Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1392944
JULY 2021 I PCB007 MAGAZINE 77 Kelly: Well, there are already relationships. As you know, Isola has been around for 100+ years, and one thing I've learned over the last several years, it's a small industry relative to a subset of people that have worked together for a long time. Most of the connections and rela- tionships are already in existence, and that al- lows us to have a good understanding of what those requirements are today and what they will be in the future. Matties: What advice would you give a fabri- cator who must manage the material maze out there? Kelly: ere is a lot of volatility, especial- ly around the continuity of the supply chain, regardless of what country you're located in. ere's also inflation that we're all experienc- ing. Isola is always trying to figure out where we can improve our processes to reduce some of that uncertainty. en there are other things that we don't control, such as the Suez Ca- nal and container shortages. You just have to be flexible and focus on what you can control. And the items you don't control, try to develop contingency plans to the extent possible. Matties: I would think that the greater visibility a fabricator can give to Isola and your sales or- ganization, the better able you are at satisfying their need. e more lead time that they can give you, the better off they will be; we're liv- ing in a quick-turn environment and every day is critical. Kelly: Every day, every hour, is critical. Visi- bility is the key to success, but we don't some- times live in a world that's structured that way. With the chip shortage, automotive shutting down their plants, and taking potentially lon- ger summer shutdowns, a lot of this infor- mation is truly hand to mouth. Yes, visibility would be great; if we could get 30, 60, 90 days visibility, then that would be very helpful. I'm just not sure right now that that would be real- istic for a lot of our customers. Matties: anks for making time for this in- terview and congratulations on coming up on three years, that's great. Kelly: ank you. PCB007 Travis Kelly is president and CEO of Isola Group. Looking to make a job change, earn more money, or relocate? JobConnect007 is a fast-growing resource for industry professionals seeking new opportunities. Companies with names you will recognize are looking for you! Looking for talent? I-Connect007's Career Oppor- tunities section is also great place to find industry- experienced talent for your organization. D o w n l o a d t h i s m o n t h ' s e d i t i o n o f t h e jobConnect007 Career Guide which has all our current listings in one spot for handy reference and for sharing with your industry colleagues. Hire or Be Hired at jobCONNECT007