Industry Leaders Shape a Sustainable Future at 2025 IPC CEMAC Electronics Manufacturing Annual Conference

Event brings together more than 400 companies from across the world

The 2025 IPC CEMAC Electronics Manufacturing Annual Conference, co-hosted by the Global Electronics Association and the Shanghai Pudong Association for Quality and Technology, successfully concluded on September 26 in Shanghai.

The two-day event brought together more than 400 companies and 600 industry representatives from across China and around the world. Centered on the theme “Shaping a Sustainable Future,” the conference highlighted major industry achievements, unveiled new initiatives, and fostered in-depth discussions on the future of global electronics manufacturing.

Conference highlights:

  • Upcoming New Standard – IPC-6921, Requirements and Acceptance for Organic Substrates for Packaging Applications, scheduled for release by the end of 2025.
  • Intelligent Manufacturing Demonstration Projects – Presenting best practices in digital transformation standards and solutions.
  • Electronics Industry ESG Cooperation Initiative – Officially launched, along with a survey report identifying the top ESG issues and challenges facing electronics enterprises.
  • Industry Recognition and Awards – Leading companies and industry experts honored for their outstanding contributions.

Voices from the Conference

Sydney Xiao, president of Global Electronics Association East Asia, remarked, “We sincerely thank all our partners for their active participation and strong support. CEMAC is not only an annual conference but also an open and collaborative platform where ideas are shared, achievements are showcased, and partnerships are forged.”

In his closing address, Dr. John W. Mitchell, president and CEO of the Global Electronics Association, emphasized, “Innovation drives our industry, and resilience safeguards our future. Through collaboration, we will continue to lead the electronics industry toward a smarter, more connected, and more sustainable future.”

Outlook

The 2025 IPC CEMAC showcased the latest progress in standards, technology, talent, and supply chain resilience, while injecting fresh momentum into global collaboration. The outcomes of the conference are expected to accelerate the high-quality development of China’s electronics sector and contribute to the sustainable growth of the worldwide electronics industry.

Global Electronics Association Supports Industry Call on Substances of Concern

Sep 29, 2025

In a joint effort, the Global Electronics Association recently co-signed a statement urging European policy makers to adopt a harmonised and workable approach to the "Substances of Concern” (SoC) concept across different sustainability policies that impact the electronics supply chain. We ask for coherent, pragmatic, and non-duplicative legislation that ensures both sustainability and competitiveness.  The joint letter was submitted in response to the consultation on simplification of administrative burdens in environmental legislation, which closed on September 10.

For more information, contact Diana Radovan, Global Electronics Association' director of sustainability policy. 

WHMA Survey Identifies Top Priorities: Design Quality & Automation Lead the Way

Survey informs wire harness industry needs and positioning at the forefront of technological advancement

The Wiring Harness Manufacturer’s Association (WHMA), a council of the Global Electronics Association, today announced the results of an industry survey, revealing the need for systems to catch and collect errors to ensure design quality and automation to create efficiencies and reduce risk. 

Cable and wire harness protect the collection of wires and cables in vehicles and other complex systems to ensure the safe and efficient transmission of electricity. A global industry, estimates value the market at $99.59 billion in 2024 and it is projected to reach $147 billion by 2034[1]. 

Conducted by WHMA’s newly formed Innovation Advisory Team (IAT), the survey demonstrates the most pressing challenges and opportunities shaping the industry’s future. The IAT, co-chaired by Arik Vrobel, CEO of Cableteque, and George Jacob, Director of Etron Systems, brings together leading voices from MBDA-Systems, LCMO, RocketlabUSA, Rivian, KomaxGroup, Protronics, ECI International, Motherson and Qualtronics. They will use these survey insights to guide actionable strategies, foster industry-wide collaboration, and support members as they adapt to evolving demands.

Top five priorities identified 

  1. Design Quality and Customer Error Management
    Validating customer designs before manufacturing was ranked the highest innovation priority (52.4%), reflecting the need for systems to catch and correct errors early. 76% of respondents report encountering customer design errors “sometimes” or “often.” 

  2. Process Speed and Automation
    Nearly 74% describe their quoting process as “manual, time-intensive, and too slow.” Respondents rated automated bill of materials enhancement (4.50/5) and faster quoting tools as critical, underscoring the role of speed-to-quote as a competitive advantage.

  3. Knowledge Capture and Standardization
    Over 57% of organizations rely on tribal knowledge for quoting, while 50% face challenges with incomplete or inaccurate customer information. Respondents emphasized the need for better documentation and standardized processes to reduce risk and improve consistency.

  4. Digital Tool Integration and Modernization
    While more than 75% expressed interest in adopting digital platforms, barriers include cost (64.3%) and system compatibility (57.1%). With 47.6% still relying on basic Excel or Word-based tools, the data points to significant opportunities for digital transformation.

