Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1443477
34 PCB007 MAGAZINE I JANUARY 2022 they want to develop. Hard to say if it will be successful, but there does seem to be a trend in Europe that using electronics will continue to grow. As well, there is some tendency not to buy from China. is is my view of the market. We are feeling positive, if not yet wholly opti- mistic, and I think this trend will continue for some years. I think we will see that in the United States as well. e U.S. is generally a little late in some cases, but when you want to do something, you do it. From what I'm reading, this story of rein- dustrialization of electronics in the U.S., Can- ada, perhaps Mexico, will happen also. Hav- ing been in the industry for so long, I'm always saying I will be the guy who turns off the lights; I will be the last one of my generation. Now that there's a new generation, I say, "No, you have to continue because this will be a grow- ing business." Johnson: Looking forward to the next five years or so, on a technical level, how do you see the market in Europe changing? Kahn: In my opinion, the big problem with PCBs was about money. is company was not profitable or had poor profitability, so it didn't have confidence from the bankers and there was no money. In this market, the prob- lem is the equipment and the people, but let's start with the equipment. Europe has been late in having the most high-tech product. As an example, let me use a company we bought this year, Adeon, which is a distributor of equip- ment like CIMS, ATG, and DIS. You can go on the site and you will see what companies are presenting. Two years ago, I said, "Look, if the market is going to be bet- ter in Europe, they have to invest because the machines may not be obsolete, but they are old. Now we see that this division is doing well because they are buying new, high-tech machines. at equipment will allow us to do high-tech product because whatever happens, volume PCBs and low-tech products will never be made in Europe. It's finished. When you speak about the future of PCBs, you have two important markets. e future is substrates. You have AT&S, which is invest- ing in both substrates and some in flexible lam- inates. Companies are using flexible PCBs for aero or other special products, such as military. A lot of startup companies are developing new product using printed electronics.