I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week

Reading time ( words)

This week’s top five is a smattering across the industry. There’s an update on an established vendor and a press release from a startup. Then, we have two columns: one on M&A, and the other on supply chain disruptions. Finally, I highlight an interview from a U.S. food distributor sales manager, shedding light on the similarities of supply chain interruption in all industries. It's quite an assortment, but what they all have in common is that readers found these items compelling.

Dale Smith and David Moody: Lenthor Pushing Limits to Flex Technology
Published 7/21

Andy Shaughnessy speaks with Dale Smith and David Moody from Lenthor Engineering. Dale recently joined the Lenthor team, and he talks about his list of projects underway. David shares an operations update on Lenthor during COVID-19 and what he thinks is the future landscape.

Avishtech Announces Gauss Stack and Gauss 2D PCB Modeling Software
Published 7/20

Avishtech is a startup, making its debut on the open market with some modeling software that’s quite innovative. I-Connect007 followed up, interviewing founder Keshav Amla for an upcoming feature. If design and/or CAM engineering is your thing, you’ll want to catch up on Avishtech.

Punching Out! Acquiring a Distressed Company by Tom Kastner
Published 7/20

“Everyone loves a bargain,” Kastner starts his column, continuing, “Here are some thoughts on acquiring a distressed or underperforming business.” Tom’s columns are consistently well-read; this column, however, caused a spike. Apparently, everyone likes reading about how to spot a bargain, too.

Lean Digital Thread: Driving Productivity Excellence—Lean PCB Manufacturing
Published 7/22

Sagi Reuven gets a little vulnerable in this column, in a good way. COVID-19 helped Sagi, a digital factory expert, experience the impact of an interrupted supply chain first-hand. He shares what he learned, which makes for a compelling read.

Selling in a Post-COVID Environment
Published 7/21

Sometimes, it helps to look outside your own industry for a sanity check. I-Connect007 did just that, conducting an interview with Penny Cole, a regional sales manager for a food wholesaler. Penny shares stories and lessons learned from food distribution; it’s telling how applicable her lessons are to our business, as well. Based on the reads, you thought so too.

03/24/2023 | Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007

It’s almost as if upheaval is the new normal. We often describe slow-moving but unstoppable change as moving in “geologic time.” But occasionally–like an earthquake–geology shifts suddenly. Here in my office, tracking the news of the industry, things are moving faster than geologic time, but more slowly than the jolt of an earthquake. The wave seems almost surfable, where before it seemed overwhelming. In this week’s list, we bring news from five different, high-vibration areas in our industry. If you read nothing else this week, these five items will keep you informed.

03/21/2023 | Christopher Bonsell, Chemcut

This year, I had the great opportunity to come to IPC APEX EXPO in San Diego as a contributing member in Chemcut’s booth. Being an exhibitor is always interesting because you never know what you will learn or who you will meet. Truly, it seems that every IPC APEX EXPO is an eye-opening experience. This was the second show I attended, and last year I was amazed to see how in-depth and interconnected the electronics industry is. Seeing how many different companies contribute to manufacturing today’s core technology never fails to impress me.

03/21/2023 | Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007

Investments, staffing, cybersecurity, and a peek into his crystal ball—John Vaughan, vice president of strategic markets at Summit Interconnect, sits down with Nolan Johnson to talk about it all. Business is good, by the way, thanks to Summit’s portfolio of military contracts, and he has sound advice to offer for smaller shops in the United States, and their real ability to make a difference in PCB fabrication.