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52 SMT007 MAGAZINE I FEBRUARY 2021 Feature Interview by Nolan Johnson I-CONNECT007 Brian Knier, IPC vice president of market- ing, sales and membership, took time out from preparing for IPC APEX EXPO to discuss the value of becoming an IPC member. IPC recently announced changes to the member- ship pricing structure, which made this con- versation quite timely. Nolan Johnson: Why become a member? Brian Knier: IPC is a member-driven organi- zation going back to our beginning in 1957. We currently ser ve more t h a n 3 , 0 0 0 m e m b e r companies worldwide representing the entire electronics manufac- tur ing supply chain. Our mission is dedi- cated to furthering the competitive excellence and financial success of our members. Mem- bership dues also support the work IPC pur- sues on behalf of its members and the industry. As an IPC member, companies receive numerous benefits and savings on IPC prod- ucts and services. But, more importantly, an IPC membership helps companies manufac- ture their products at the highest level of qual- ity and have a noticeable impact on their bot- tom line. In fact, 72% of current members say IPC has increased their quality, and 60% of companies who use IPC products and services estimate that they've experienced an annual economic impact of savings from tens to hun- dreds of thousands of dollars. * We updated our membership structure in 2021 to a company-based model. Member dues are now based on annual company revenue or type of organization. e new structure pro- vides a single dues payment to cover all loca- tions and employees. Johnson: What are some of the key benefits of membership? Knier: Key member benefits include: • Complimentary copies of all new and updated versions of IPC standards within 90 days of release • Discounts on products and services including IPC standards, education, training, events, certification, industry intelligence, and sponsorships • Access to hundreds of technical papers, industry reports and documents, and webinars via the IPC website • A complimentary listing on IPC Global Marketplace to advertise your business IPC also has an affiliation with the Wiring Harness Manufacturers Association (WHMA) and companies receive membership to both associations with their dues payment. Visit ipc. org/membership for more information on IPC member benefits. Johnson: How does being a member help the industry? Knier: Membership dues help support strategic activities IPC pursues on behalf of our mem- bers and the industry. e IPC Board of Direc- tors and strategic committees, comprised of industry supply chain executives and represen- tatives, identify important issues to advance Membership Benefits Brian Knier