Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/721932
108 SMT Magazine • September 2016 by Stephen Las Marias I-CONNECT007 Philippine-based Ionics EMS Inc. is the first locally owned electronics manufacturing servic- es (EMS) company in the Philippines. Founded by Larry Qua, currently the chairman and CEO of Ionics EMS and Ionics Group of Companies, the company has been around for 42 years. It started with semiconductor manufacturing ser- vices, and transitioned to EMS after less than eight years. In an interview with SMT Magazine, Dr. Jay Sabido, president and COO of Ionics EMS Inc., discusses a wide range of topics, including In- dustry 4.0, automation, the challenges in elec- tronics manufacturing, and the Philippine land- scape. We also examine the challenges in the military and aerospace industry, including lead- free, counterfeit components, and traceability. Stephen Las Marias: For anyone who's not famil- iar with your company, please give us a quick back- ground. Dr. Jay Sabido: Aside from being the first local SMS—and then EMS—company in the coun- try, there's actually a series of firsts for Ionics. From the first PCBAs to large-area LCDs when it still wasn't fashionable to have laptop or tab- lets, Ionics has been actually producing them already way back since 1982. We are also the first EMS company to be listed in the Philippine Stock Exchange, and be dual-listed in the Singa- pore Stock Exchange. In a nutshell, that's really what Ionics is all about. It's a full, end-to-end EMS company; we offer everything from design services, to NPI, and even prototyping. Design services cover in- dustrial design, electronic design, and embed- ded software. We provide complete traditional electronics manufacturing services, drop-ship- ping and delivery. We deliver to 162 countries and counting. Las Marias: What is your company's "sweet spot"? Dr. Sabido: We're really big on advanced man- ufacturing technologies. That's what makes us Ionics Talks Industry 4.0, Mil/Aero Opportunities, and Supply Chain FEATURE INTERVIEW Dr. Jay Sabido