IPC, in conjunction with Global Industrie/Midest, Snese and IFTEC, conducted an IPC Hand Soldering Competition in Paris on March 27-30, 2018. The competition was fierce as 48 competitors went soldering iron to soldering iron to compete for the coveted hand soldering competition crown. For the first time in the IPC hand soldering competition history, the top three winners came from the same company, Matra Electronique in France. Taking first place with a cash prize of €300 and winning a JBC soldering station was Nathalie Kaladgwe, who earned 440 points out of a possible 445. Kaladgwe will be invited to compete at the IPC World Championship Hand Soldering Competition at IPC APEX EXPO 2019, San Diego, in January 2019

Don Dupriest, Lockheed Martin Missiles & Fire Control, has been elected chair of the IPC Technical Activities Executive Committee (TAEC) for a two-year term. Dupriest succeeds Chris Mahanna of Robisan Laboratory, Inc., who held the role for IPC's top standards development oversight committee for the past two years.

IPC announced today the February 2018 findings from its North American Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Statistical Program. Year-over-year shipment and order growth continued in February, and the book-to-bill ratio climbed to 1.17.

IPC — Association Connecting Electronics Industries® IPC released the results of its first-quarter 2018 global Pulse of the Electronics Industry survey at IPC APEX EXPO 2018 in San Diego on February 28. The survey shows worldwide business environment scores as positive and strengthening. The outlook for the next six months and 12 months climbed to their highest levels since the quarterly survey was launched in July 2017.

IPC’s statistical programs for the global assembly equipment and solder industries are now open to new participants for 2018. The deadline for IPC members to sign up is April 6. Participation is free to IPC-member companies as a benefit of membership.

IPC – Association Connecting Electronics Industries®, the global industry association representing the $2 trillion global electronics industry, expressed concern today following President Trump’s announcement that he will impose significantly higher tariffs on electronics imported from China.

IPC's Validation Services Program has awarded an IPC-4101 Qualified Products Listing (QPL) to Arlon Electronic Materials Division, an electronics material manufacturing company headquartered in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.

IPC® presented Committee Leadership, Distinguished Committee Service and Special Recognition Awards at IPC APEX EXPO 2018 at the San Diego Convention Center. The awards were presented to individuals who made significant contributions to IPC and the industry by lending their time and expertise through IPC committee service.

IPC invites engineers, researchers, academics, technical experts and industry leaders to submit technical conference abstracts and course proposals for IPC APEX EXPO 2019 to be held at the San Diego Convention Center. Professional development courses will take place January 27, 28 and 31, 2019 and the technical conference will take place January 29–31, 2019.

In recognition of their leadership and contributions to IPC and the electronics industry within the past five years, IPC® presented an IPC Rising Star award to Yusaku Kono, Japan Unix, and Pierre-Emmauel Gourtorbe, Airbus, at IPC APEX EXPO 2018.