IPC International Community magazine an association member publication
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26 I-CONNECT007 MAGAZINE I FEBRUARY 2026 Some Amusing Stories from APEX EXPO O nce again, it's time for APEX EXPO, a chance to see what's new in the indus- try, meet and speak with old friends and colleagues you haven't seen in a while, and have face-to-face meetings with your suppliers. This last point is especially important for capital equipment suppliers like us, where months or even years might go by without physical contact. So often, contact is just phone calls and emails, and some- times not even those. Even if you are not planning on a new capital equipment purchase soon, it doesn't hurt to drop by a supplier's booth just to say hello and maintain contact. I can tell you from personal experience that it's more than welcome, especially toward the end of the show. Now, let's get to my favorite APEX EXPO pas- time: reminiscing about shows past, because old guys like me are allowed (or even required) to do this. My Legs Were Killing Me I have been to over 40 iterations of APEX EXPO organized by the Global Electronics Association and its predecessors. While there have been some changes, things really haven't changed much since my first show in 1976, the National Electronics Packaging Conference, later known as NEPCON. Over the years, my attitude toward attending the show has evolved. The first few shows, for exam- ple, were viewed with excitement and anticipa- tion. You were in the spotlight as an expert; people came to you with their difficult questions, and you got to impress them with your wisdom. You had a special exhibitor badge that allowed you into the exhibit hall two days before the show to set up your booth displays, finishing just hours before the doors opened to the influx of potential customers. This was heady stuff for a young and naïve process engineer, but it didn't take too long to T H E C H E M I CA L C O N N ECT I O N FEATURE COLUMN BY DON BALL , CHEMCUT Earlier iterations of the exposition and conference.