  5. Workforce Development and Training
    Skills gaps hinder technology adoption for 45.2% of respondents. More than half (51.2%) said they need access to training programs, and 64.3% expressed interest in WHMA-backed standardized tools, highlighting the importance of workforce development and certification.

“These results clearly reflect an industry in transition, moving away from traditional, manual approaches toward digitization, standardization, and workforce development,” said Arik Vrobel, IAT Co-Chair and CEO of Cableteque. “By focusing on these priorities, WHMA and our members can help shape a more efficient, innovative, and resilient wire harness industry.”

WHMA is looking for industry subject matter experts that can help drive positive change to solve the challenges identified in the survey results.  Companies interested in participating can email WHMA Executive Director David Bergman at DavidBergman@electronics.org.


 

Practical Steps Toward a Fit-for-Purpose Sustainability Reporting Framework for Electronics

Sep 25, 2025

by Diana Radovan, Sustainability Policy Director

In its recent position on the omnibus package for sustainability reporting, addressed to the European policymakers who are driving it, the Global Electronics Association outlines two types of recommendations for a fit-for-purpose package for the electronics industry. The position provides both voting recommendations on amendments proposed by the European Parliament’s Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI) and general recommendations to the Parliament, Commission and Council before trialogue negotiations. 

The Association has long supported a much-needed reduction in administrative burden for the electronics industry. Electronics are the beating heart of EU business and essential to EU’s competitiveness, technical sovereignty, and green transition, often integrated so seamlessly in our daily lives that their complex manufacturing and supply chain challenges are not obvious. And yet, the electronics industry has been struggling in recent years due to the high reporting burden. 

The omnibus package for sustainability reporting must be further improved to deliver on its promise and it must do so with urgency. For the electronics industry and its complex supply chain, a focus on Tier-1 due diligence obligations is not only necessary, but the only realistic approach. We support the adoption of sector-specific standards by 2030, which are key to our industry, better alignment of different sustainability reporting policies, and harmonising the implementation of such policies between Member States to prevent further regulatory fragmentation.

Read the full position.

Building Bridges Across the Seine: Europe's EMS Leadership Gathers in Paris

Sep 24, 2025

On the eve of IPC Day EMS Europe, more than 90 executives from leading EMS and PCB manufacturing companies came together aboard the elegant Onyx cruise ship for the EMS Presidents’ Dinner. Hosted by the Global Electronics Association in partnership with in4ma and IFTEC, the exclusive evening offered a unique mix of networking, knowledge exchange, and cultural experience. 

In welcoming remarks, Philippe Leonard, the Director for the Association in Europe, highlighted the importance of collaboration across the electronics ecosystem at a time when the industry faces increasing complexity and global challenges. His message set the tone: strengthening connections to drive innovation, resilience, and growth in Europe’s EMS sector.

Beyond the dialogue, the event provided attendees with an unforgettable backdrop. The setting reminded participants that business relationships, like the city itself, are strengthened by history, vision, and renewal.

The EMS Presidents’ Dinner framed the next day’s IPC Day EMS Europe event at the Astrolab in the Musée de la Marine in Paris, where attendees shared deeper technical discussions, strategic insights, and industry alignment. 

60% of the 100+ attendees were C-level executives: CEOs, CTOs, owners, and senior leaders from Europe’s leading EMS and PCB manufacturing companies. This impressive representation reinforced the importance of IPC Day EMS Europe as a strategic forum for leadership-driven dialogue. Whether through advancing technical standards, addressing labor market realities, or reinforcing Europe’s strategic position in global supply chains, the day showcased both the urgency and opportunity ahead.

From the opening keynote to the final expert panel, the agenda covered the most pressing issues shaping the future of electronics in Europe:

  1. Supply chain resilience and regional consolidation

  2. Advanced electronics packaging and innovation

  3. Workforce development and talent acquisition

  4. Sustainability, standardization, and advocacy

The Global Electronics Association would like to thank all sponsors, attendees, and staff for making this event a success.

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Photo Credits: Jean Haeusser

Event Photos

Global Electronics Association Event Sponsors 

IPC Day EMS Dinner Sponsors

Monitoring the Pulse of the Global Electronics Industry July 2025

Persistent Cost Pressures Offset by Solid Demand Conditions: The global electronics manufacturing supply chain remains under pressure from rising input costs,
with 61% of firms reporting higher material costs and 54% noting increased labor expenses. While the Material Cost Index dipped slightly from June and profit margins showed a modest gain (+6 points), only 15% of manufacturers reported actual profit improvement, highlighting the fragility of recovery in margins.

