Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1392944
76 PCB007 MAGAZINE I JULY 2021 Kelly: I've made several changes. First and fore- most, we must have manufacturing excellence, so we spent a lot of time and investments opti- mizing manufacturing. We focused on invest- ments in the quick turnaround facility, under- standing that the market is shiing from low to high mix and shorter run cycles. Building and generating that QTA facility with a state- of-the-art R&D lab in the United States was a big investment; I believe it will pay dividends in the future. We're also focused on R&D by looking at in- novating new products, new process improve- ments to create products, as well as alternative materials. And then, ultimately, getting with our customers on the marketing side. We are focusing on the needs of OEMs and fabricators and how we can support them. ose three as- pects of the business are where we spent a lot of time. And, based on our growth and what we're seeing now as an organization, it's pay- ing dividends. Matties: Travis, you mentioned the collabora- tion with OEMs; it seems like there's a huge need for more collaboration. Kelly: Yes, and that's where we can play an im- portant role. It's bilateral, we learn a lot from not just the OEMs, but also the fabri- cators, and working hand-in-hand and sharing those viewpoints and the knowl- edge that they've accumulated will con- tinue to pay dividends. IS550H is a good example of working with several OEMs and fabricators to understand heat char- acteristics and the thermal needs of our customers. Now that's a good product that can solve a lot of those problems, but the rubber meets the road by work- ing very closely with our business part- ners. We don't view our customers as trans- actional (not just buying and selling) but rather, from a relationship standpoint, understanding where those customers want to be, and what we can do to make sure that we're innovating to support those custom- ers. Customers mean the printed circuit board fabricators, as well as the OEMs. e material must keep up with the demands of the future, and that's why we do spend a lot of money on R&D, trying to stay on top of that curve, or at least alongside it. Johnson: Travis, is direct marketing to the OEMs something that Isola concentrates on? OEMS are specifying the performance crite- ria, but the fabs are making the purchase de- cisions. Does that conversation, that dynamic, need to change? Do different people need to be in that conversation? Kelly: No, I don't think so. First and foremost, we support the fabricators. We have an OEM marketing team. We hear feedback from the OEMs, but ultimately, we work hand-in-hand with the fabricators to understand what the ap- plication needs are, and then go through our suite of products to make sure that we can sat- isfy those needs. Johnson: What works well for Isola in having a conversation with an OEM about their emerg- ing needs? Isola's new visitor's lobby at the Chandler, Arizona facility.