Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/712650
August 2016 • The PCB Magazine 21 ables are priced as commodities, margins are narrow and high yields are mandatory. And automation is rapidly soaking up the routine and repetitive job functions in the fabrication process. I admire, but do not envy, the techni- cal managers and process engineers of today's industry and the burdens of responsibility they have to carry. It's nice to be on the outside looking in and having privileged access to conferences and ex- hibitions, with the opportunity to observe and understand how the technology continues to advance, and to have the experience to be able to write reviews that deliver the essence of an event to those not able to attend, while com- fortable in the knowledge that the fortunes of a company and the livelihoods and welfare of its employees do not hinge upon my day-to-day technical and managerial decisions. Instead, I can devote my attentions to matters no more serious than choosing which brand of cat food to purchase. John Talbot President TRAMONTO CIRCUITS, USA What I really like about the industry/ my company is... …that customers are continually challeng- ing us, in the industry and in my specific com- pany! They come to us with tougher design/ assembly issues every day. We love that type of customer. Their job isn't easy and they are grateful to work with a supplier who doesn't mind them making our job tough as well. I've been in this industry for nearly four de- cades and it's currently the hardest it has ever been to compete in. But it is also the most grati- fying time to succeed in. My favorite tip or trick to share is... …to listen. To your customers. To your em- ployees. To your vendors. To the FedEx guy. Lis- ten to everybody that is willing to talk with you about your company. Irene Tso Technical Service Engineer TAIWAN UNION TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION, TAIWAN What I really like about my company is... …its resilience and flexibility to be able to cater to the ever-evolving needs of our PCB market. Being a PCB laminate material sup- plier in Asia (Taiwan), I have seen our product mix evolve from the typical cookie-cutter FR-4 standard to current high-performance materials with low Dk/Df properties, improved thermal properties, and reliability in a span of 10 years. With many material suppliers out there who are almost trusted institutions, to be able to be almost at par with these international brand names in terms of PCB fabs and OEMs serviced is indeed a giant leap. It feels like a David and Goliath thing—big fish and small fish. The company does not skimp on training nor hiring the right people to enrich its technical aspects. Also, improvements in laboratory equipment and production equipment is always a never- ending task. With a customer-oriented attitude and the passion to move forward, I think our company has a bright future ahead. Voices from the China PCB World A PCB equipment manufacturing marketing manager: In Dr. Hayao Nakahara's 2015 NTI-100 list of the world's largest PCB fabricators, domestic Chinese companies' numbers—already 33% of the list—rose from 29 to 34. The total operat- ing income of these domestic Chinese compa- nies has grown by 7.29%, making them a global leader. But none of the mainland companies has a turnover of more than US$1 billon, and that revenue only accounts for 16.2% of the NTI-100. The domestic Chinese PCB fabrica- tors accounted for more than 70% of the sin- X X X VOICES OF THE INDUSTRY