Join the UK Regional Qualification for the IPC Hand Soldering Competition (HSC) at Farnborough International Exhibition Centre on 3-5 February 2026.

Competition for Professionals

The professional competitors will be judged by IPC Master Instructors (MITs) on their ability to solder a complex printed circuit board within a maximum time of 60 minutes, adhering to IPC-A-610 Class 3 criteria. Additional criteria will include the quality of the results achieved and of the assembly process, the overall electrical functionality, and the speed at which the assembly was produced.

Prizes for Professionals

The professionals will receive cash prizes: the winner, two runners-up.

• 1st place – 300 €
• 2nd place – 200 €
• 3rd place – 100 €

IPC Hand Soldering World Championship: The winner will be invited by the Global Electronics Association (all expenses covered by the Global Electronics Association) to compete in the HSC World Final in November 2026 at electronica tradeshow in Munich, Germany.

Hand Soldering Best Company Team Award: This year again, nominate a team to win the Hand Soldering Best Company Team Award. For any company enlisting 2 or 3 competitors, the highest combined scores of 2 best competitors from the same company will determine which company will receive the HSC Best Company Team Award.

Registration is free of charge. You do not need to be an IPC member to take part. You do not need to be IPC-certified to take part.

How to register?

Complete the registration form to secure your competition slot.

You will receive a confirmation email specifying your date and time to compete.

For more information, please get in touch with Philippe Léonard, Global Electronics Association Europe director (PhilippeLeonard@electronics.org), or Anatolii Kazmin, Europe Event Manager: anatoliikazmin@electronics.org

Introduced in Europe for the first time, the Cable & Wire Harness Competition (CWH) will take place in the United Kingdom during Southern Manufacturing & Electronics 2026 in Farnborough.

This competition invites skilled technicians and harness assembly specialists to demonstrate their expertise in wire preparation, crimping, splicing, and assembly, all in accordance with the requirements of IPC/WHMA-A-620, the industry consensus standard for cable and wire harness assemblies.

Participants will compete under timed conditions (60 minutes) using identical materials and tools, with results evaluated by certified IPC judges.

Competition for Professionals

Each competitor must produce a fully functional wire harness assembly within the time limit, following the provided drawings and standards.

Judging criteria include:

1. Crimp Accuracy and quality of terminations

2. Correct routing, labeling, and bundling

3. Compliance with IPC/WHMA-A-620 workmanship standard

4. Overall appearance and functionality

5. Speed of completion

All tools and materials will be supplied. Participants should wear ESD-safe clothing or a company-branded coat (if any).

Prizes for Professionals

🏆 1st place: €300 

🥈 2nd place: €200

🥉 3rd place: €100

How to Register

Participation is free of charge. No IPC membership or prior certification is required.

Registration is open to all professionals and apprentices working in the cable and wire harness assembly industry.

Places are limited — register early to secure your participation.

Register Now 

You will receive a confirmation email specifying your date and time to compete.

For more information, please get in touch with Philippe Léonard, Global Electronics Association Europe director (PhilippeLeonard@electronics.org), or Anatolii Kazmin, Europe Event Manager: anatoliikazmin@electronics.org

Venue

Southern Manufacturing & Electronics 2026

Farnborough International Exhibition Centre

Farnborough, GU14 6FD, United Kingdom

APEX EXPO 2026 

APEX EXPO is the premier event in North America for the electronics industry. OEMs, EMS providers, PCB manufacturers and industry professionals from around the globe come together to access the latest technical content, contribute to standards development, and network with the industry's largest gathering of capital equipment manufacturers, suppliers, and product innovators in design, printed board manufacturing, electronics assembly, and test. The event offers nearly endless opportunities for education and networking. Attendees gain access to cutting-edge technologies, advanced materials, and the latest processes, equipping them with the knowledge, technical skills, and best practices to reimagine the possibilities to drive your business forward. 

Introduced in France for the first time, the Cable & Wire Harness Competition (CWH) will take place during Global Industrie 2026 in Paris Nord Villepinte.

Participants will compete under timed conditions (60 minutes) using identical materials and tools, with results evaluated by certified IPC judges. Each competitor must produce a fully functional wire harness assembly within the time limit, following the provided drawings and standards.

