Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1538540
42 PCB007 MAGAZINE I AUGUST 2025 ing to join this team, in a circuit board shop. That's not what you hear in the industry. Jessi, any surprises for you? Hall: One surprise was when we opened our first chemical engineering position, we had to close it five days in because we had so many applications. I've also been surprised at the indus- try's interest in this project. It's been fun to see everyone learn and how much everyone has grown in their understanding and discipline. Any lessons that you'd like to share? Hall: I've definitely seen how important relationships are inside and outside the company. We've done a pretty darn good job with that, but we can always be bet- ter. I've also learned how impor- tant is to have a good fit for both our suppliers and our employees. This isn't something that every- one loves to do, so ensuring that people understand what they're getting into and that they're excited about it is very important. Overall, it's been awesome. John, what keeps you up at night? Hendrickson: That's a good question, but honestly, not much anymore. I sleep pretty well. The biggest hurdles are behind us. Our teams understand their pro- cesses, and the factory runs far more repeatably. Early on, we saw a lot of day-to-day vari- ability; now, consistency is the norm. The challenge is scaling and keeping everyone focused on the projects that drive output and improve quality. Have you set up formal training programs for the team? Hendrickson: Absolutely. Every new hire goes through our new employee orientation to learn about SEL and our systems. After that, all floor personnel and engi- neers complete IPC-600 training, plus area-specific instruction. We also maintain an onsite HazMat response team—staff on every shift are qualified to handle spills or other incidents themselves. Any final thoughts? Hendrickson: We wouldn't be here without the tenacity of our team fighting through challenges and getting past those challenges, not letting those things get them down, because on some days, producing circuit boards can be rough, and bringing up a brand new factory is even rougher—especially doing it the first time and trying to make it very robust. I can't say enough about how much the team has put into making this real. Hall: I would also add the awe- some support from our supplier partners. That's been huge. When you say team, it is clear that it includes the suppliers. Thank you both very much. It's been wonderful. Hall: Thank you. Hendrickson: Thank you, Barry. PCB007 I P S b u i l t t h i s 8 1 - f o o t f u l l y i n l i n e E N I G s y s t e m o n a r a i s e d p l a t f o r m f o r S E L . ▼