Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1299286
48 PCB007 MAGAZINE I OCTOBER 2020 Monn: No, sir. It's a drop-in. The one thing about Taiyo America is our product's base chemistry, and our thought patterns have not altered, so if you look at our product line with photoimageable solder mask, the processabil- ity, setpoints, and robustness—whether it's white, green, HFX, or solder mask for the Ca- dillac and Lexus versus entry-level products— the processing is extremely similar from one product to the next. Starkey: It sounds like a very positive response to a significant market requirement. Thanks for the update on that. Monn: And with COVID-19 and all of us not traveling nearly as much, it's giving us more time to work on some of these projects, get them right, and get the testing done before we introduce them to the marketplace. Starkey: That was actually going to be my next question. It's the "elephant in the room" ques- tion. This coronavirus pandemic continues to affect us all. You've given us a sort of flavor of how Taiyo America is dealing with it. Do you have any further comments? You did say that you were not able to travel as much as you did. Monn: That's a great question. Our sales man- agers and our service group have always been remote. We don't work at the main office. We live where our customer base is and the terri- tory we manage. But when you go to the of- fice, we found that many of the functions done at the facility could be done remotely. Our customer service group now works remotely. They set up offices in their homes and have not missed a beat. They're doing everything they need to do from home, so we've eliminat- ed a lot of headcount in the office. For the people that need to be in the office, all of a sudden, instead of having a small area, it allowed us to double and triple the space be- tween desks, so distancing is much easier in the office. We're doing everything as best we can and staying as healthy as we can. Like ev- erybody, face masks are required in the build- ing. If anyone has to go somewhere where they quarantine for 14 days, we follow the guide- lines the best that we can. Starkey: It's clear that you're taking a very sensi- ble approach to it. In the circumstances, you're certainly doing the best that it is possible to do. Thank you, Don. As ever, it's a great pleasure to talk with you. I hope it's not too long before we get the chance to meet face to face again. Monn: As soon as that works out, we'll get to- gether and talk about it. Starkey: That sounds good to me. Thank you. PCB007 Pete Starkey is technical editor for I-Connect007. Based in the UK, Starkey has more than 40 years experience in PCB manufacturing technology, with a background in process development and technical service. To contact Starkey, click here.