Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1443477
16 PCB007 MAGAZINE I JANUARY 2022 As the president and CEO of a global trade association, I pay close attention to how the electronics manufacturing industry is far- ing throughout the world. I recently spoke to Sanjay Huprikar, president, IPC Europe and South Asia operations, and Matt Kelly, IPC chief technologist, about the European manu- facturing industry. John Mitchell: What can you tell me about tech- nological advances in Europe? Sanjay Huprikar: ere is a strong appetite in Europe to take the technical lead on the transi- tion to a digital factory. ey are clearly taking ownership of the move toward the "factory of the future" and have an earnest desire to be first. Europe—Taking the Technical Lead on Transition to the Digital Factory Matt Kelly: I certainly agree about ownership. ere is a synergy between European compa- nies, the industry, and the government. e EU regularly solicits participation from the industry and asks for expert advice. By cre- ating the policies driven by the industry, it ensures that the government/industry link is quite strong. e idea is that as technology advances—as with the notion of the smart fac- tory—the need to do things better and more efficiently helps their companies be more competitive. Europe is strongly committed to the envi- ronment and has an active interest in sustain- ability. ese are tough issues, they are daunt- ing and challenging to solve, and sustainability is at the top of the list. One World, One Industry Feature Column by Dr. John Mitchell, IPC PRESIDENT AND CEO