Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1236528
40 PCB007 MAGAZINE I APRIL 2020 On April 9, Barry Matties spoke with Travis Kelly, Isola president and CEO. Travis gave an update on Isola's responses to the COVID-19 challenges in materials manufacturing. Travis pointed out that Isola's products fill a critical need in the switch to medical equip- ment manufacturing for ventilators and related products. He also spoke to the three keys to maintaining continuity of supply. The new Isola facility in the Phoenix, Ari- zona, area is steadily coming up to speed, and Travis shared the latest news on that transi- tion. Barry Matties: Today, I'm speaking with Tra- vis Kelly, president and CEO of Isola. Isola is a global supplier, providing PCB manufacturers around the world with laminate and prepreg materials. Travis, the recent COVID-19 out- break has impacted the supply chains around the world. Please share with our listeners how this has impacted our industry. Travis Kelly: One thing we've been focused on is maintaining the continuity of supply from our vendors and continue to be 100% opera- tional at all our global facilities. There are three key pillars that are very important that have al- lowed us to remain open, and I would imag- ine many of the other businesses within our industry. First and foremost, we have a diverse global supply chain that has allowed us to en- sure we have the materials that we need to produce our laminate. At this point in time, it's extremely important to have very close com- munication with our supply base, and that has been essential to the overall strategy around continuity of supply—making sure that we're very transparent and collaborative relative to what we need and when we need it and as well as where we need it. And then, as it pertains strictly to Isola, our global manufacturing footprint has allowed us to move and share raw materials as necessary to ensure we have the right materials in the right location. This is one thing that is very strategic to the way Isola operates; by having that global manufacturing footprint, we can share raw material across borders, and get the material where we need it at the right time. Matties: What sort of trends are you seeing in the supply chain? Is there an increase in de- mand, or have you noticed a reduction in or- ders? Kelly: Specific to Isola, we've seen a very large increase in demand. Part of that is the overall Isola's Travis Kelly: Maintaining Continuity of Supply Interview by Barry Matties I-CONNECT007 Travis Kelly