EMS@C-LEVEL

The test floor is changing fast: components shrink, panels grow, and product lifecycles sprint. From the buzz of Productronica 2025, I sit down with Seica's Luca Corli to unpack what that means for real factories and real constraints. The conversation zeroes in on modern in-circuit testing, automation, and why secure, integrated workflows now matter as much as raw pin counts. We explore the n...

Live from Productronica 2025, I sit down with Polytron-Print's Michael Müller to map the real forces reshaping Europe’s PCB landscape. After a year that felt flat across Germany, order flow has finally stabilized since midyear, turning survival mode into measured planning. Michael opens the shop door on what customers are actually asking for: complex HDI builds with blind and buried vias, tig...

The best technology rarely shouts; it just works. I sit down with C-MAC CEO Riwan Tamic at Productronica 2025 to unpack how an EMS leader keeps complex programs on track while much of the market wrestles with delays, margin pressure, and shifting demand. From the outside, it looks like a story about parts and lines. Inside, it’s about people, process, and the quiet decisions that keep supply chain...

Europe’s PCB story is changing from survival mode to smart growth, and the signs are finally visible on the factory floor. I sit down with Adeon Technologies' André Bodegom, the leading PCB technology supplier in Europe, to unpack a rare mix of optimism and pragmatism: a spotless new plant opening in Lithuania, major players eyeing expansions up to 50 percent, and defense programs quietly bal...

Tariffs changed the rules, but they also opened a door. I sit down with Stephane Klajzyngier, ALL Circuits' Deputy CEO, to unpack how merging with DBG transformed a strong European EMS into a truly global partner with the footprint, capital strength, and operational discipline to win in a volatile market. From Mexico and Tunisia to China, Vietnam, India, and Bangladesh, we break down why dive...

EV adoption may be slower than hopes, but the manufacturing map is being redrawn in real time. I sit down with ALL Circuits CEO Bruno Racault to unpack how a DBG–ALL Circuits alliance is positioning a global EMS player to serve fast-growing demand in automotive electronics and data center hardware—while navigating supply gaps, policy twists, and a customer base that wants local build options witho...

What happens when founders decide legacy matters more than an easy exit? I sat down with Eurocircuits’ Founding Partner Dirk Stans to unpack a deal that keeps the company’s engineering DNA intact while unlocking the resources to scale. Instead of becoming the 'fifth wheel' of a sprawling industrial group, Eurocircuits becomes the strategic core of a new platform—built around its digitall...

Factory data doesn’t transform a business until people do. Live from Productronica 2025, I dig into why a decade of Industry 4.0 felt slower than promised and how the tide is turning as engineers connect lines with Hermes, bridge legacy SMEMA with adapters, and elevate insights to the factory layer through CFX. Our guest, David Graham of 4IR.UK, has spent years pushing past vendor silos and champi...

Crowded halls at Productronica set the scene, but the real action is the shift from isolated specialties to a connected electronics ecosystem. I sit down with Mike Buetow, President of PCEA (Printed Circuit Engineering Association  and Publisher of Circuits Assembly to talk about the throughline from PCB design to fabrication to assembly—and what it takes to build a workforce ready to carry that v...

A Nordic acquisition with outsized impact: I sit down with Kitron Group President and CEO Peter Nilsson to unpack why bringing DeltaNordic into the Kitron family is more than a geographic play. It unlocks entrenched capability in electrical cabinets and control boards for combat vehicles and naval platforms, backed by fresh orders and the kind of incumbency that turns programs into multi-year reve...

The floor at Productronica hummed with a cautious optimism: after nearly two years of headwinds, signs of a turn are appearing in Europe. I sat down with Koh Young’s Michael Zahn and Joel Scutchfield to compare notes across Europe, the US, and Mexico—where industrial electronics, defense, smart home, and heating systems are on the rise while automotive remains subdued. What stood out wasn’t just w...

Deals change the game only when they change what you can do for customers. That's the heartbeat of our conversation as we break down InCap’s planned acquisition of Lacon Group, a Germany-based EMS and ODM player with sites across Bavaria, northern Germany, and Romania. In this conversation with InCap CEO Otto Pukk, I dive into why Germany’s the cornerstone of European EMS, how local engineeri...

