IPC Launches First UK EMS Executive Meeting
by Sanjay Huprikar, IPC President, Europe and South Asia Operations
Key Summary
• IPC held its first UK EMS Executive meeting in London to support the growing UK electronics manufacturing services industry
• The event focused on peer networking and building a unified advocacy voice on workforce, supply chain, trade, and environmental issues
• Keynotes addressed Zero Carbon initiatives, UK EMS market statistics, and post-Brexit trade policies
• Executives emphasized urgent workforce needs, especially strengthening soldering skills and promoting UK manufacturing to future talent
• Attendees committed to continued collaboration, with the next meeting planned for May 2023
To better support the needs of the growing UK EMS industry, IPC hosted the inaugural UK EMS Executive meeting in London on July 14.
The purpose of the IPC UK EMS Executive meeting was two-fold: (1) to provide networking opportunities for these leaders to share their operational experiences so that they can learn from each other; (2) to establish a unified voice on key advocacy topics related to workforce development, supply chain, trade, and the environment. The meeting was attended by a dozen thought leaders who manage contract manufacturing companies ranging in size from 10M to 100M GBP in annual turnover.
As part of the festivities, the attendees were treated to three excellent keynote presentations:
Chris Esbester, BAE Systems, highlighted the company's Zero Carbon initiative and its impact on the value chain.
Dieter Weiss, in4ma, shared his latest EMS statistics and implored the attendees to perform regular SWOT analyses as market conditions are constantly changing.
Will McGarrigle, Confederation of British Industries, discussed export trade policies and programs to help small and medium enterprises better navigate the effects of Brexit.
During the roundtable discussion, the participants raised several points on gaps in workforce development. First, there was wide consensus that more needs to be done in the areas of strengthening soldering as a core competency. As a global organization supporting education in electronics manufacturing, the group felt IPC could play a major role in addressing this need. Second, the participants expressed frustration on how little is known about the strength and innovation in British manufacturing. It was agreed that there should be more short-term discussions on developing better industry-wide campaigns to promote electronics manufacturing as a rewarding and fun industry for future generations of British workers.
The next meeting is tentatively planned for May 2023. Every attendee this year enthusiastically articulated their intention to spread the word and participate again.
For more information, contact Philippe Leonard (PhilippeLeonard@ipc.org) or Sanjay Huprikar (SanjayHuprikar@ipc.org).
IPC created this event to give UK EMS leaders a forum to share insights, collaborate on common challenges, and influence advocacy efforts around workforce, supply chain resilience, trade, and environmental policy.
A dozen executives from UK EMS companies ranging from £10M to £100M in annual revenue participated, along with keynote speakers from BAE Systems, in4ma, and the Confederation of British Industries.
The presentations explored BAE Systems’ Zero Carbon strategy, current EMS market statistics and trends, and trade policies affecting UK manufacturers after Brexit.
Participants agreed that soldering competency must be strengthened across the industry and expressed concern about the lack of visibility and awareness surrounding UK manufacturing career opportunities.
Yes. The next meeting is planned for May 2023, with attendees expressing strong interest in returning and expanding participation.