Mark Goodwin, COO of Europe and the Americas for Ventec International Group, sits down with Barry Matties to explain his approach to supply chain management, efficient distribution, and maintaining definitive product identity at every stage.

Barry Matties: Mark, I recently visited your plant in Kirchheimbolanden (“KiBo”), Germany and was very impressed with the operation from the point of view of logistics. I also had some very interesting conversations with Frank Lorentz, general manager at the facility. There’s a lot of opportunity for the whole concept of logistics in the operation that you’re running.

Mark Goodwin:In terms of logistics, this is a question of systems for us and links into traceability. There’s the physical movement of material and customer service, of course, but just as important are all of those additional benefits relating to service levels and the ability to provide detailed traceability. We have a lot of ongoing investment in our ERP system. For us, it’s a logistics management system that is all about material control. We are already barcoding all of our materials packaging on the way into our stock and on deliveries to our customers in terms of labeling, and we’re now looking at ways of physically marking the material. We already have the capability to etch a QR code onto copper and read it on a scanner or a mobile phone. And we’re going to have QR selection of material and QR control along the whole process inside Ventec with the potential for customers to use it in their own process and gain the benefits as well.

Everybody thinks the laminate business is straightforward. You have copper-clad plastic, and it gets cut up. What could be simpler?... More >

CES 2020 is now over, and the next round of shows is underway (NAMM is also over now, IPC APEX EXPO is next week, followed by AWE and others). CES displayed electronics related to gaming, monitors, computers, smartwatches, TVs, vehicles, cellphones, etc. However, the effect on the industry and the way we live will be felt until the next CES. The largest and most influential participants are usually found at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

The LVCC is made up of three large, connected convention center buildings—some two stories tall—all connected as the largest show floor square footage anywhere... More >

Miva Technologies has a unique perspective, supplying direct imagers to both the semiconductor and PCB markets. Brendan F. Hogan, managing director of MivaTek, explains that while each industry has its own set of requirements and difficulties, the lines are blurring between the two industries, demanding more flexibility from equipment suppliers.

Nolan Johnson: Brendan, let’s start with a quick overview of MivaTek.

Brendan F. Hogan: Miva Technologies is a company that started out in film plotters and chrome mask makers. This set up an interesting dichotomy: while silver film plotters were for the circuit board market, and the chrome mask makers were for semiconductors, the base technology is very similar... More >