A bustling Global Electronics Association booth at Productronica sets the stage for a candid conversation with Chief Global Officer Sanjay Huprikar about what real global collaboration looks like when it’s working. We trace a clear arc: India’s surge through training and engagement, China’s evolution from certification powerhouse to standards initiator, and Europe’s EMS leaders discovering that a...

Productronica 2025 sets the stage for this novel leadership story: how a business major found purpose in the SMT and EMS industry, learned the language of machines and yields, and stepped into the COO role. I sat down with Koh Young Europe COO Solin Ahmed to unpack what it really takes to lead in a technical market without an engineering degree—fluency, curiosity, and the discipline to connect fac...

Europe’s EMS market isn’t just busy—it’s redrawing the map in real time. We sit down at Productronica 2025 to unpack how a slow Q1 turned into a full-throttle M&A sprint, and why the leaderboard is changing faster than most expected. From targeted buys that unlock Spain, France, North Africa, and Switzerland to bold moves in aerospace and defense, the story isn’t growth for growth’s sake—it’s...

In this episode of EMS & The Economist with Global Electronics Association Shawn DuBravac, we start with the longest U.S. government shutdown on record and how it choked off official data when leaders needed it most. With unemployment figures stale and signals flashing mixed, we turned to industry metrics: book‑to‑bill ratios that look balanced, backlogs that finally eased, and a defense secto...

Sitting down at FermionX with Managing Director Will Patrick, we explore how a third-generation MD took a family electronics manufacturer from tribal knowledge to a data-first operation that customers can see, trust, and scale with. We start with the lineage—granddad’s silkscreen craft evolving to PCBs, then assembly—and why honoring that service and customer focussed ethic made the transformation...

How does a manufacturing company double in size with limited workforce availability? What role will AI play in the future of electronics manufacturing? Nicole Russo from Microboard provides powerful insights into these questions and more during our conversation at APEX 2025. Looking to establish their second manufacturing site, potentially in the western United States, Microboard stands at an exci...

Amid the bustling energy of APEX 2025, there's a sense that electronics manufacturing is at a pivotal point. Despite swirling uncertainties about politics, trade, and economic conditions, some companies aren't waiting for perfect clarity—some are moving forward with confidence and purpose. Reshoring momentum is real. "It's a directive, a mandate for certain customers, certain m...

When production becomes the North Star of manufacturing leadership, everything changes. Oscar, who has evolved from engineering manager to  leader of engineering and production at ALL Circuits, reveals the shift in mindset that's transformed their Guadalajara facility. His refreshingly practical approach centers on making production results the focal point for every department—from quality to...

The electronics industry has reached a pivotal moment of transformation, and leading the charge is a familiar organization with a brand new identity. In this revealing conversation, John Mitchell, President and CEO, announces the rebrand of IPC as the Global Electronics Association – a name that finally captures the true essence of the organization. "The name literally represents who we are a...

Mexico's electronics has always been one of the main events at APEX, but this year they are doubling down! I explore the journey of IPC Mexico and their first-ever dedicated pavilion at Apex after 25 years of Mexican participation at the show.  Lorena Villanueva, the dynamic leader of IPC Mexico, reveals their groundbreaking "three-helix" strategy that's reshaping their positio...

The landscape of European manufacturing is undergoing a profound transformation, caught between geopolitical tensions, shifting economic priorities, and technological disruption. Harald Eppinger of Koh Young offers a candid assessment of where Europe stands and what's needed to revitalize its industrial leadership. "We are competitive in technology, we have the right people in charge,&qu...

Amid global economic uncertainty and shifting trade policies, how do manufacturing companies navigate choppy waters? Otto Pukk, President & CEO of InCap joins us to reveal the advantages of a decentralized leadership approach during turbulent times. "There is always some crisis and always some turbulence," Otto reflects with refreshing pragmatism. Rather than centralizing control, In...

As the landscape of electronics manufacturing undergoes rapid transformation, industry leaders are grappling with how to navigate uncertainty while capitalizing on emerging opportunities. At APEX 2025, Allison Budvarson, COO and co-founder of Out of the Box Manufacturing offered a open and honest look at these dynamics, revealing how her company maintains its core focus amid shifting market condit...