Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/564614
30 SMT Magazine • September 2015 interview I-Connect007's Barry Matties speaks with Pratish Patel of Electronic Interconnect about the new strategies and capabilities the company is building. The conversation also covers Elec- tronic Interconnect's move into the automotive industry and how strategies for buyers could help to lower cost and improve quality. Barry Matties: why don't you begin by telling me a little bit about your company, and what you do? Pratish Patel: We are a U.S.-based domestic PCB manufacturer—that's our core business. The major- ity of the business comes from thermal manage- ment within the circuit board fabrication with materials and things like that. We have been in business for the last 30 years—established in 1985. In 1995, we took separate relocations, and this year, we are plan- ning to move to another location. So we have been expanding for 30 years. Matties: is the expansion based on the need for a larger manufacturing area? Patel: No, the purpose of the expansion is primarily for capabilities, not capacity; on the capacity part of it, Asia has already taken care of everything. What we need in the U.S. right now is high-mix, low-volume in the high end of the technology, where we can meet the au- tomotive and avionic needs, as well as a lot of the defense needs. It is going to require a little bit more technology work here and then that's all going to be in the U.S. We see that. So we're expanding just for the capabilities right now. Big strategies for success