# Electronica 24: IMI's New CEO Lou Hughes on Strategic Focus, Streamlining, and Regional Excellence

- Show: [EMS@C-LEVEL](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level)
- Published: 2024-11-22
- Length: 17m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2024-11-22-electronica-24-imis-new-ceo-lou-hughes-on-strategic-focus-streamlining-and-regio

## Summary

Lou Hughes, the new CEO of IMI, explains his strategic pivot away from a China-centric model toward regional operations in Mexico, the Philippines, and Eastern Europe to navigate geopolitical risks and tariff uncertainties. He details the closure of IMI's US facility and a 40% reduction in its China footprint, emphasizing that larger, consolidated sites with lower overhead are essential for competitiveness. Hughes highlights the critical role of a rebuilt sourcing team and digital tools like Silicon Expert in managing high inventory levels and volatile supply chains, while proposing that mid-sized EMS companies pool excess inventory to mitigate risk.

## Chapters

- [0:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2024-11-22-electronica-24-imis-new-ceo-lou-hughes-on-strategic-focus-streamlining-and-regio#t=8) Introduction: Lou Hughes and IMI's Strategic Pivot
- [2:15](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2024-11-22-electronica-24-imis-new-ceo-lou-hughes-on-strategic-focus-streamlining-and-regio#t=135) Footprint Redesign: Mexico, Philippines, and Eastern Europe
- [6:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2024-11-22-electronica-24-imis-new-ceo-lou-hughes-on-strategic-focus-streamlining-and-regio#t=360) Downsizing China and Closing the US Facility
- [9:15](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2024-11-22-electronica-24-imis-new-ceo-lou-hughes-on-strategic-focus-streamlining-and-regio#t=555) Sourcing Strategy and Digital Tools like Silicon Expert
- [12:45](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2024-11-22-electronica-24-imis-new-ceo-lou-hughes-on-strategic-focus-streamlining-and-regio#t=765) Managing High Inventory and NCNR Challenges
- [15:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2024-11-22-electronica-24-imis-new-ceo-lou-hughes-on-strategic-focus-streamlining-and-regio#t=906) Distributor Relationships and Semiconductor Geopolitics

## Topics

- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)
- [Policy, trade & tariffs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/policy-trade-and-tariffs)
- [Chips, FPGAs & semiconductors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/chips-and-fpgas)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- IMI (company)
- Silicon Expert (tool)
- Foxconn (company)
- Benchmark (company)
- SMTC (company)
- Lexan (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Nearshoring Manufacturing from Asia to Mexico: Risks, Rewards, and Realities w/ Matt Hannula](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2025-10-07-nearshoring-manufacturing-from-asia-to-mexico-risks-rewards-and-realities-w-matt) (The Manufacturing Executive)
- [World Trade Futurity (WTF)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2016-11-11-world-trade-futurity-wtf) (The Amp Hour)
- [124: Tariff Talk](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2025-05-08-124-tariff-talk) (Thoroughly Considered)
- [Live from the Global CEO Summit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2019-11-15-live-from-the-global-ceo-summit) (EE Times Current)
- [CEO Interview: Hassane El-Khoury is Getting Onsemi Focused](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2021-08-20-ceo-interview-hassane-el-khoury-is-getting-onsemi-focused) (EE Times Current)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2024-11-22-electronica-24-imis-new-ceo-lou-hughes-on-strategic-focus-streamlining-and-regio. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to EMS@C-LEVEL.