Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1197000
JANUARY 2020 I SMT007 MAGAZINE 43 Matties: Having a couple of case studies will be beneficial. How important is a show like IPC APEX EXPO to this region? A lot of people say it's not a necessary show for them to come to and everything they need is at shows like this or productronica. Carmichael: IPC APEX EXPO is a unique show because a big part of it is the committee meet- ings that start the Sunday before and run through the show period. There are both com- mittee and continuing education meetings. We have a number of our active member compa- nies who mainly go to committee meetings, and that's an attraction to North American compa- nies as well. Nowadays, SG&A and travel bud- gets are tight. If you can say, "I'm going to go IPC APEX EXPO because there are 10 commit- tee meetings I want to attend as well as con- tinuing education opportunities," that's easier to pitch to management because it's more effi- cient. That's why that show continues to grow; it's not as big as this show, but it is very impor- tant since it's the main show in the industry in the U.S. Matties: That's a big attraction. Thank you very much, Phil. Carmichael: Thank you. SMT007 Brook Sandy-Smith, IPC's technical conference program manager, describes the wide selection of professional devel- opment courses that attendees can partake in to level up their careers, understand changes in standards, hone their leadership skills, and more. Click image below to watch video. (Source: IPC) Professional Development at IPC APEX EXPO 2020