Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1545206
26 SMT007 MAGAZINE I JUNE 2026 Back then, all the testers were very slow; they integrated instrumentation into a mainframe to cre- ate a unique instrument. Luciano had clever and innovative ideas to engineer multifunctional auto- matic test equipment, combining all the instrumen- tation: power and digital into one unique tester. After these experiences, he began collaborating with Olivetti in 1976, where he proposed the solu- tion to test their electronics. So, everything started from that moment, and since then, all new devel- opment at SPEA has been fully dedicated to creat- ing electronics that do not fail in the field. That's the purpose of the fully integrated automatic test equipment that he designed at the time. Today, the logic and the purpose are still the same. But of course, the technology is completely different now. When you look back, what core values or com- pany culture features persist? How has Luciano's influence carried through over 50 years? Furnari: This is a very good question because the recipe for the company is meticulous attention to detail. Precision drives everything we do at SPEA. Every feature we develop, and every task our techni- cians perform, is designed with the highest accuracy. This is part of the DNA that comes from Luciano. He continues to play a vital role in the company. He is one of the main designers in our R&D team and the whole department continues to operate on the foundational concepts coming from Luciano. It's not just Luciano who's been with SPEA a long time. With test equipment there seems to be a trend toward loyal, long-term customers, and SPEA shows it as well. What keeps companies with SPEA for so long? Furnari: We still have customers using SPEA equip- ment that is at least 20 to 30 years old. The robust- ness of the tester, and of course, the idea of having a supplier that is very close to them, is something that they really appreciate. That's the main ingredi- ent. We provide our customers with a comprehen- sive range of services that goes beyond standard market offerings. We've opened new offices everywhere, where the customers' facilities are based. Among the others, we have new offices in Thailand and the Philippines. These are not only sales and service representative offices; these are an application de- velopment center, service center, and a sales cen- ter. Now we can provide 360-degree support to the customer. We're doubling office space in China and Singapore, and we opened the Santa Clara, California, office one month ago. Being close to our customers makes working together easier. It helps us provide faster support with expert engi- neers and the spare parts. One of the keys to maximizing uptime for your customers is great local support. Dustin, it's a very competitive market, and maintaining return on in- vestment for your customers is imperative. What's it like taking care of SPEA customers right now? What are the challenges? Dustin Warren: Our customers in aerospace, medi- cal, EV, and other sectors are dealing with really complex assemblies, things that aren't off the shelf. Our DNA in test excellence, which Luciano developed 50 years ago, gives us flexibility and partnership that some companies aren't able to provide their customers. We have cutting-edge, high-precision engineering from Italy, plus 50 years of test excellence. We have a local hands-on approach to problem-solving, which includes all the applications engineering, as well as support for the software and hardware, here in each office. We don't just sell the machine here; we guaran- tee that their proprietary electronics will be defect- free when we're done testing. That's a bridge of trust that we built with our systems, even as we Andrea Furnari