I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week

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Here in the Northern Hemisphere, we’re now closer to the equinox than to the solstice; change is in the air. Where I live in the Pacific Northwest, we’ve had unseasonably mild and sunny weather, teasing us that spring might be right around the corner. 

Change is in the air in our news feeds, too. This week, we bring you on-the-grow news from NCAB and Aegis, some market reports on smart manufacturing, and a widely read column on cybersecurity from Mehul Davé. Now that’s something to warm up to. 

Smart Manufacturing Spend Climbs Over $950B in 2030 
Published February 11 

ABI Research has released a free white paper, “38 Technology Stats You Need to Know for 2022.” The headline statistic, and 37 additional market projections included in the white paper, highlight “the most impactful forecasts that illuminate the direction in which digital transformation is truly heading.” 

Four Industry Rising Stars Recognized at IPC APEX EXPO 2022
Published February 14 

“In recognition of their leadership roles and support of IPC standards, education, advocacy, and solutions to industry challenges, four of the industry’s best and brightest were presented with an IPC Rising Star Award at IPC APEX EXPO 2022. Award recipients were Tim Burke, Francisco Fourcade, Thomas Marktscheffel, and Christina Rutherford.” The great thing about our industry is there is always room for new, bright minds that move the work forward. Congratulations! 

The Big Picture: Cybersecurity—Where Remote Work Gets Really Precarious 
Published February 15 

Entelechy Global and Linkage Technologies’ Mehul Davé shares his cybersecurity experiences, starting with this nugget: “Security is not a product but a process.” If you haven’t felt the sting of a cybersecurity breach, consider yourself lucky. And then read Mehul’s column for top-notch advice on keeping yourself and your company far from the reach of hackers. 

Aegis Software: Unitron Group B.V. Chooses FactoryLogix’ MES for Medical Device Manufacturing 
Published February 17 

Unitron Group shared, “In our highly regulated industry, it became essential to streamline our engineering operations through the implementation of interactive electronic assembly documentation, as well as also providing holistic traceability, which demonstrates compliance. We found confidence in Aegis’ proven track record in the medical market and strong customer base in Europe.” The decision enables Unitron to move toward Industry 4.0 and take global healthcare to the next level. 

NCAB Group Posts 52% Net Sales Growth in 2021 
Published February 17 

From NCAB CEO Peter Kruk, “We can look back on another strong quarter with substantial growth in sales and improved profitability compared with the previous year. We are pleased with the high demand and organic growth and that order intake is clearly exceeding net sales, which will support continued growth” He continued, “In addition to our organic growth, which is derived from all different industries and regions, we also noted a robust performance from our acquisitions.”

All eyes are on Europe, and NCAB is one good reason why. To read more about what’s happening in Europe, I encourage you to read our January issue of PCB007 Magazine, where we focus on the resurgence of the electronics industry there and what that means for companies in the United States.

03/24/2023 | Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007

It’s almost as if upheaval is the new normal. We often describe slow-moving but unstoppable change as moving in “geologic time.” But occasionally–like an earthquake–geology shifts suddenly. Here in my office, tracking the news of the industry, things are moving faster than geologic time, but more slowly than the jolt of an earthquake. The wave seems almost surfable, where before it seemed overwhelming. In this week’s list, we bring news from five different, high-vibration areas in our industry. If you read nothing else this week, these five items will keep you informed.

03/21/2023 | Christopher Bonsell, Chemcut

This year, I had the great opportunity to come to IPC APEX EXPO in San Diego as a contributing member in Chemcut’s booth. Being an exhibitor is always interesting because you never know what you will learn or who you will meet. Truly, it seems that every IPC APEX EXPO is an eye-opening experience. This was the second show I attended, and last year I was amazed to see how in-depth and interconnected the electronics industry is. Seeing how many different companies contribute to manufacturing today’s core technology never fails to impress me.

03/21/2023 | Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007

Investments, staffing, cybersecurity, and a peek into his crystal ball—John Vaughan, vice president of strategic markets at Summit Interconnect, sits down with Nolan Johnson to talk about it all. Business is good, by the way, thanks to Summit’s portfolio of military contracts, and he has sound advice to offer for smaller shops in the United States, and their real ability to make a difference in PCB fabrication.