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Roundtable: Advanced Materials

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, John Fix, and Ed Kelley.

AI Revolutionizing Electronics Manufacturing with Burkle

Explore the transformative impact of artificial intelligence on the electronics industry with Andy Turner, president and CEO of Burkle North America. Discover how AI is revolutionizing customer support, enhancing product development, and enabling scalable manufacturing solutions. Learn how Burkle leverages AI to optimize operations, improve customer satisfaction, and support entrepreneurs in achieving their business goals.

Market Insights with Pluritec's Maurizio Bonati

Nolan Johnson interviews Maurizio Bonati, VP of Sales at Pluritec, at APEX EXPO 2026. Bonati details Pluritec's three product divisions, covering a broad spectrum of PCB manufacturing. He discusses the current robust electronics market, driven by AI applications in Asia and technological investments in North America, while noting slower demand in Europe. The interview highlights key sectors like data centers, AI, and medical that benefit from advanced electronics.

AI, HDI, and Interconnect Optimization with MKS' ESI

This discussion revolves around the transformative impact of AI on HDI and substrate manufacturing. Casey Krueger explains the company's "Optimize the Interconnect" initiative, which features Atotech, to provide a comprehensive solution from pretreatment to laser drilling. MKS' ESI offers the innovative Geode G2 platform which is an advanced laser drilling technology that enhances productivity, reduces energy consumption, and addresses complex design challenges in processing both PCB and ICP materials.

Insulectro: Advanced PCB Fabrication Materials

Explore advanced PCB fabrication materials with Insulectro's Dain Hertsgaard and Gabriel Zepeda. This interview covers Arlon's innovative polyimide and epoxy solutions, including low-flow options for flex materials and high-performance materials for HDI applications; Qnity's polyimide films for demanding environments, and DuPont Interra's capacitance films for enhanced reliability. Insulectro offers comprehensive service and a commitment to advancing circuit technology

A Mic, a Tiny Cam, and the Show Floor: The Story Behind 'Take the Mic!'

I-Connect007’s Take the Mic! program at APEX EXPO 2026 in Anaheim is proving to be a must-watch feature for this year’s event coverage, as we invited company representatives to participate in a sponsored conversation about their businesses and products in a whole new way: in front of a camera at their booths. While our managing editors and guest editors were conducting slightly longer Real Time with… APEX EXPO interviews in our booth, three staff members and guests acted as roaming reporters, conducting short, prearranged interviews with several companies exhibiting on the show floor.

An Interview With Keynote Speaker Zack Kass on the 'AI Renaissance'

Zack Kass is an AI evangelist, technologist, businessman, and the author of The Next Renaissance: AI and the Expansion of Human Potential. He was a key player in bringing open AI to market and the keynote speaker at APEX EXPO 2026. Immediately following his presentation, I brought Zack to our booth, where we had a most eye-opening conversation about both the positive and negative impacts of artificial intelligence, and going beyond what’s “impossible.”

PHOTO GALLERY: A Walk on the Lighter Side

APEX EXPO isn’t all business! To wrap up our last photo gallery, we’re sharing some of our favorites from the show—a walk on the lighter side. We’re highlighting those in-between moments: quick selfies, familiar faces reconnecting, robot dogs, booth-side laughs, and the kind of candid snapshots you only get when people are genuinely enjoying themselves. At the end of the day, it’s not just about what we do, it’s about the people we do it with.

Institute of Circuit Technology Spring Seminar 2026: A Bright Future in Europe

Through the leafy lanes and spring flowers of Warwickshire and back to Meridan, the traditional centre of England, and now officially part of the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in the county of the West Midlands, I attended the Annual General Meeting and Spring Seminar of the Institute of Circuit Technology (ICT) on April 14. Out of the AGM came notable changes in leadership at the top of the Institute: the retirement of Mat Beadel as chair and Emma Hudson as technical director. Effective May 1, Steve Driver is the new chair, and Alun Morgan is the new technical director.

New Guidance Targets Scope 3.1 Emissions Gap in Electronics Supply Chains

A new industry guidance document aimed at improving how electronics companies account for Scope 3 Category 1 (Scope 3.1) emissions marks a significant step toward more consistent and effective supply chain decarbonization. A recent webinar hosted by the Global Electronics Association and the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) addressed a persistent challenge: Despite the material impact of Scope 3.1 emissions, fewer than half of electronics companies currently report them.

Women in Technology: Learning to Just Be Myself

Approximately 100 women and a handful of men gathered for a Women in Electronics evening event at APEX EXPO. As I wandered among the tables before it started, I stopped to chat with several women all wearing purple and white polo shirts emblazoned with the TTM logo. It turns out they are part of TTM’s Women in Technology Group, so I sat down and invited them to share their thoughts on coming to the event and what it means to be part of the electronics industry.

Volatile Metals Market Creates PCB Pricing Headache

Market volatility for precious metals is very real. Financial organizations have reported elevated volatility, with record highs and steep corrections; in 2025 alone, gold has increased by over 60%, silver over 120%, and copper over 35%. Each is a critical raw material used in electronics manufacturing, where pricing is already fraught for business owners and their customers due to tariff uncertainty and a critical supply chain that resides mostly in China. The volatility of precious metals markets adds yet another layer of complexity for manufacturers, pushing up raw material costs.

