Epec LLC is one of the oldest PCB companies in the United States. Over the last five years, Epec has experienced a seven-fold growth in revenue under the guidance of chairman Greg Klein and the company’s leadership team.

However, like other PCB executives, Greg acknowledges that success in this industry has grown more challenging in recent years, citing declining demand and the pressure to provide high technology, high-quality products at ever-lower prices.

An IPC member for six years, Greg also participates in IPC’s PCB Executive Management Meeting to gain insights and share perspectives on the PCB industry. This unique gathering — held each year during IPC APEX EXPO® — provides a forum for senior-level PCB executives to discuss concerns and ideas about critical business issues facing the industry.

“The data and trends of the U.S. PCB industry indicate a long-term decline,” Greg said. “There will be a PCB industry in the U.S. in ten years’ time and the most important questions are: ‘What will it look like?’ and ‘What should I be doing about it?’ Brainstorming together with other senior leaders from our industry at the PCB Executive Management Meeting is one of the best ways to answer these questions.”

Despite the challenging business climate facing the PCB industry, Greg found no shortage of optimism among the attendees at the 2008 show in Las Vegas. “What was most significant for me at the show was there seemed to be an energy, enthusiasm and buzz that I haven’t seen at an IPC show in years,” Greg said.

 “I think there’s more hope for the future of the industry. Specifically, people I talked to were discussing growth strategies instead of merely survival. In challenging times, executives must become much more effective, aggressively pro-active and highly imaginative, because this is what separates us from the rest of the world.”

Greg’s advice for new attendees:
“Mutual sharing really does benefit the industry and the whole supply chain. The more we share with each other, the more we can learn to help the industry thrive. The first step in that sharing is building trust, which has to be done in person. And there’s no better place to build those relationships than at the IPC Executive Management Meeting.”

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Cipher Systems is a fully integrated product design, electronic engineering and manufacturing services company. For more than 20 years, they have brought embedded ingenuity to some of the most robust and multifaceted electronic designs.

As a senior PCB designer at Cipher Systems, Ruth Delker knows that the design decisions she makes each day will ultimately affect the performance of the end product, so she’s committed to keeping herself informed about new technologies, design techniques and standards as they emerge.

“Often, our customers need us to meet specific standards for design, RF design and other embedded technologies — and IPC has the answers. In fact, it was through IPC that we learned how to do blind and buried via technology,” Ruth explained. She also has earned her certified interconnect designer (CID) designation through IPC, and will soon be completing the test for advanced certification.

Ruth’s commitment to continuous learning made Designers Day a must-attend event for her. This full day of educational sessions, speakers and networking opportunities for PCB designers has become a popular part of the annual IPC APEX EXPO®.

“The topics scheduled for Designers Day covered exactly what I needed to learn. Each speaker had valuable information I could take back to my company and put to use right away,” Ruth said. “In fact, a design I was working on at the time had RF constraints — and one of the speakers presented exactly the information I needed to improve the function of the circuitry.”

In addition to learning from industry authorities, Ruth also found tremendous value in talking with fellow designers at Designers Day. “I knew it would be a good chance to meet designers from around the country, pick their brains and find out what new technologies people are investigating,” she said. “Designers are very willing to share ideas on design techniques.”

The event is so conducive to idea exchange that the “shop talk” continued beyond the classroom walls. Ruth said that even a casual conversation in the hallway provided her with some new ideas for placing the smallest components on boards.

Ruth’s advice to new attendees: “Arrive early, bring business cards, collect business cards and don’t be afraid to introduce yourself and ask questions. And when you get back to work, keep your handouts from Designers Day nearby. Mine have become a reference that I use at least once a week.”

Ruth also encourages designers to not only attend Designers Day to make connections, but to also consider joining a local chapter of the IPC Designers Council.

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SPX Service Solutions supplies diagnostic products, supplies and equipment to vehicle manufacturers and service centers.

As a manufacturing engineer at SPX, Barry Borwege finds IPC APEX EXPO® to be a helpful venue for sourcing new equipment. In fact, he makes it a point to attend every year.

“I like that I can do comparison shopping under one roof,” Barry said. “If I see a feature I like on one machine, I can go to the next one and see how it compares. It’s instant feedback.”

Often, he discovers technologies on the show floor that are not on his agenda — but that turn out to be beneficial. Two years ago, he saw a humidification system on the show floor. At the time, his company didn’t need one, but when the need arose later he knew where to find what he wanted.

