Hardware Podcasts

How A Cornwall EMS Company Scales With Defense And Aerospace Demand, with Jon Hurrell, Sellectronics

EMS@C-LEVEL · 13 Jul 2026 · 16m

What this episode covers

Jon Hurrell, Managing Director at Sellectronics, explains how the UK-based EMS provider scaled from a garage startup to a 52-employee operation handling complex SMT assembly for defense and aerospace clients. He details the supply chain disruptions caused by AI data center demand, which has stretched PCB lead times and created shortages for high-end BGAs and FPGAs. Hurrell describes the strategic shift from chasing prime suppliers to targeting tier one and two system builders and 'neo primes' in the drone sector, while highlighting the critical challenge of home-growing talent to fill the UK's electronics manufacturing skills gap.

Most relevant to

companies scaling up

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Sellectronics, Koh Young, Global Electronics Association
Also
IPC

Related episodes from other shows

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • Oxide and Friends · 1h 30m

    Scaling Manufacturing

    Bryan Cantrill and Adam Leventhal of Oxide Computer Company discuss scaling manufacturing with colleagues CJ Mendes, Kirstin Neira, Erik Anderson, Aaron Hartwig, and Doug Wibben. They detail the transition from low-rate NPI to volume production using contract manufacturer Benchmark Electronics, highlighting specific engineering solutions like the Medusa and Reverso test boards to address fragile high-speed cables and press-fit DDR sockets. The team emphasizes their strategic procurement approach, building deep relationships with suppliers like Semtech and Texas Instruments to secure supply during the AI-driven chip shortage, while navigating compliance and tariff challenges for global expansion.

    Manufacturing partners & offshoringDebugging & failure analysis
    8 chapters

  • OnTrack · 39m

    What's Driving the Next Wave of Electronics Engineers?

    Paul Cooke, Director of Application Engineering at AGC Multi Materials, discusses the critical role of advanced materials in Ultra HDI (UHDI) PCB manufacturing and the challenges facing the North American electronics supply chain. He explains how AGC is developing non-reinforced, low-CTE resin systems to eliminate glass-related issues like skew and flatness problems in high-density designs. Cooke also highlights the severe workforce shortage in the industry, noting that the number of US board shops has dropped from over 2,000 to roughly 140, and argues for greater government and military investment to revitalize domestic manufacturing capacity.

    Materials & manufacturing processesSourcing & supply chain
    6 chapters

  • Embedded.fm · 57m

    322: Learn Assembly Code

    Ramiro Montes de Oca, CEO and founder of aThing.io, explains his company's 'motionless electronics'—modular, penny-sized components that connect via phone-style connectors without soldering. He discusses the technical architecture of these modules, the emerging chiplet industry standard led by the Chiplet Alliance, and the business challenges of scaling hardware manufacturing during global supply chain disruptions. Montes de Oca also shares insights from exhibiting at CES and the importance of design-for-manufacturing for early-stage founders.

    PCB design & layoutChips, FPGAs & semiconductors
    8 chapters

  • The Amp Hour · 1h 22m

    Moving Down The Stack with Scott Williams

    Scott Williams, founder of the Australian electronics consultancy Zentronics, discusses the technical and business realities of running a growing design firm. He details the company's shift toward integrating IoT platforms and managing complex supply chain issues, such as sourcing Hirose connectors for Raspberry Pi Compute Modules during shortages. Williams also shares insights on component selection strategies, the ethical implications of using expensive compute modules for simple tasks, and the critical importance of EMC design and testing in ensuring product compliance.

    Sourcing & supply chainMicrocontrollers & dev platforms
    13 chapters

  • EE Times Current · 21m

    Contract Manufacturing: Takin’ Care of Business

    Derek Kane, vice president of KMC Systems, discusses the strategic opening of a new innovation center in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to support the medical electronics and life sciences industries. He explains how KMC’s 'campus-based' supply chain model and early supplier involvement helped mitigate semiconductor shortages and lead time issues during the pandemic. The conversation also covers KMC’s long product lifecycles, predictive maintenance capabilities derived from its defense background, and the integration of adjacent technologies from parent company Elbit Systems.

    Sourcing & supply chainManufacturing partners & offshoring
    6 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.