-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- pcb007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueThe Hole Truth: Via Integrity in an HDI World
From the drilled hole to registration across multiple sequential lamination cycles, to the quality of your copper plating, via reliability in an HDI world is becoming an ever-greater challenge. This month we look at “The Hole Truth,” from creating the “perfect” via to how you can assure via quality and reliability, the first time, every time.
In Pursuit of Perfection: Defect Reduction
For bare PCB board fabrication, defect reduction is a critical aspect of a company's bottom line profitability. In this issue, we examine how imaging, etching, and plating processes can provide information and insight into reducing defects and increasing yields.
Voices of the Industry
We take the pulse of the PCB industry by sharing insights from leading fabricators and suppliers in this month's issue. We've gathered their thoughts on the new U.S. administration, spending, the war in Ukraine, and their most pressing needs. It’s an eye-opening and enlightening look behind the curtain.
- Articles
- Columns
- Links
- Media kit
||| MENU - pcb007 Magazine
Ventec USA Prepares for Growth
April 17, 2014 | Pete Starkey, I-Connect007Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
IPC APEX EXPO 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada, gave me the opportunity to catch up with Ventec USA President Jack Pattie and to meet the recently-appointed General Manager of the Ventec Fullerton Southern California facility Ray Young. The pair also gave an update on current developments and future company plans.
Pete Starkey: Exciting times, Jack!
Jack Pattie: Yes, Pete, lots going on. We’ve had two years of strong business development, with a growing demand for our high-performance copper-clad laminates and prepregs, and we’ve already put a lot of energy and investment into our Elk Grove Village facility in Illinois. There’s a strong leadership and management team in place, with Denis McCarthy as operations manager and Brian Jubie as technical sales manager, and we’ve relocated to larger premises, double the size of our previous building.
We've made substantial investment in additional equipment for panel-cutting and packaging, including a Yow Shi diamond blade panel saw, increased capacity for prepreg tooling, and increased prepreg storage. And supporting the distribution operation, there’s new inventory software to streamline documentation and give us improved inventory tracking and forecasting ability. It’s all up and running!
Starkey: And now it seems your Fullerton, Southern California operation is a major focus of activity.
Pattie: The Ventec product range has an established worldwide reputation in the mil/aero sector for technology, quality, and reliability, and we want to further develop this is in Southern California. Our service and distribution model is specifically geared to address the substantial market opportunity that exists for us in the area.
We are committed to doubling the size of the business and the first major step we've taken is to put the right management in place. The West Coast market has got some pretty unique characteristics compared to other major PCB regions in North America. We have very strong market share in all major North American PCB regions; however, our greatest area for growth is Southern California. To take advantage of that opportunity, we sought out local talent and leadership. In addition to securing a strong leadership team, we have committed to a major expansion of our Southern California facility. This includes doubling the size of the current facility, a new Yow Shi panel saw, two new prepreg cutting areas, increased prepreg storage, increased lab capabilities, and new inventory software.
Pete, meet Ray Young, the recently-appointed general manager of the Fullerton operation.
Starkey: Hello, Ray. It’s great to meet you in person.
Ray Young: Thanks Pete. It’s good to be part of the Ventec team.
Page 1 of 2
Suggested Items
Trump Copper Tariffs Spark Concern
07/10/2025 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamPresident Donald Trump stated on July 8 that he plans to impose a 50% tariff on copper imports, sparking concern in a global industry whose output is critical to electric vehicles, military hardware, semiconductors, and a wide range of consumer goods. According to Yahoo Finance, copper futures climbed over 2% following tariff confirmation.
Happy’s Tech Talk #40: Factors in PTH Reliability—Hole Voids
07/09/2025 | Happy Holden -- Column: Happy’s Tech TalkWhen we consider via reliability, the major contributing factors are typically processing deviations. These can be subtle and not always visible. One particularly insightful column was by Mike Carano, “Causes of Plating Voids, Pre-electroless Copper,” where he outlined some of the possible causes of hole defects for both plated through-hole (PTH) and blind vias.
Trouble in Your Tank: Can You Drill the Perfect Hole?
07/07/2025 | Michael Carano -- Column: Trouble in Your TankIn the movie “Friday Night Lights,” the head football coach (played by Billy Bob Thornton) addresses his high school football team on a hot day in August in West Texas. He asks his players one question: “Can you be perfect?” That is an interesting question, in football and the printed circuit board fabrication world, where being perfect is somewhat elusive. When it comes to mechanical drilling and via formation, can you drill the perfect hole time after time?
The Evolution of Picosecond Laser Drilling
06/19/2025 | Marcy LaRont, PCB007 MagazineIs it hard to imagine a single laser pulse reduced not only from nanoseconds to picoseconds in its pulse duration, but even to femtoseconds? Well, buckle up because it seems we are there. In this interview, Dr. Stefan Rung, technical director of laser machines at Schmoll Maschinen GmbH, traces the technology trajectory of the laser drill from the CO2 laser to cutting-edge picosecond and hybrid laser drilling systems, highlighting the benefits and limitations of each method, and demonstrating how laser innovations are shaping the future of PCB fabrication.
Day 2: More Cutting-edge Insights at the EIPC Summer Conference
06/18/2025 | Pete Starkey, I-Connect007The European Institute for the PCB Community (EIPC) summer conference took place this year in Edinburgh, Scotland, June 3-4. This is the third of three articles on the conference. The other two cover Day 1’s sessions and the opening keynote speech. Below is a recap of the second day’s sessions.