Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1507822
66 PCB007 MAGAZINE I SEPTEMBER 2023 Is there new technology in your equipment compared to that older equipment? Well, yes and no. As I said, the process is quite mature. Nowadays, we are fine tuning, opti- mizing, and automating as much as we can, trying to reduce the time required at the machine, which is already very low. Of course, the 20-year-old system was somewhat differ- ent. We've learned a lot over 45 years of opera- tion, which we have integrated into the newer systems. Where are you finding traction regarding bringing your system into a facility? Are they greenfield facilities? Is there a definite trend that you can identify? Most of the discussions we're having with cus- tomers are still existing plants. It's a matter of timing and external factors. But the active proj- ects are almost 50/50 these past two years— there are quite a few greenfield projects at the moment. It's a definite trend the last two to four years. Greenfield projects, especially, seem to be paying attention to zero waste, closed loop systems; it seems to be a priority for them. There are a lot more brownfield sites that could be improving their zero-waste response, whereas there are fewer greenfield sites. If you're 50/50 with greenfield sites, that implies that the greenfield priority is for zero waste. Absolutely, the big ones are greenfields. From our perspective, it's a very interesting time and a good time to be in the business. What's your business presence in North America with respect to sales and support? Sigma is based in Sweden, but we're work- ing in the U.S. several times a year. We part- ner with IEC (International Electronic Com- ponents) to be our extended arm into the U.S. We have a lot of traction in Europe, but for the U.S. customers, to be in the correct time zone is very important, of course. I think we have a very good relationship with IEC, and that is a key advantage. What could a brownfield customer expect to see for an ROI with this equipment? It very much depends on the size of the plant. Historically, we've always been able to reach ROI around the two-year mark. Obviously, if you're a very small prototype shop, it could be harder. If you're a very big plant, your results could be quite less than two years. As I said, we have equipment still in operation aer 20 year s, so even if ROI takes three years, you still have 15+ years of g a i n b e c a u s e y o u 'r e selling pure copper and getting both sav- ings and revenue. Final thoughts, Andreas? ere are exciting times ahead. Even though the greenfield sites are on the rise, there are a lot of brownfield projects that could be realized and, I think, subsidized. ere are benefits to be gained quality- and cost-wise by investing. Fabricators can reach out and have us look at their numbers to see whether it makes sense for them to invest as well. We're always interested to help with an evaluation. Thank you. ank you, I'm always happy to talk. PCB007 From our perspective, it's a very interesting time and a good time to be in the business.