Date
08/15/2013
PDF
To increase prominence and enhance networking opportunities, productronica 2013 is strengthening its focus on the topics of circuit boards and electronic manufacturing services with a successful platform known as the PCB & EMS Marketplace. When the leading trade fair for innovative electronics production opens its gates in Munich from November 12 - 15, 2013, all of Hall 3 will be dedicated to these two sectors. The marketplace will have a prominent, central location and give exhibitors and visitors various ways to gather information on PCB manufacturing and EMS. The PCB & EMS Marketplace is a central meeting place for exhibitors and visitors alike. It is also productronica's way of placing special emphasis on these topics. A new feature at this year's fair is the Interactive Corner, which is an additional opportunity for an intense and direct exchange of information, especially for visitors. There will also be a Speakers Corner, which will feature a number of lectures and panel discussions on the industry's latest hot topics. The second day of the fair will revolve entirely around EMS providers: The German Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers' Association (ZVEI) is organizing a series of technical lectures as part of a Highlight Day on November 13. In addition, the weekly newspaper "Markt&Technik" is hosting a panel discussion in the Speakers Corner in Hall B1 from 13:00 to 14:00. Experts from the EMS sector will discuss the topic "Silver Bullet: Development, Engineering, Manufacturing and Mechatronics from a Single Source. Are (successful) EMS Providers becoming System Integrators?" The discussion will be held in German. Panel members are Hans Magon (Managing Director, Asteelflash Germany and Eastern Europe), Michael Velmeden (Managing Director, cms electronics), Roland Hollstein (Managing Director, Grundig Business Services), Pierre Ball (General Manager Germany, Lacroix Electronics), Ru?diger Stahl (Managing Director, TQ Group) and Johann Weber (CEO, Zollner Elektronik). The Highlight Day on EMS ends with the presentation of the "BestEMS 2013" award, also at the PCB & EMS Marketplace. The award is presented each year by "Markt&Technik" and elektroniknet.de. Europe can still score points in product development, the production of medium batch sizes, high flexibility and in-depth technical know-how. Many EMS specialists now not only offer production-related engineering, they also support or take over product development themselves. Profectus is a good example of this: "Doing a very good job is important, even when it comes to small or medium batch sizes. That is not possible without development services. productronica 2013 is a very good marketing portal where we can discuss the complexity of development services directly," stresses Helmut Bechtold, Managing Director at Profectus. Companies such as Leesys - Leipzig Electronic Systems view the PCB & EMS Marketplace as a good communication platform for promoting their extensive portfolio. "We are a relatively new company, so for us, the PCB & EMS Marketplace is a very good platform for calling attention to our diverse range of manufacturing solutions and acquiring new customers," explains Jo?rg Friedrich, CEO of Leesys. Upswing in the German PCB sector According to the PCB and Electronic Systems Division of the ZVEI, the industry is currently experiencing moderate growth. The German market for circuit boards is expected to grow by 1.3 percent to approximately EUR 1.3 billion in 2013. The market for electronic assemblies (in-house manufacturers and electronic manufacturing service providers) is expected to grow by 0.4 percent to EUR 24 billion. Dr. Wolfgang Bochtler, Chairman of the PCB and Electronic Systems Division of the ZVEI and Managing Director of Mektec, is convinced that this will also be reflected in Hall B1: "The German and European PCB and EMS industries did a very good job of holding their own during the past year despite extreme competitive pressure, especially from Southeast Asia. This especially applies to companies with technologically advanced products that require a great deal of innovation and development effort. Products of this type can only be produced and the necessary quality guaranteed with fully functioning cooperation along the delivery chain from the customer to the material manufacturer. The concept of the Marketplace reflects that cooperation." Above all, the PCB & EMS Marketplace is also a platform for the PCB industry. The German PCB industry continues to recover. Increased sales among PCB companies are a sign of strong demand for technology expertise made in Europe. Hartmut Pfromm, Sales & Marketing Manager at Beta Layout, also confirms this development: "This superior technological expertise is achieved through close cooperation between research and production. That is why the PCB & EMS Marketplace is very attractive to us, because productronica 2013 uses this innovative concept to address and bring together the industry's exhibitors and visitors." Daniel Schmidt, Head of Global Marketing Electronics Business Division, Atotech Germany, agrees: "The PCB & EMS Marketplace is perfect for all manufacturers, customers, suppliers and visitors who are interested in innovative process solutions and system technology from now and in the future. It allows them to introduce and discuss market trends and technical challenges." productronica 2013