  • Demand Fundamentals Remain Strong Despite Volatility: Operational metrics such as orders, shipments, backlogs, and capacity utilization continue to signal expansion,
    maintaining momentum from the rebound that began in late 2024.
  • Regional Divergence Becomes More Pronounced: Manufacturers in APAC are outpacing their North American and European peers across several dimensions. Half of APAC-based firms report rising profit margins, compared to just 5% in North America.

Similarly, a greater share of APAC firms are experiencing relief in material costs and anticipate future declines in labor costs, an outlook not shared by North American firms, where cost pressures remain more entrenched.

  • Hiring Efforts Widespread but Talent Scarcity Constrains Growth: Sixty percent of firms are actively hiring, with European companies more likely to be pursuing talent for critical roles. Yet across all regions, the ability to secure skilled workers is a key limiting factor, 63% of firms report that talent shortages are constraining business growth, reinforcing labor as a critical operational challenge.
Author(s)
Global Electronics Association
Resource Type
Economic Reports
Event
No Event

Get Ready for the ECHA SEAC Consultation

Sep 23, 2025
PFAS compound

In March 2026, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is expected to launch the much-awaited consultation on the draft opinion on PFAS restrictions issued by its Committee for Socio-Economic Analysis (SEAC). The consultation will be open for 60 calendar days (not working days). The consultation will use a structured survey format (the Global Electronics Association will run a consolidated survey and consolidate input on behalf of members), covering both general questions on the SEAC draft opinion and specific questions on the SEAC evaluation by sector (for 14 sectors, including electronics and semiconductors). Stakeholders will be asked to provide input on:

  • Potential impacts of restricting PFAS across sectors, e.g., repercussions of non-use scenarios such as no impact, closure of operations, relocation, or substitution of PFAS
  • Availability and feasibility of alternatives
  • Information on missed uses and derogations, where relevant to socio-economic aspects.

Please note the following:

  • Feedback will be entered directly into the survey fields, i.e. attachments will not be accepted
  • Confidential information will be treated appropriately if clearly flagged as confidential
  • Information on PFAS risks will not be considered, as these are assessed separately by RAC
  • The consultation will focus only on SEAC’s opinion, not on the entire background document.

The consultation will be open to all interested parties. Stakeholders are encouraged to start preparing to ensure SEAC’s final opinion will be robust and fit-for-purpose. Of note, ECHA will hold an online information session on 30 October 2025, with further details and consultation guidelines to be published on its website. Additionally, ECHA will confirm the exact start date of the consultation in March 2026, and additional guidance may be provided to help stakeholders with their submissions. After reviewing the feedback, SEAC is expected to adopt its final opinion by the end of 2026. This step will conclude the scientific evaluation by ECHA’s committees of the proposed PFAS restriction and will be followed by the submission of the dossier to the European Commission.

The Commission has reaffirmed its intention to adopt a strict, science-based ban, but will allow time-limited exemptions for critical uses without alternatives. While NGOs call for fast action, industry warns of major supply chain disruptions if transition timelines are too short. Why this matters:

  • The restriction could redefine entire product portfolios
  • Supply chains will need full transparency on PFAS content
  • R&D for alternative substances will accelerate – but time is short and, for many PFAS uses in electronics, in particular function-essential fluoropolymers, alternatives may not be feasible.

The Association urges members to become familiar with the current ECHA Draft Background Document (note: it is not yet final, but some members have already identified missed uses for specific electronics application) and to start considering how gaps identified by SEAC can be addressed, in line with the anticipated content of the future survey and the type of questions that it will include. The Association will have a face-to-face informal meeting with SEAC in Brussels in mid-October. 

Members are invited to send their questions for the SEAC to DianaRadovan@electronics.org by 26 September 2025 EOD.  

Read more on ECHA's webpage and contact DianaRadovan@electronics.org for follow-up. 

 

Real-World Training in Action: How Milwaukee Electronics & LSI Leverage Training to Boost Performance

Date

Join us for a panel-driven discussion featuring real practitioners from Milwaukee Electronics and LSI ADL Technology, sharing how they’ve translated workforce training into tangible improvements across their operations.

Winners of Hand Soldering and Wire Harness Competitions Announced at NEPCON Vietnam 2025

In conjunction with NEPCON Vietnam 2025, the Global Electronics Association hosted its popular Hand Soldering Competition on September 11–12, 2025, and the Northen regional round of the Wire Harness Competition on September 10, 2025, in Hanoi, Vietnam.

This year’s Hand Soldering Competition featured 38 contestants from 15 companies, representing both leading foreign direct investment (FDI) manufacturers and local Vietnamese enterprises. Notably, for the first time in the competition’s history, a contestant from a small domestic enterprise claimed the top prize. Skilled contestants were challenged to build a functional electronics assembly within a limited time, judged on soldering quality in accordance with IPC-A-610J Class 3 criteria, production speed, and overall electrical functionality.

