Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1544707
N O L A N 'S N OT ES 6 SMT007 MAGAZINE I APRIL 2026 I n this issue of SMT007 Magazine, we wrap up our electronics world tour with a final stop in the United States and Canada, where we look at the challenges, opportunities, and geopolitical dynamics affecting the market today. What makes American electronics unique? "You can always count on the Americans to do the right thing, after they have exhausted all other possibilities," said Winston Churchill (or at least it's been attributed to him). Benjamin Franklin, pub- lisher, inventor, and a Founding Father, said he in- vented so many things to make life easier because he was "industriously lazy." As an American, I see how these observations describe our "do more with less" culture. You can count on us to try all the "industriously lazy" options before we do the often much harder, but proper, right thing. Which could explain so much about current American politics, but that's a discussion for another day. Still, key U.S. administration policy decisions, like tariffs, are significantly affecting electronics manufacturing. Others, such as the current conflict with Iran and BY N O L A N J O H N S O N , I - C O N N ECT 0 07 Our Spotlight on North America