Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1532883
MARCH 2025 I SMT007 MAGAZINE 9 is very much worth it. Expect to hear every- thing from global-level economic and stra- tegic updates to practical tips for optimiz- ing your EMS operations. In fact, I encour- age you to review our interview with Chaim Lubin and Jack Calderon of Lincoln Inter- national, who previewed the EMS summit. Click here to register. At the core of the show is standards devel- opment. I've noticed a shi underway in this work. For a long time, standards were some- what backward facing. Product consistency across the industry came from standardiz- ing what the industry knew could be done. Increasingly, however, standards work is turn- ing to the future—to what might be done. CFX and sustainability are just two examples of this new approach to having standards at the ready when the industry arrives at that point. We're once again facing a disequilibrium in the global market that looks to be on a scale similar to (but this time for geopolitical rea- sons) the effects of the pandemic. Nobody really knows how the new equilibrium will settle out, and that adds to the importance of attending conferences and trade shows— not just IPC APEX EXPO, but all the pro- fessional events. You need to be where the experts and the colleagues are, asking ques- tions and listening. I don't mean to fearmon- ger, but if you think you know the current business landscape, it's likely that you don't. If you think your steady customers are safe Nolan Johnson is managing editor of SMT007 Magazine. Nolan brings 30 years of career experience focused almost entirely on electronics design and manufacturing. To contact Johnson, click here. and secure, then you had better be talking to them about how these sea changes are affect- ing their customers and their supply chain. e more you know about the industry as a whole, the better prepared you are to talk with your customers. Also in this issue, IPC CEO and President Dr. John W. Mitchell brings the lights down in the theater with his column, which fades into a spotlight article on the IPC APEX EXPO Technical Conference. omas Marktscheffel and Chris Jorgensen each dis- cuss Factor y of the Future, followed by a preview of the Women in Electronics pro- gram by Alicia Balonek. Columnist Mike Konrad looks at the indus- try forefront, while Tom Yang provides insight on how his company is using a unique "Eaglet" training program to cultivate new talent. We know our industry isn't going away, but we are clearly in an ongoing period of trans- formation. Now is the time for bold curios- ity and thoughtful optimization in your busi- ness strategies. at is what this show—and all the shows, for that matter—are about. See you there. SMT007