Dieter Weiss and Eric Miscoll Explore Talent, M&A, Closures and legislation on EMS@C-Level

EMS@C-LEVEL · 22 Aug 2023 · 16m

What this episode covers

Eric Miscoll of EMSNOW and Dieter Weiss of in4ma discuss findings from their third industry tour, highlighting severe talent shortages and the shift toward adaptable automation and co-bots in European EMS. They analyze recent M&A activity, noting that smaller companies are closing or being acquired due to high capital costs, while larger EMS providers gain market share. The conversation emphasizes the strategic importance of PCB fabrication, with Europe holding only 1.9% of global production despite 20% of demand, and critiques the CHIPS Act for focusing on chips rather than the full vertical supply chain.

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • The Amp Hour · 58m

    Return of the Trade Show Jedi

    Dave Jones of EEVBlog discusses the return to electronics trade shows, highlighting the surge in manufacturing equipment and the importance of automated test jigs for production quality. Paul Gammell covers Ant Micro's open-source Snapdragon 845 baseboard design in KiCad, the critical shortage of engineers in Australia, and Mercedes' new legal liability for its Drive Pilot system. The hosts also touch on AgTech challenges and the potential of Thread protocol for Bluetooth sensors.

  • OnTrack · 38m

    PCB Industry Evolution: From Mom & Pop Shops to Consolidation

    Dan Beaulieu, founder and president of DB Management Group, discusses the consolidation of the North American PCB manufacturing industry, noting a drop from 1,300 shops in 2005 to roughly 130 today, with 90 under $5 million in revenue. He highlights the rise of substrate fabrication as a key growth area, citing RemTech and Brian Bullier, and explores the potential for captive manufacturing models similar to those seen with Elon Musk’s Texas facility. Beaulieu also emphasizes that superior customer service and meaningful training are critical differentiators for surviving small shops in a consolidating market.

  • The Amp Hour · 1h 06m

    Trade Show or Conference?

    Chris Gammell of Golioth returns from Embedded World and discusses the state of electronics trade shows, contrasting the engineer-focused Embedded World with the sales-heavy Electronica and the high-speed PCB focus of DesignCon. Dave Jones and Gammell debate the viability of organizing industry events, the decline of US-based conferences, and the enduring value of physical browsing compared to webinars. They also cover the Raspberry Pi Pico W's programmable I/O features, the impact of component shortages on brand loyalty, and the closure of Zachtronics.

  • Manufacturing Happy Hour · 2h 17m

    BONUS: IMTS 2024 Preview with MakingChips, Peter Eelman, and More

    Chris Luecke hosts a roundtable with MakingChips hosts Nick Golner and Jason Zanger, AMT’s Peter Eelman, and other manufacturing leaders to preview IMTS 2024. The group discusses the show's evolution from machine tools to automation and AI, the critical need for AI in preventative maintenance, and the shift toward additive manufacturing for complex geometries. They also address the industry's workforce crisis, highlighting how M&A and new technologies are helping shops scale and attract younger talent.

  • The Amp Hour · 1h 23m

    Part Choice Triathlon

    Chris Gammell and Dave Jones discuss the operational challenges of managing large makerspaces, such as the Case Western Reserve University innovation center, focusing on the need for active staffing and mentorship to prevent resource abuse. They analyze the consolidation of the semiconductor industry, specifically the bidding war for Maxim Integrated by Texas Instruments and Analog Devices, and the implications for component sourcing. The conversation also covers the controversy surrounding Siglent's enforcement of pricing policies on eBay and the technical details of the OSHchip, a DIP-packaged Bluetooth module by Philip Freidin.

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by EMS@C-LEVEL. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.