inclusion on the TIME World's Best Companies 2025 list. This marks the third consecutive year the company was included in this prestigious ranking, which recognizes top-performing companies across the globe.
Direct Imaging System Market Size to Hit $4.30B by 2032, Driven by Increasing Demand for High-Precision PCB Manufacturing
09/11/2025 | Globe NewswireAccording to the SNS Insider, “The Direct Imaging System Market size was valued at $2.21 Billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $4.30 Billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 8.68% during 2025-2032.”