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30 SMT007 MAGAZINE I SEPTEMBER 2026 and knowledge likely developed elsewhere. Global manufacturing is present in the machines we operate, the products we build, and the markets we serve. This column, Bridging the Pacific, will examine that reality from the factory floor and engineering office. I will discuss global manufacturing from the perspective of someone who has spent his career building a company, solving production problems, working with international customers, and learning that trust is required for two companies to become true partners. The True Meaning of Global Manufacturing There is an important distinction between buying internationally and manufacturing globally. Buying internationally can be a transaction: A customer sends a drawing, receives a quotation, places an order, and waits for delivery. Global manufacturing requires engineering cooperation, shared quality expectations, clear communication, cultural under- standing, technical transparency, and a commit- ment to solving problems together. A PCB demonstrates this clearly. The product may be designed in North America, but the lami- nate may come from Japan, and the fabrication equipment may include technology developed in Europe, the United States, China, and other parts of Asia. The board may be manufactured in Thailand or China and assembled closer to the customer's final market. The finished product is not the achievement of one country. It is the result of a connected manu- facturing system in which every participant must perform well. The Importance of Domestic Manufacturing Global and domestic manufacturing should not be treated as competitors. A resilient electronics industry needs both. North American manufacturers provide proximity, specialized capabilities, quick-turn support, and close customer contact. International partners provide capacity, scalability, complemen- tary technologies, supply-chain alternatives, and access to established manufacturing ecosystems. The strongest strategy combines these advantages according to the needs of each program. During my career, I have seen international coop- eration deliver results that would have been diffi- cult for a single company to achieve alone: An engi- neer in one country identified a design concern, elsewhere a manufacturing team recommended a change based on their production experience, and a material supplier contributed data that helped everyone understand the issue. The result was a more reliable product because several organiza- tions shared their knowledge. This is productive globalization. It is not anony- mous purchasing from a distant factory, but a coor- dinated problem-solving among people who may speak different languages but understand the same technical requirements. Technical Work Creates a Common Language A microsection, test result, process capability study, or failure analysis does not depend on nation- ality. The data supports the conclusion, or it does not. Customers must be able to understand how their products are manufactured, how quality is measured, and how problems are corrected. A supplier should never expect trust simply because it has a modern factory, impressive equip- ment, or numerous certifications. Those qualifica- tions are important, but they are the beginning of trust, not the end. I've learned from experience that trust grows when a supplier communicates honestly, protects the customer's interests, meets its commitments, and responds responsibly when something goes wrong. Every manufacturer eventually faces a difficult issue, from changing materials to a design that reaches the edge of process capability. Other issues I've seen include rising demand, geopolitical uncer- tainty, health emergencies, and transportation disrup- tions. How does a responsible partner react to these situations? They should report situations quickly, explain them clearly, present practical options, and remain involved until the problem is resolved. Customers do not expect perfection as much as they need honesty, competence, and account- ability. They want a manufacturing partner that tells them the truth early enough for the information to be useful. B R I D G I N G T H E PAC I F I C