At the 2008 show, he made another find: “I didn’t even have solder dross on my agenda to look into at the show, but stumbled upon a great dross reducing agent that will save us thousands of dollars per year,” Barry said.

Barry also attends professional development courses and takes advantage of the show’s networking opportunities. He said he especially likes having the opportunity to meet his suppliers. “I’ve always felt that face-to-face communication is so much better. It’s nice to meet the suppliers I talk to on the phone or by e-mail in person.”

Barry’s advice to new attendees: “Have a plan. If you don’t have a plan, it’s easy to get sidetracked and forget what you’re there for because you find so many new technologies to look at. I like to get to my main vendors first. Then, I’ll walk around and visit other booths if I have time.”

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Endicott Interconnect Technologies, Inc. is a vertically integrated supplier of high-performance electronics packaging solutions to OEMs.

Like many who are responsible for leading a company’s operations, James W. Fuller, Endicott’s vice president and general manager, fabrication, has an extremely full schedule. But leaving the office for a few days each year to attend IPC APEX EXPO® actually helps Jim improve efficiency.

Because his supply base is so geographically dispersed, Jim finds that the convergence of thousands of industry professionals at one location allows him to hold several face-to-face meetings in a short period of time. “The event is an extremely efficient vehicle to meet with most of my key suppliers, and to conduct meaningful business,” he said. “With the pace of today’s business, I really value the opportunity to get so much done in so little time. The improved attendance driven by the Las Vegas location is a key factor in this effectiveness.”

In addition to using the show as a venue for maintaining relationships with his suppliers, Jim also attends to stay abreast of new technology. “I like to see the latest advancements in processes and equipment at the show,” he said.

Jim’s advice to new attendees: “Whether you’re an exhibitor or attendee, don’t cut it short. It’s a three day show because there is so much to see: Use all the time they give you.”

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Wireless Technology, Inc. (WTI) designs and manufactures high tech surveillance, security and traffic flow cameras that are used worldwide.

As technical operations manager at WTI, Steve Kahn attends IPC APEX EXPO® each year to identify new suppliers and find equipment that can help his operations run more efficiently.

At the 2008 show, Steve spent two days walking the exhibit hall. It was time well spent. “I found two pieces of equipment that are perfect for our assembly process,” Steve said. “These two pieces will save us hundreds of man hours!”

One of Steve’s finds has allowed him to increase surface mount production by expanding the capabilities of an existing pick-and-place machine, rather than purchasing a new one.

His other exhibit-hall discovery offers dramatic time savings in WTI’s through-hole operations by automating the process of removing components from paper tape. “I didn’t even know this technology existed until I saw it at the show. We did it by hand, but this machine does it 100 times faster.”

In addition to finding new equipment, Steve also sees the exhibit hall as an opportunity to connect with potential suppliers — and this year found several new sources for a key material used in WTI’s operations.

Steve’s advice for new attendees: “Take your time and try to look at every booth. I found leads for production supplies and tips on production methods that I hadn’t expected, just from talking to the exhibitors.”

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As a PCB design engineer at KEYW Corporation, Denise Michaloski designs boards for manufacture.

Denise attended IPC APEX EXPO® for the first time in 2008. “I wanted to get some different perspectives on board design,” Denise said. “There was a wider variety of classes at IPC APEX EXPO® than at other industry conferences.”

“Designers Day was great,” she added. “I loved all the speakers and was amazed at the information on overseas HDI capability. There were viewpoints from the assembly and fabricators that designers don’t always get. I also liked meeting other designers from all over the country and the people from IPC who deal with board-related issues.”

Like other designers, Denise has found that despite the growing use of flexible circuits, information on designing for flex isn’t easy to come by. However, she found some answers at Designers Day. “One of the flex manufacturers showed us what we need to give them so we can get it right the first time. In design, you’re often on a time crunch, so it’s good to have the information beforehand.”

Denise’s advice for new attendees: “When I went, I crammed a lot into a short time. I would suggest staying longer and exploring the show more. And I would tell designers to definitely attend Designers Day.”

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More than a decade ago, Karl Mueller attended his first IPC trade show, and has been attending ever since.

As a principal quality engineer at Boeing, Karl conducts in-process and final inspections on aircraft parts, plus manufacturing and process audits to help assure product quality and reliability.

