Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1361971
APRIL 2021 I PCB007 MAGAZINE 9 In other words, you may be the premiere fabricator for, say, high-density circuit fabri- cation on very thin membrane substrates, but accepting other jobs as the "Plan B" choice for as many OEMs as possible will keep the workflow steady. is is how you become a contributor to the resilience of the supply chain. It all comes down to excellence. Backman had an overall mastery of his game and cra; yours really isn't any different. It didn't mat- ter what the manager asked Wally to do on the field, he'd say yes and then deliver the goods. He earned himself a World Series ring with this skillset, don't forget. Seems a wise business strategy to me. In this issue, and as a part of our ongoing se- ries on continuous improvement (X = X c – 1) we look at manufacturing excellence—from process engineering benchmarking and pro- cess life cycles, to reinvigorating your manu- factur ing infrastr ucture and strategies for selling your manufacturing capabilities. is issue touches on each of these keys to becom- ing better at all that your firm does well. Not to be left out, of course, are our five expert columnists this month. Nor do we wish to leave out your stories. We're always on the lookout for continuous improvement case studies and real-world suc- cesses. Contact us and share your continuous improvement tale. PCB007 References 1. "Wally Backman," baseball-reference.com 2. "Wally Backman," Wikipedia. hated if he was on the opposition. His uni- form was constantly dirty, and he was contin- uously jockeying the opposition and trying to find ways to get on base." [1] His Major League career can be summed up in his first appearance, "Starting at second base against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Sta- dium on September 2, 1980, Backman got a sin- gle in his first at-bat, driving in Claudell Wash- ington for his first Major League run batted in." While he was most dangerous as a defensive infielder, you could ask Wally Backman to do most anything for the team, and he would." [2] Wally Backman is a metaphor for succeed- ing in our current supply chain. Do something unique very well but be adaptable. His team- mate, Dwight Gooden, a pitcher, was extreme- ly valuable as long as he could throw effec- tively. But did he have value beyond his own specialty? e team wasn't going to put Gooden in the outfield, for example. Backman? Well, he could be useful almost anywhere. e supply chain is complex; we all know this to be true. Our global supply chains (all of them) are facing the simultaneous challenges to increase efficiencies (which usually means consolidation tactics) while also increasing re- silience (which oen requires diversification). Political nationalism aside for the moment, it is true that multiple sources with shorter distri- bution channels can make for a more reliable supplier network. But doesn't that also throt- tle businesses from growing? Aer all, we're talking about throttling the market share for any one company in the space by sheer dint of having so many competitors in the space. Going back to my baseball analogy, in terms of the supply chain, be the supplier who: • Knows their niche and dominates that specialty • Is flexible enough to accept a wider range of work than before • Builds extra capabilities to create new markets for your factory • Pursues excellence in your manufacturing processes Nolan Johnson is managing editor of PCB007 Magazine. Nolan brings 30 years of career experience focused almost entirely on electronics design and manufacturing. To contact Johnson, click here.