Judging criteria include:

• Crimp accuracy and quality of terminations
• Correct routing, labeling, and bundling
• Compliance with IPC/WHMA-A-620 workmanship standards
• Overall appearance and functionality
• Speed of completion

All tools and materials will be supplied. Participants should wear ESD-safe clothing or a company-branded coat (if any).

Prizes for Professionals

🏆 1st place: €300

🥈 2nd place: €200

🥉 3rd place: €100

Participation is free of charge. No IPC membership or prior certification is required. Registration is open to all professionals and apprentices working in cable and wire harness assembly.

⚠️ Places are limited — register early to secure your participation.

REGISTER NOW

You will receive a confirmation email specifying your date and time to compete. 

Contacts are:

📧 Philippe Léonard, Global Electronics Association Europe Director – PhilippeLeonard@electronics.org

📧 Anatolii Kazmin, Europe Event Manager – anatoliikazmin@electronics.org

Join the France Regional Qualification for the IPC Hand Soldering Competition (HSC) at Global Industrie 2026 in Paris Nord Villepinte on 30 March – 2 April 2026.

Skilled soldering experts (F/M) will compete for 60 minutes on a complex circuit board assembly to win the 2026 National title, earn a cash prize, and compete for a coveted spot at the IPC Hand Soldering World Championship, to take place at electronica in Munich in November 2026.

Competition for Professionals

The professional competitors will be judged by IPC Master Instructors (MITs) on their ability to solder a complex printed circuit board within a maximum time of 60 minutes, adhering to IPC-A-610 Class 3 criteria.

Additional criteria will include the quality of the results achieved and of the assembly process, the overall electrical functionality, and the speed at which the assembly was produced.

Prizes for Professionals

The professionals will receive cash prizes:

• 1st place – 300 €
• 2nd place – 200 €
• 3rd place – 100 €

🏆 IPC Hand Soldering World Championship:

The winner will be invited by the Global Electronics Association (all expenses covered by the Global Electronics Association) to compete in the HSC World Final in November 2026 at electronica tradeshow in Munich, Germany.

🏢 Hand Soldering Best Company Team Award:

This year again, nominate a team to win the Hand Soldering Best Company Team Award.

For any company enlisting 2 or 3 competitors, the highest combined scores of the 2 best competitors from the same company will determine which company will receive the HSC Best Company Team Award.

Registration

Registration is free of charge. You do not need to be an IPC member to take part. You do not need to be IPC-certified to take part.

Register Now 

You will receive a confirmation email specifying your date and time to compete.

For more information, please get in touch with:

📧 Philippe Léonard, Global Electronics Association Europe Director – PhilippeLeonard@electronics.org

📧 Anatolii Kazmin, Europe Event Manager – anatoliikazmin@electronics.org

Venue Information

Global Industrie 2026

Paris Nord Villepinte Exhibition Centre

ZAC Paris Nord 2

93420 Villepinte

France

Why Attend the Electrical Wire Processing Technology Expo (EWPTE)?
Produced by WHMA/Global Electronics Association, the ONLY trade association exclusively representing the cable and wire harness manufacturing industry including manufacturers, their suppliers and customers, EWPTE is where the industry comes together with more than 3,000 attendees and nearly 200 exhibitors to find solutions to challenging wire problems through training and education and for the opportunity to network with industry leaders and subject matter experts.

Attendees at all career stages can expect to Harness the Future through:

• Education & Training
• Professional Development Courses with content designed to deliver new information, skills, and techniques related to the cable and wire harness industry.
• Technical Conference Sessions presented by engineers, researchers, academics, technical experts, and industry leaders who will share new technical data, significant results from experiments and case studies, emphasizing new techniques and discussing trends of interest with appropriate technical test results.
• Networking Opportunities by connecting with industry leaders and subject matter experts.
• Accessing New Technologies and finding new suppliers to find solutions to your challenging wire problems on the show floor from nearly 200 exhibitors.
  Who Should Attend?

Anyone who designs, specifies, purchases, installs, sells, maintains or manufactures electronic cable assemblies, cord sets, wiring harnesses and other related products for the following industries:

• Aerospace
• Automotive/Transportation (Automobiles, Rail, Buses. Trucks)
• Consumer Technology (Business Equipment and Appliances)
• Defense/Military
• Medical Instruments
• Off Highway (Constructions, Agriculture and Mining)
• Recreational (RV, Marine OPE & RTV)