A member of two IPC committees, Karl’s primary purpose for attending IPC APEX EXPO® is to participate in standards development meetings. He finds that working with industry colleagues on key documents gives him a unique perspective on the standards and their application. “Being involved on the committees that develop the standards we use helps me clearly communicate requirements to my suppliers. I can tell them to follow the standard as it’s written, and I know exactly what that means because I was involved in developing it.”

In addition to having the opportunity to contribute to standards development, Karl finds that attending the show is a valuable way to build relationships with other industry professionals.

“I would have to say the biggest benefit of attending is the networking,” Karl said. “I’ve met some great people, some who are up-and-comers and others who are pioneers in the industry. Over the years, I’ve been fortunate enough to meet a lot of people through IPC events who are the best in the business at what they do. If I need help or need input on a technical issue, I know I can call them up. That comes in handy.”

Like other show attendees, Karl also likes to visit the exhibit hall to see the latest technologies. “I like to keep current on what’s going on,” he said, “so I always stop by the show floor to see the new equipment.”

Karl’s advice for first-time attendees: “This is a great venue for networking. If there’s somebody you want to meet on the show floor or at a meeting, just introduce yourself. These are nice people,” Karl said.

When participating in the show’s standards development meetings for the first time, he suggests a listen-and-learn approach. “There are a lot of people in these meetings who are pioneers of the standards development process, and you can learn a lot from them,” he said. “The first time out, it’s a good idea to sit back and listen for a while, to get an idea of how it all works.”

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Continental Automotive, a division of Continental AG, manufactures a wide range of automotive electronics. As a senior materials engineer, Lynn Norman serves as the technical lead for the company’s materials test lab in Huntsville, Ala., where they test assemblies, components, materials and boards for quality and compliance with industry standards.

Lynn attended IPC APEX EXPO® for the first time in 2008 so he could participate in IPC committee meetings. Meeting colleagues he had only communicated with via e-mail or by phone was a big plus for Lynn. “I’ve been in contact with a couple of people at other companies and I finally got to meet them in person,” he said. “Now, it’s not as impersonal because I know them; I can put a face to the name.”

Despite a tight schedule, Lynn also squeezed in a visit the exhibit hall — an effort that will pay off for his company. “I found a piece of test equipment at the exhibit that I probably never would have found using a random Internet search. It was pertinent to a specific problem we are currently experiencing. After giving my boss the recommendation, we’re moving on buying one.”

Lynn said seeing equipment at the show can save time and expense, noting that another plant with a materials test lab had to fly people to two different locations to look at some equipment they were considering.

According to Lynn, “Going to a Web site or looking at a brochure and seeing a 2-D photo of a piece of equipment gives you an idea of what it can do, but it’s not the same as being able to see it in person and having technical people standing right there to answer your questions.”

Lynn’s advice for new attendees: “Schedule enough time so you can see everything. If you find something pertinent in the exhibit hall, you could spend two hours talking to that person getting information. I know there are more things I would have liked to see, but didn’t have enough time.”

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From the economy to cost containment to globalization, there are a myriad of issues that affect virtually every EMS company.

It’s the chance to learn more about those common business challenges that has drawn Chuck Needham to join other EMS executives at IPC’s EMS Management Council meetings for the last eight years. As director of sales and product management for Phoenix International, a company specializing in highly ruggedized electronic components and systems, Chuck finds tremendous value in the EMS-focused meeting.

“Participating in the EMS Management Council meeting gives us the opportunity to focus within our industry. We are able to measure where we’re at in terms of various industry metrics and share and discuss topics specific to the EMS industry,” Chuck explained.

In recent years, the meeting’s formal program has included timely and relevant topics such as counterfeit components, funding, HR issues and customer evaluation. But what makes the meeting unique is that it serves as a forum for discussing pressing, industry-wide issues at the executive level.

“The EMS Management Council meeting provides a unique opportunity to interact with our counterparts from other companies,” Chuck said. “During the roundtable discussions, we talk about common issues and share experiences — and potentially do some brainstorming on how to tackle certain situations. The competitive side in each of us disappears. It’s about helping us all be better at what we do and that keeps us all moving forward.”

In addition to delving into business issues at the EMS Management Meeting, Chuck also visits the exhibit hall to keep up on new and emerging technology.

Chuck’s advice for new attendees: “I encourage other EMS executives to attend — and to come prepared to share, and to expect to learn from the experience. The meeting isn’t about divulging trade secrets or confidential information. Each person in the room is there to learn from others and to share what’s affecting their organization. Expect to meet other people facing similar issues.”

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