AGC's Advanced PCB Material Solutions

AGC's line includes advanced PCB materials for critical industries such as aerospace, defense, and medical. This interview highlights their commitment to North American sourcing, offering solutions to today's challenges. AGC provides specialized automotive PCB materials including fastRise, a low-loss non-reinforced prepreg designed for high-frequency applications like 77 GHz radar.

A 60-Year Legacy of PCB Innovation from IEC

Chris Hrusovsky, director of business development for International Electronic Components (IEC), shares his company’s commitment to customer partnerships, seamless service, and technical support for fabricators. Chris updates us on technological advancements in direct imaging, copper-filled vias, and the company's global collaborations driving innovation in consumables and equipment.

Driving Precision: All4-PCB’s Push for Smarter Inspection and Better Boards

At APEX EXPO 2026, all4-PCB's booth stayed busy until the very end. In this interview, Managing Director Ralph Jacobo highlights what he sees as strong market momentum in North America driven by increased demand for advanced PCB manufacturing technologies. He emphasizes investments in multilayer lamination, propelled by AI infrastructure, aerospace, and HDI complexity, where precision and uniformity are critical.

The Global Electronics Association Is Future Forward

John W. Mitchell, CEO of the Global Electronics Association, discusses the association's comprehensive role in standards, training, sustainability, and global advocacy. He highlights the industry's critical importance and the association's efforts in workforce development and adapting to AI. The conversation also touches on future trends like personal robotics and innovative approaches to industry standards.

From AI to AEP, an Impressive Array of Keynotes at APEX EXPO 2026

Each year at APEX EXPO, the Global Electronics Association provides an impressive lineup of keynote speakers to kick off the largest electronics manufacturing event in North America. This year included four keynote speeches, on topics ranging from the promise and peril of AI to the power of electronics, quantum computing, and the importance of heterogeneous integration in advanced electronics packaging.

PHOTO GALLERY: Putting in the Work on Standards, Professional Development

Behind every standard, innovation, and step forward in electronics are the people who show up to do the work. This week's photo gallery highlights the attendees who filled meeting rooms and classrooms throughout APEX, collaborating on standards development committees, sharing expertise, and investing in their own growth through professional development. These are the faces of progress, gathered not just to learn, but to contribute and shape what comes next.

AI, Connectivity, and Systems-Level Thinking: New Frontiers in Advanced Packaging

The upcoming issue of Advanced Electronics Packaging Digest examines key developments shaping the next phase of electronics innovation, from the reliability challenges of AI-driven packaging to emerging connectivity standards and the broader systems-level implications of artificial intelligence.

Podcast Hits the Mark in a Materials Market

The base material of a printed circuit board is its literal and functional foundation. Isola, founded in 1912 in Düren, Germany, is one of the longest-standing manufacturers of glass-reinforced laminates in the electronics industry. Originally focused on insulation and fiberglass materials, the company played an early role in supplying the foundational substrates that enabled the growth of PCB technology. As electronics advanced, Isola evolved alongside the industry, expanding from basic glass-epoxy laminates into high-performance copper-clad materials and engineered prepregs.

New EIPC President: Building Strength Through Unity in Europe’s Electronics Industry

Industry veteran Rico Schluter, newly appointed president of EIPC, discusses his decades-long journey through the European PCB industry and his vision for its future. From building advanced manufacturing operations to leading large-scale facility development in Lithuania, Rico shares insights into automation, workforce evolution, and the challenges of scaling production. He emphasizes the urgent need for stronger collaboration across European industry organizations to effectively influence policy in Brussels, particularly around supply chain resilience, trade regulations, and energy-related incentives.

IBM's David Lokken-Toyli: Quantum’s Call to ‘Leap’

What happens when a cutting-edge quantum computer is placed in the middle of a public cafeteria? For David Lokken-Toyli, principal research scientist at IBM Quantum, that image, now a reality at Cleveland Clinic, captures a turning point: Quantum computing is moving out of the lab and into the real world, and getting there will depend not just on physicists, but on an electronics supply chain ready to support entirely new system requirements.

The Next Generation of Leadership: New Student Board Member Aubrey Smith 

At APEX EXPO 2026, the next generation of industry leadership was on full display with the introduction of Aubrey Smith, the Global Electronics Association’s newest Student Board Member. She’s a third-year electrical and electronics engineering student at the University of Georgia and a first-year participant in the Emerging Engineer Program. Aubrey represents the curiosity, initiative, and openness that define tomorrow’s innovators.

PHOTO GALLERY: APEX EXPO Receptions Are Where the Industry Comes Together

APEX EXPO receptions offer a chance to step away from the booth and connect in a more relaxed setting. From newcomer gatherings to the ice cream social, the show floor reception, and the Golden Gnomes, these events bring attendees together across roles and experience levels. Enjoy this photo gallery of social gatherings. You might find yourself and people you know! It’s a place to reconnect with colleagues, meet people you’ve only known by name, and discover new companies shaping the industry—strengthening relationships and building a sense of community.

John Andresakis Discusses Integrated Thin-film Resistive Foil Technology

John Andresakis of Ohmega Ticer shares his advanced solution that offers miniaturization, enhanced electrical performance, and stable resistance for next-generation PCBs. The high-demand applications for high-frequency phased-array antennas in commercial space and military sectors is driving the need for superior RF performance and simplified beam forming.
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