National Electronics Manf. Roadmap Indicates Strong Market Growth Will Strain Manufacturing Capacity And Demand New Processes;Supply Chain Management Emerges as Differentiator And Environmental Profiles of Products Gain Increased Significance
Copyright 2001 PR Newswire Association, Inc.
red-m.com
January 17, 2001, Wednesday 11:30 AM Eastern Time
APEX -- The electronics manufacturing industry continues to grow at a phenomenal rate, driven by an explosion of new products and applications, and this growth will put tremendous strain on manufacturing capacity in the next few years. In addition, the breakthrough technologies enabling these new products present manufacturing challenges that will require new solutions in areas such as packaging, components and assembly processes. This is according to the findings of the National Electronics Manufacturing Initiative''s (NEMI''s) latest roadmap, which was made public today at APEX (SM), the IPC-sponsored electronics assembly process conference and exhibition, and via a live webcast from the conference.
Other leading trends identified by NEMI''s 2000 roadmap include a continued quest for greater productivity and lower cost, a shift in focus for where future gains may be found, plus an increasing emphasis on the environmental profile of electronic products.
Speaking to the gathering of electronics manufacturers and suppliers, Jim McElroy, executive director and CEO of NEMI, told conference attendees and webcast participants that portable wireless products will dominate electronics manufacturing. Third-generation cell phones, Bluetooth devices and optoelectronics are eclipsing the personal computer as the drivers of manufacturing volume. In addition, the prime source for continued cost reduction has migrated from manufacturing efficiency to improved supply chain management. |
