Sales and orders improved in March over the first two months of the year due to seasonal effects, but year-on-year growth in rigid PCBs is still down significantly due …
Read more
Purchasing, Planning
28.3% drop in printed circuit board shipments
Mobile phones: Troubled contract manufacturing?
When the economy is strong and market demand is good, this model will help an EMS provider grow because economies of scale can be leveraged and the manufacturing business and the component business can …
Read more
March bounce in electronic component orders
Global electronic equipment production will fall by 11.9% this year, compared to a 0.2% gain in 2008.
When the recovery comes, it will …
Read more
Electronics manufacturing services value is not cost reductions
Real problem with EMS industry is inability to effectively communicate its value proposition. Pressure on EMS firms relates to the mistaken belief the core value proposition of outsourced manufacturing is cost reductions.
Read more
Checklist: Private equity risk in electronics manufacturing services (EMS)
How to determine the EMS provider’s true gross margins? What are equivalent net margins? How is operating margin determined and is it sustainable? Due diligence can help you answer these questions and more when investing in, merging or acquiring electronics services providers.
Read more
RoHS: Ask your EMS provider these five questions
Even if you have an excellent RoHS program and your EMS provider has an excellent RoHS compliance process, all it takes is one component for a product to be non-compliant. What is your EMS provider’s process if a non-compliant part is found on finished boards?
Read more
Wall Street on EMS vs. ODM market share and market segments
Wall Street discusses EMS vs. ODM market share, various market segments, emerging market opportunities and …
Read more
3 Myths about REACH you need to know
REACH does provide a variety of exemptions for certain products and applications. For example, if you sell a printed circuit board, the same circuit board may be used in automobiles (not exempt), medical electronics devices in direct contact with human body (exempt) and in airplanes (possibly exempt on a case-by-case basis in some EU Member States if a specific defense exemption is granted).
Read more
International hourly manufacturing compensation rate costs by country
Information on hourly manufacturing rate compensation costs for international employees by country in production manufacturing begins …
Read more
China’s risk: Bubbles burst, that’s what they do
Combined, all of these issues, and many others are becoming fault lines in the foundation that has allowed China to recover from the economic …
Read more
