# Electronic 24: Compliance, Manufacturing Challenges, and Future of the PCB Industry with Vidar Olsen

- Show: [EMS@C-LEVEL](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level)
- Published: 2024-11-28
- Length: 11m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2024-11-28-electronic-24-compliance-manufacturing-challenges-and-future-of-the-pcb-industry

## Summary

Vidar Olsen, CEO of Confidee, explains how his company has grown from one employee to 23 in two and a half years by focusing on compliance-focused PCB brokering and supply chain transparency. Confidee utilizes a proprietary IT platform to manage, document, and verify compliance data, holding ISO 9001, AS9120, and ISO 27001 certifications to ensure regulatory adherence. Olsen highlights the urgent need for modernization and automation in European PCB manufacturing to compete with Asia, noting that while demand for local production is growing, capacity remains insufficient. He discusses the geopolitical shift toward protectionist trade, the disparity in production costs, and the potential for government incentives like the US Chips Act to drive investment in European PCB factories.

## Chapters

- [0:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2024-11-28-electronic-24-compliance-manufacturing-challenges-and-future-of-the-pcb-industry#t=8) Introduction: Vidar Olsen and Confidee's Growth
- [1:44](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2024-11-28-electronic-24-compliance-manufacturing-challenges-and-future-of-the-pcb-industry#t=104) Confidee's Compliance and Certification Strategy
- [2:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2024-11-28-electronic-24-compliance-manufacturing-challenges-and-future-of-the-pcb-industry#t=160) European PCB Capacity and Geopolitical Shifts
- [5:26](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2024-11-28-electronic-24-compliance-manufacturing-challenges-and-future-of-the-pcb-industry#t=326) Automation, Government Incentives, and the Chips Act
- [7:36](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2024-11-28-electronic-24-compliance-manufacturing-challenges-and-future-of-the-pcb-industry#t=456) Digital Transformation and Data Security in Brokering
- [9:15](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2024-11-28-electronic-24-compliance-manufacturing-challenges-and-future-of-the-pcb-industry#t=555) Value Proposition of Modern PCB Brokering

## 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)
- [Security & privacy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/security-and-privacy)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Confidee (company)
- ISO 9001 (other)
- AS9120 (other)
- ISO 27001 (other)
- Fictive (company)
- Xometry (company)
- US Chips Act (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [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)
- [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)
- [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)
- [Overcoming Global Supply Chain Obstacles in Electronics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-10-29-overcoming-global-supply-chain-obstacles-in-electronics) (OnTrack)
- [AI-Powered PCB Supply Chain Management with Luminovo's Timon Ruban](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-06-24-ai-powered-pcb-supply-chain-management-with-luminovos-timon-ruban) (OnTrack)

## Citing this page

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