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60 The PCB Magazine • July 2015 "Give the lady what she wants" - Marshall Field (department store founder) In the PCB manufacturing business there are over 70 different processes from start to finish, requiring many different supplies and most are essential to the final product. In addition, the expertise to manage each process requires many and varying levels of skill. This complexity requires regular product training and updating, another opportunity for the distributor and the supplier to offer much needed advice. Walking through a PCB manufacturing company is always interesting. From the engi- neering CAD room to Class 1000 clean rooms to hot and stifling chemical areas, you will see a host of varying activities. There are few busi- nesses in the world that can claim this many different processes and process complexity. It is truly a challenge and everyone needs to chip in to support the supply system. And so it goes, the supply chain ends when the customer opens the package at his receiv- ing door. Will it be a success and will there be peace? The Answer to Supply Chain Management Success And now the moment you've been waiting for: Nothing can replace the personal visit! This means that you must meet with your supply partners eyeball to eyeball. Here is where balance comes back into play, and you may have heard hints of this along the way. How can you really become successful if you don't get to know your business partners, who in time, and if all goes well, may become your business friends? This goes for everyone: the supplier, the distributor, and the customer. I remember a visit to a supplier in China. We drove for three hours to a remote plant—anoth- er mind-bending cultural story for another day. We met with the manufacturing people, saw the product through its processes, and watched the packaging procedures. Prior to leaving, we left a host of ideas, re- quests, and some demands to make sure we received the right product in faraway America. Both sides worked diligently to make it hap- pen. When you meet people in another land and you can't even say hello, but you see the body language and the desire to help, you can't Feature THE KEyS TO SUCCESS FOR SUPPLy CHAIN MANAGEMENT continues Figure 5: Drill and router bits ready for immediate delivery. Figure 6: Precut laminate panels. Figure 7: chemicals ready for immediate delivery.