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18 PCB007 MAGAZINE I NOVEMBER 2025 I N T E RV I E W by M a rcy La Ro nt , I - C o n n e ct 0 07 Summit Interconnect's Leadership in the 'Silicon Prairie' S ummit Interconnect is one of the two largest PCB fabricators in the United States. I had the oppor- tunity to sit down with Deepak Makwana, general manager of Summit's Chicago plant, Business De- velopment Manager Tom Veitch, and Vice Presi- dent of Technology Gerry Partida to learn about their Schaumberg, Illinois (Summit Chicago) facil- ity and the evolution of PCB manufacturing in the Midwest. They highlight not only Summit's compre- hensive solutions with the capabilities and capacity brought by the Chicago facility, but the remarkable transition in Chicago and the Midwest from conven- tional manufacturing and the Rust Belt to becoming the "Silicon Prairie." Good morning, gentlemen. Let's start with some background and history around manufacturing in the Midwest. While there has been a significant amount of PCB fabrication in Chicago for some time, it has sometimes been characterized as less sophisticated manufacturing. Tom Veitch: Yes, I grew up in the Midwest, and the whole tradition of Midwest manu- facturing was rooted in heavy machinery—auto- motive and steel-related industries. The Midwest has long been defined by its manufacturing tradition. Historically, the region was rooted in heavy machinery, automotive, and steel industries—at one point accounting for approximately one-third of all manufacturing jobs in the United States. The tech- nology of that era primarily supported lower-tech industries, while higher-tech work was concen- trated on the East and West coasts. As globaliza- tion accelerated and costs rose, many manufactur- ing jobs left the U.S., giving rise to the "Rust Belt" label. This shift forced the Midwest manufacturing paradigm to evolve.