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18 I-CONNECT007 I REAL TIME WITH... IPC APEX EXPO 2024 SHOW & TELL MAGAZINE Schmoll America, Kurt Palmer and Thomas Kunz Schmoll's Strategic Market Realignment Thomas Kunz of Schmoll Maschinen GmbH, maker of equipment designed to improve registration and alignment, sits with Kurt Palmer of newly formed Schmoll America to discuss the strategic changes and developments at Schmoll and their amicable departure from Burkle NA. Designed and implemented to better support customers in the growing North American market, these strategic changes serve to fill a support gap and establish a balanced worldwide presence. Koh Young, Joel Scutchfield Operational Excellence and Smart Factory Initiative Operational excellence and operational efficiency are defined in this interview with Koh Young General Manager Joel Scutchfield. He touches on automation, AI, and collaboration as solutions to resource limitations. The discussion under- scores the shift toward smart factory initiatives and the future of manufacturing. Omron, Nick Fieldhouse AI Implementation at Omron In this discussion, the company's focus on AI implemen- tation to enhance customer experience and results is explored. Of note are the programming challenges and how AI can help customers achieve better outcomes with less experience. Omron's AI is compatible with existing systems, facilitating easy upgrades.