Hardware Podcasts

Unlocking Tunisia's Potential in the EMS Industry: On Tour with EMSNOW & in4ma

EMS@C-LEVEL · 12 Jun 2024 · 48m

What this episode covers

Dieter Weiss of in4ma and Eric Miscoll of EMSNOW report on their tour of Tunisia's electronics manufacturing sector, visiting companies like Zollner, TIS (part of ALL Circuits), and La Pratique Electronique. They highlight Tunisia's unique export-only business model, which leverages tax-free import/export zones, and discuss the industry's heavy reliance on automotive and communication equipment. The hosts analyze the competitive advantages of low labor costs and a highly skilled, underemployed engineering talent pool, positioning Tunisia as a viable alternative to Eastern Europe and the Far East for European manufacturing.

Most relevant to

companies scaling up

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Zollner, TIS, ALL Circuits, La Pratique Electronique, emkaMED, OneTech, Valeo, Sagemcom, TUNELEC, IPC, Cogiscan, Koh Young, Global Electronics Association
Tools
Micronic

Related episodes from other shows

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • The Hardware Entrepreneur · 24m

    #055 - Why hardware startup ecosystem in Lebanon is becoming interesting, with Raja Younes of Startupsfund, Futuris Technologies, Lebanon

    Raja Younes of Startupsfund and Futuris Technologies explains why Lebanon is becoming an attractive hub for hardware startups and engineering talent. He highlights the country's high education rankings, government incentives like tax exemptions, and the cost advantage of Lebanese engineers compared to Europe and Asia. Younes details his initiatives to bridge the gap between local talent and global market needs, citing success stories like Tony Fadell and companies like IPG Photonics and Nixon establishing operations in Beirut.

    Hiring & workforceDirect-to-consumer & e-commerce
    7 chapters

  • The Amp Hour · 1h 02m

    Solar Cells, SparkFun, TSMC - The Detroit Debunking

    Chris Gammell and Dave Jones discuss SparkFun's new 'pick and place grab bag' program, which sells rejected components from automated assembly lines for $10, noting the trade-off between cost and the time required to sort and test them. They analyze TSMC's announcement of a $500M solar cell manufacturing plant in Mississippi, debating whether low US labor costs and local incentives create a viable inflection point for reshoring manufacturing compared to China. The hosts also critique IEEE's membership fee structure for unemployed engineers, the reliability issues of Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs), and the growing problem of electronic waste recycling overseas.

    Sourcing & supply chainSustainability & circular products
    8 chapters

  • The Manufacturing Executive · 30m

    What the U.S. Can Learn From the German Manufacturing Model w/ Jon DeSouza

    Jon DeSouza, President and CEO of HARTING Americas, explains how German manufacturers like HARTING remained competitive by keeping production local and embracing deep automation, contrasting this with the US trend of offshoring. He details HARTING's 'in the region for the region' strategy, which uses standardized, automated factories to ensure consistent quality and reduce carbon footprints across the Americas, Europe, and Asia. DeSouza also discusses the shift toward modular, configurable products that enable on-demand manufacturing and the critical infrastructure challenges facing the transition to an all-electric society.

    Scaling productionManufacturing partners & offshoring
    6 chapters

  • Manufacturing Happy Hour · 56m

    302: Philly's Answer to the Talent Shortage (LIVE in King of Prussia, PA)

    Ashley Watkins of JBM Technologies, Brett Lister of B&B Dynamic Machining (Open Tolerance), and Matt Bruner of American Precision Works discuss the collaborative Philadelphia manufacturing ecosystem, highlighting how sharing equipment and knowledge counters overseas competition. Gregory Thomson and Hannah McGarry detail workforce development strategies, including a skilled trades program within Philadelphia Youth Basketball and defense industry outreach via buildsubmarines.com, to address the talent shortage. The panelists emphasize that hiring from diverse, non-traditional talent pools provides a competitive advantage, with Matt Bruner noting that diverse hiring increases spindle utilization and operational efficiency.

    Hiring & workforceManufacturing partners & offshoring
    6 chapters

  • Embedded.fm · 1h 17m

    140: Physics Is the Same Everywhere

    Andrew 'Bunnie' Huang, creator of the Novena open source laptop and author of Hacking the Xbox, discusses his new book, The Essential Guide to Electronics in Shenzhen, which he funded via Crowd Supply. He explains the cultural and economic differences between prototyping in China versus the US, noting that Chinese factories use manual assembly with higher defect rates but lower upfront costs. Huang also reflects on the value of open hardware for privacy, the challenges of self-publishing physical books with unique features, and his desire to use his engineering skills to help society.

    Crowdfunding & preordersManufacturing partners & offshoring
    8 chapters

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.