Winners of the Hand Soldering Competition:

  • First Place: Phạm Văn Tuyền, EZ2DO Company Limited – Achievement Certificate, USD $300, and an Intelligent Portable Soldering Iron from Platinum sponsor QUICK. He also qualified for the IPC Hand Soldering World Championship in Munich, Germany, November 2025.

  • Second Place: Lê Thị Thu, Spartronics Vietnam Co., Ltd. – Achievement Certificate and USD $200.

  • Third Place: Lê Đức Nhã, UMC Electronics Vietnam Limited – Achievement Certificate and USD $100.

The Wire Harness Competition Vietnam drew 27 participants from 13 companies, demonstrating proficiency in wire harness assembly under IPC/WHMA-A-620 Class 3 standards, the highest benchmark of workmanship in the electronics industry. Contestants were tasked with building a functional harness assembly within a set timeframe, judged on both process quality and final workmanship.

Winners of the Wire Harness Competition:

  • South Regional Winner: Nguyen Minh Thuan, Thermtrol (VSIP) Co., Ltd.

  • North Regional Winner: Pham Van Thao, Vietkai Company Limited

The overall Vietnam Champion title was awarded to the Northern Region winner, Mr. Pham Van Thao from Vietkai Company Limited. He completed the assembly in five minutes less than the Southern Region winner, with the same score. He received a trophy and Achievement Certificate and earned the opportunity to represent Vietnam at the Wire Harness World Championship during the Integrated Electronics Manufacturing & Interconnection (IEMI) event in Bengaluru, India, January 29–30, 2026.

This year’s competitions were made possible through the generous support of sponsors:

  • Platinum Sponsor QUICK INTELLIGENT EQUIPMENT

  • Gold Sponsors NIHON SUPERIOR and SOLDERINDO

These competitions continue to highlight Vietnam’s growing electronics manufacturing talent and provide a platform for local and international companies to showcase excellence in workforce skills and industry collaboration.

Global Electronics Association Strengthens Role as Industry Convener, Announces Upcoming Events to Advance Innovation and Collaboration

The Global Electronics Association launches a series of flagship events to convene leaders of a $6T industry as they navigate new technologies, AI implementation, supply chain resiliency and more. The Association's upcoming conferences and tradeshows connect leaders, engineers, and technologists with the solutions and insights they need most.

“From design to assembly to recycling, no single company or industry sector can achieve progress in isolation,” said John W. Mitchell, Global Electronics Association president and CEO. “Our Association provides the forums where critical conversations happen, connections are made, and the future of the industry is shaped.”

The Association’s upcoming events include:

  • IPC CEMAC – September 25-26, Shanghai – This year’s conference, themed “Shaping a Sustainable Future,” will address critical advancements in AI-enabled digital transformation, next-generation packaging technologies, PCB/PCBA process innovations, and ESG-driven sustainability practices. The program is designed to strengthen cross-border collaboration and accelerate technology development that underpins the long-term resilience and sustainable growth of the global electronics industry.
  • Pan-European Electronics Design Conference (PEDC) – January 21-22, 2026, Prague, Czech Republic – Co-organized with Fachverband Elektronikdesign und -fertigung e. V. (FED), the technical conference addresses the industry’s pressing design challenges. Featuring peer-reviewed presentations, attendees gain access to cutting-edge research on silicon-to-systems integration, proven Design for Excellence (DfX) methodologies, and sustainable design frameworks that meet new EU regulations. The conference is limited to 400 participants to ensure meaningful networking and direct access to presenting experts.
  • Integrated Electronics Manufacturing & Interconnections (IEMI) – January 29-30, 2026, Bengaluru, India – India’s premier electronics event features the World Wire Harness Competition, vendor development workshops, one-to-one business matchmaking, educational sessions, and a product showcase.  
  • APEX EXPO – March 14-19, 2026 – Anaheim, Calif. – North America’s largest electronics industry gathering expects more than 400 exhibitors and 7,000 attendees. 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 take part in exclusive product and service launches and the Design Village, where next-generation advanced electronic packaging and system co-design come to life. Pre-conference professional development workshops on March 15-16 offer technical training and the Learning Lounge with workforce training and certification tracks takes place, March 17-19.
  • EWPTE (Electrical Wire Processing Technology Expo) – May 5-7, Milwaukee, Wisc. – The leading event for wire harness, cable, and connector technologies, delivering hands-on technical training and access to top-tier suppliers and innovations.

Added Mitchell, “In an industry where technological advances and supply chain resilience are crucial to success, these events provide the connections, partnerships, and knowledge that drive measurable business results and help address shared challenges.  

Register now at electronics.org/events or contact events@electronics.org for group discounts. Follow @GlobalElectronicsAssociation on LinkedIn for real-time updates and speaker announcements.

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