# The Future of the European PCB Industry: Challenges and Opportunities with ILFA CEO Thomas Michels

- Show: [EMS@C-LEVEL](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level)
- Published: 2024-01-12
- Length: 8m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2024-01-12-the-future-of-the-european-pcb-industry-challenges-and-opportunities-with-ilfa-c

## Summary

Thomas Michels, CEO of ILFA and spokesperson for ZVEI Microelectronics, discusses the current state of the European PCB industry, highlighting the divergence between defense/medical sectors shifting to Europe and industrial clients returning to Asia for cost reasons. He emphasizes the need for a level playing field regarding energy costs, noting that European energy prices are three times higher than in America, which disproportionately affects energy-intensive PCB manufacturing. Michels also outlines strategies for overcoming talent shortages through in-house apprenticeship programs and leveraging automation and AI to improve quality and efficiency while reducing human intervention.

## Chapters

- [0:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2024-01-12-the-future-of-the-european-pcb-industry-challenges-and-opportunities-with-ilfa-c#t=8) Introduction: Thomas Michels and ILFA
- [0:36](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2024-01-12-the-future-of-the-european-pcb-industry-challenges-and-opportunities-with-ilfa-c#t=36) European PCB Market Dynamics and Reshoring
- [2:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2024-01-12-the-future-of-the-european-pcb-industry-challenges-and-opportunities-with-ilfa-c#t=138) ZVEI Advocacy and the Microelectronics Ecosystem
- [3:41](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2024-01-12-the-future-of-the-european-pcb-industry-challenges-and-opportunities-with-ilfa-c#t=221) Energy Costs and Government Policy
- [5:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2024-01-12-the-future-of-the-european-pcb-industry-challenges-and-opportunities-with-ilfa-c#t=301) Sustainability Requirements and Green Pass
- [5:56](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2024-01-12-the-future-of-the-european-pcb-industry-challenges-and-opportunities-with-ilfa-c#t=356) Talent Acquisition and Apprenticeship Models
- [7:12](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2024-01-12-the-future-of-the-european-pcb-industry-challenges-and-opportunities-with-ilfa-c#t=432) Automation, AI, and Digital Transformation

## Topics

- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Policy, trade & tariffs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/policy-trade-and-tariffs)
- [Sustainability & circular products](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sustainability-and-circularity)
- [Hiring & workforce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/hiring-and-workforce)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- ILFA (company)
- ZVEI Microelectronics (company)
- BoldMove (company)
- Productronica 2023 (other)
- Adeon technologies (company)
- Koh Young (company)
- Global Electronics Association (company)
- Green Pass (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [The Future of PCB Manufacturing: Tariffs, Supply Chains & More](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-04-18-the-future-of-pcb-manufacturing-tariffs-supply-chains-more) (OnTrack)
- [Inside PCBAA's Fight for American Circuit Board Manufacturing](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-07-30-inside-pcbaas-fight-for-american-circuit-board-manufacturing) (OnTrack)
- [An Interview with Laen - Purple PCB Philosophy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-06-12-an-interview-with-laen-purple-pcb-philosophy) (The Amp Hour)
- [Why Reshoring Electronics to the US is Harder Than You Think](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-01-29-why-reshoring-electronics-to-the-us-is-harder-than-you-think) (OnTrack)
- [Beware of the Overachievers](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2025-08-07-beware-of-the-overachievers) (The Amp Hour)

## Citing this page

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