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

- Show: [EMS@C-LEVEL](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level)
- Published: 2026-07-13
- Length: 16m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2026-07-13-how-a-cornwall-ems-company-scales-with-defense-and-aerospace-demand-with-jon-hur

## Summary

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.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2026-07-13-how-a-cornwall-ems-company-scales-with-defense-and-aerospace-demand-with-jon-hur#t=0) Introduction: Jon Hurrell and Sellectronics Background
- [2:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2026-07-13-how-a-cornwall-ems-company-scales-with-defense-and-aerospace-demand-with-jon-hur#t=127) Sellectronics Origin: From Garage to SMT Assembly
- [3:38](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2026-07-13-how-a-cornwall-ems-company-scales-with-defense-and-aerospace-demand-with-jon-hur#t=218) UK Market Flux: Post-Brexit and Post-Pandemic Trends
- [4:59](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2026-07-13-how-a-cornwall-ems-company-scales-with-defense-and-aerospace-demand-with-jon-hur#t=299) Supply Chain Disruption: AI, PCBs, and Component Shortages
- [7:12](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2026-07-13-how-a-cornwall-ems-company-scales-with-defense-and-aerospace-demand-with-jon-hur#t=432) Customer Strategy: Targeting Tier 1/2 and Neo Primes
- [9:09](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2026-07-13-how-a-cornwall-ems-company-scales-with-defense-and-aerospace-demand-with-jon-hur#t=549) Working with Startups and Drone Programs
- [12:23](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2026-07-13-how-a-cornwall-ems-company-scales-with-defense-and-aerospace-demand-with-jon-hur#t=743) Industry Events and the Skills Gap
- [13:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2026-07-13-how-a-cornwall-ems-company-scales-with-defense-and-aerospace-demand-with-jon-hur#t=831) Home-Growing Talent and Retention in Cornwall

## Topics

- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)
- [Hiring & workforce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/hiring-and-workforce)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Policy, trade & tariffs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/policy-trade-and-tariffs)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Sellectronics (company)
- Koh Young (company)
- Global Electronics Association (company)
- IPC (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Scaling Manufacturing](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2025-09-19-scaling-manufacturing) (Oxide and Friends)
- [What's Driving the Next Wave of Electronics Engineers?](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-01-31-whats-driving-the-next-wave-of-electronics-engineers) (OnTrack)
- [322: Learn Assembly Code](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2020-02-28-322-learn-assembly-code) (Embedded.fm)
- [Moving Down The Stack with Scott Williams](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2023-09-05-moving-down-the-stack-with-scott-williams) (The Amp Hour)
- [Contract Manufacturing: Takin’ Care of Business](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2022-01-28-contract-manufacturing-takin-care-of-business) (EE Times Current)

## Citing this page

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