Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1519075
8 PCB007 MAGAZINE I APRIL 2024 Marcy's Musings by Marcy LaRont, I-CONNECT007 The Growing Industry Aer more than two decades of steady decline in the U.S., the PCB industry is finally growing in the West thanks to the CHIPS and Science Act, DoD funding, and hopefully, the passing of HR 3249, the Printed Circuit Board and Sub- strates Act. e U.S. is now in a race to regain what was lost and then some. But what does "growing" look like for the organizations that have received DoD fund- ing, and for the rest of us? To get a picture of what's happening in the industry today, we start with M&A specialist Tom Kaster and IPC Chief Economist Shawn DuBravac, who kick off this issue by providing expert insights on the state (and sustainability) of industry growth in the U.S., especially as it relates to investment capital and as interest rates remain high. Also in this issue, Alex Stepinski of Smart Factory Design provides hope for continued growth with disruptive news that launching a PCB fab in the U.S.—one that is mil/aero capa- ble—may be far less expensive than we think. (Stay tuned, as this will be discussed in detail in May PCB007.) e voices of our industry can be heard in an interview with Tom Edman of TTM, who discusses TTM's planned UHDI facility expansion in Syracuse, New York; a Q&A with Shane Whiteside of Summit Inter- connect, who shares his thoughts on our grow- ing industry; and an article by Lea Maurel of ICAPE, which provides a thorough overview of the PCB growth landscape. ere are many aspects to growth. So, check out my interview with IPC's lead lobbyist Richard Cappetto, who talks about the increas- ing importance of advocacy in the U.S. eco- nomic environment for the printed circuit board supply chain, take a moment to read Travis Kelly's PCBAA column, "What About the Rest of the Technology Stack?" Learn