Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1088168
20 SMT007 MAGAZINE I MARCH 2019 strategy is very effective. The group has foot- prints in Europe (Graphic Plc, U.K., and SO- MACIS SpA, Italy), the U.S. (SOMACIS Inc., Poway, California), and China. Barry: What do you attribute your growth to? Mauro: The two main group assets are techni- cal capability and reliability, besides the group strategy mentioned before. We engaged with some important customers and markets. For some, the layer count is not very high, but they can squeeze all the complexity into a PCB in just a few square inches. It's highly complicat- ed with high-frequency products, tight regis- tration, and special materials. For these kind of products, we have been one of the few suppli- ers that can deliver reliable products. Another fast-growing market is automotive including antennas, radars, and other devices for auto- matic driving systems. Barry: Are you seeing more and more Chinese nationals become customers? Mauro: We have some big nationals that just came on board, and we are dealing with some big Chinese engineering labs. Chinese electron- ics are growing very fast. Also, we are dealing with multinational companies because that's where we started. Barry: In terms of the way that DSG sells ser- vices, do you use a direct team or reps? Mauro: We mostly make direct sales because of the products we make. We need to have direct contact with the customer's design, so it's mostly direct service; there are very few in- termediates. Barry: What advice would you give a customer that is looking to do busi- ness with a PCB shop in China? Mauro: It depends on what customers are looking for. For certain custom- ers, prices may be the main driver, but a cus- tomer like the ones we are working with now look at the reputation of the company and glob- al organization. Start by asking, "Can we have global regional support?" Look at the capabil- ity and reliability. Consider the end market and use. For example, for automotive, reliability is key because they are making millions of cars and no components can fail. The risk to call back millions of cars is huge. The same is true for other markets like aerospace and medical. Besides that, to better evaluate the company, take a factory tour. Look at their bath- rooms. Talk to people, understand the company culture and organization, and you'll get 80% of the information you need. Then, you can carry on with the audits and all of the paperwork, which must be done as a procedure. Barry: But it's the details inside the company that you pay attention. Mauro: Absolutely. Start from the toilets. Barry: That's good advice because if they don't care enough to keep their bathrooms clean, they just don't care enough. I always say look at the hand tools too. If the tools aren't in good order at the operator's station, that says some- thing. Mauro: Yes, if things are messy, housekeeping is part of the organization.