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Brexit is creating an uncertain and potentially unstable future.  Whatever – and whenever – the final outcome, its likely that we will have to deal with significant changes to infrastructure, funding and trading arrangements between the UK and the rest of Europe. These changes will have implications for our current and future customers based on the UK mainland.  In particular, the…

What is RoHS 2 and how does it affect my business? RoHS 2 stands for the Restriction of Hazardous Substances in electrical and electronic equipment (EEE). It came into effect in 2011 and prevents all EEE from containing: mercury lead hexavalent chromium cadmium poly-brominated biphenyls (PBB) polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) The exemptions are certain applications where products can’t…

In a recent report Gartner, the research and management advisory firm, predicted that there will be 21 billion Internet connected devices by 2020, while the number of devices that are designed specifically for use in vertical segments – retail, manufacturing, transport etc – will triple, from 1 billion to more than 2.9 billion. This explosion in the Internet of Things (IoT) will create huge…

New product Introduction (NPI) services are designed to help OEMs and manufacturers of electronic products drive down production costs, improve quality and reduce time to market. Here is how to make NPI a success:  1. Be realistic It takes time to move from initial design through the printed circuit board layout, sourcing of individual components, prototype build, setting up the supply chain and…

There is a growing trend among product manufacturers to outsource the production of electronic assemblies to specialised contract electronics manufacturing (CEM) companies, to free up time and resources. When it comes to choosing a CEM partner, product manufacturers are faced with the choice of outsourcing to a domestic (i.e. British based) company or what might at first appear to be a lower cost…

The recent Brexit referendum and US elections, plus an ongoing debate in many European countries, has brought the potential conflict between nationalism and globalisation into sharp focus. Globalisation clearly has many economic advantages for trade, mobility of labour and the flow of goods and services.  It has also led to a major shift in recent years by UK manufacturers to low cost centres…

Contract Electronic Manufacturing (CEM) or Electronic Manufacturing Service (EMS) is a unique resource that can help companies save money while continuing to offer certified products that meet the quality standards demanded by the wider market, by them partnering with a specialised, outsourced production partner. One common myth is that CEM or EMS is just for small or medium sized companies…