Editorial

Citation

Goosey, M. (2007), "Editorial", Circuit World, Vol. 33 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/cw.2007.21733aaa.001

Editorial

The electronics industry is truly global and one that has seen major changes in where its components and products are manufactured. In recent years we have witnessed the migration of printed circuit board (PCB) and related interconnect fabricators to low-cost facilities in the Far East and especially in China. Both the USA and Europe have seen significant reductions in the number of companies making circuitry and in their overall percentage contribution to global production. Traditional markets and product types have been lost and are unlikely to return. Yet, after all of this change, contraction and restructuring, Europe and America still retain a good number of companies that have survived and for whom there is still healthy business and the opportunity to provide a product and service that matches the needs of their customers. This may be due to their focus on fast turn around times, the quality of their products, or the fact that they are supplying high technology solutions locally to companies that prefer, for whatever reason, not to source their circuit boards from the other side of the world. One thing that is clear, however, is that technology continues to play an important part in the overall equation for these companies and that without innovation and the adoption of new approaches to the provision of interconnects, these specialist companies will not have a secure future. It is worth remembering that there is clearly business available for companies having the appropriate technology: the PCB industry is expected to show considerable growth over the next three years with global production predicted to pass the $50 billion point in 2009.

The subject of technology and innovation is thus an important one and it is interesting to consider where the innovative technology for the future will actually be generated. The demise of the vertically integrated approach to electronics manufacturing meant that much of the new materials and process development for making circuitry fell to the equipment and chemistry suppliers to the industry. However, in recent years, there has also been a retrenchment of these companies in their traditional markets as the number of customers available for their products rapidly declined. This then leads us to ask where will the new materials and processes come from that will be needed to satisfy the ever more demanding performance requirements of the electronics industry. Some will undoubtedly still come from the major suppliers but other sources may also need to make a contribution. In Europe there has been a substantial history of international collaborative industrial research that has been supported by funding from the European Commission through its Framework programme. In the UK the Department of Trade and Industry continues to provide support for the electronics sector through the Technology Programme and the Knowledge Transfer Networks. Another area where electronics research is being supported is in UK Academia and one example of this is the Innovative Electronics Manufacturing Research Centre (IeMRC). The IeMRC is supporting research projects in a large number of UK universities and a significant part of this work is related to interconnection and circuitry. The IeMRC is currently just over two years into a five year programme of funding and, although much of the work is still at an early stage, this issue of Circuit World has a special section featuring the work of the IeMRC. In addition to three papers featuring various aspects of IeMRC supported research that has a strong interconnect focus and a paper on the impact of environmental legislation on the PCB industry, there is also a review of the IeMRC's first Annual Conference which took place at Loughborough University in September 2006. As the work of the IeMRC evolves I hope to be able to include more examples of the research it is supporting.

Regular readers of Circuit World will be familiar with the substantial contribution Brian Ellis has made to the journal over many years. Brian has provided the very interesting and thought provoking internet commentaries that contain a range of useful information on the topic under consideration. Brian has decided that the time has come for him to relinquish this role and this will be the last issue that contains one of his contributions. Rather than finish with another internet commentary, Brian has produced a more substantial article which looks back over the changes and evolution he has witnessed during the considerable period he has worked in the industry. On behalf of all associated with Circuit World, I would like to thank Brian for the part he has played in making it the journal it is today and to offer him very best wishes for the future.

Finally, a message to all of Circuit World's readers; please do feel free to contact me with your views, comments and suggestions for the journal. Also, if you are involved in any novel research or technology development activities that have a circuit or interconnect related component do consider publishing details of your work in this journal. Today, circuitry is about so much more than PCBs and I welcome your contributions on any of the wide range of topics that constitute the fascinating world of circuits. I can be contacted by e-mail at martingoosey@aol.com

Martin Goosey