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Costa Rica is quietly becoming one of the most practical case studies in how to win advanced manufacturing without hype. We’re on the ground at the inauguration of a second Zollner facility in Costa Rica, and I’m joined by Laura López, CEO from PROCOMER to unpack what’s really driving the country’s momentum in medical devices, electronics manufacturing, and semiconductors. We talk about what PROCOMER actually does day to day: promoting Costa Rica around the world, supporting exporters, and helping global companies arrive, invest, and grow. That work shows up in a way you can see and feel on an industrial estate that started with early movers and is now packed with new buildings, expanding operations, and growing opportunity. The big idea is ecosystem building, not one-off wins. When suppliers, logistics partners, and future OEM customers cluster around a manufacturer, the whole supply chain gets faster, stronger, and more competitive. We also spend time on the part that decides whether growth is sustainable: talent. Costa Rica treats human talent as a main asset, investing in training pathways with universities and technical institutions and even co-financing company training programs so workers gain the right skills for specific industries. Laura shares how that focus connects to the bigger story: exports growing dramatically over the last decade, and increasing sophistication in what the country produces. If you care about nearshoring, free trade zones, foreign direct investment, and how countries build real manufacturing capability, listen now, share this with a colleague, and leave a review with your biggest question about building a high-tech ecosystem. EMS@C-Level is hosted by global inspection leaders Koh Young (https://www.kohyoung.com) and Global Electronics Association (https://www.electronics.org) You can see video versions of all of the EMS@C-Level pods on our YouTube playlist.

A customer hears “Costa Rica” and thinks rainforests and beaches. Then they walk into a spotless factory, meet a sharp engineering team, and suddenly nearshoring feels like the smartest move on the roadmap. From the inauguration of Zollner’s expansion in Costa Rica, I’m joined by Stephan Weiss, CEO for the Americas, to unpack how manufacturing credibility is built and why this region keeps surprising people who have not visited the floor.  We talk through the growth story from the early Milpitas days in Silicon Valley, the steady expansion, and how added facilities and acquisitions create a stronger Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) network. Stephan explains what it takes to move a product from an early build environment to higher-volume contract manufacturing, and why customers become “sold” once they see the 5S discipline, lean manufacturing mindset, and the clean, organized execution that supports high quality and reliability.  The conversation goes deeper on the real driver: engineering. Costa Rica has developed a critical mass of talent through stronger university pipelines and hands-on EMS experience, enabling more complex mechatronics assemblies and faster problem-solving. We also explore what it means for Costa Rica to become a center of excellence for the Americas, including cross-site work on Kaizen, automation, robotics, and practical AI applications, all while preserving a rare “family culture” that keeps people around for the long haul.  If you care about nearshoring strategy, manufacturing engineering, and what actually convinces customers to move production, this one is for you. Subscribe, share this with a teammate, and leave a review with the biggest factor you look for in an EMS partner. EMS@C-Level is hosted by global inspection leaders Koh Young (https://www.kohyoung.com) and Global Electronics Association (https://www.electronics.org) You can see video versions of all of the EMS@C-Level pods on our YouTube playlist.

Tariffs, regulations, and supply shocks are forcing a hard question: can your electronics manufacturing network move fast without breaking quality? We’re at Zollner in Costa Rica with Martin Eisenhart, who leads global operations in Electronics, to dig into what actually makes an EMS footprint resilient and scalable when customer expectations keep rising. We get specific about the operational backbone that enables control across multiple factories: one ERP across the group, one MES, and one traceability system. That standardization creates real transparency in the global supply chain, helps benchmark performance site to site, and keeps processes aligned as products get more complex in markets like medical devices, industrial electronics, and aerospace manufacturing. We also talk about the less obvious challenge of the next few years: keeping global guidelines while segmenting data and access as geopolitical realities evolve. From there, we shift to agility. If customers need manufacturing moved because of tariffs or regional sourcing requirements, standardized systems make transfers faster and safer while protecting consistent quality. You’ll also hear how Zollner is piloting AI agents in supply chain and admin work, and why Costa Rica is becoming more than a factory through shared services, engineering support, and test fixture capabilities. We close with a candid look at regionalization and why Zollner is reorganizing around the Americas, Europe, and Asia to stay responsive in a deglobalizing world. If you care about EMS strategy, Costa Rica manufacturing, supply chain resilience, and practical digital standardization, hit subscribe, share this with a colleague, and leave a review with the biggest challenge you’re seeing in your manufacturing network. EMS@C-Level is hosted by global inspection leaders Koh Young (https://www.kohyoung.com) and Global Electronics Association (https://www.electronics.org) You can see video versions of all of the EMS@C-Level pods on our YouTube playlist.

You can feel it the moment you walk into a great factory: the pace is confident, the details are tight, and the people carry real pride in what they build. That’s what I hear again and again as I sit down in Costa Rica with Octavio Matus, General Manager of Zollner Costa Rica, for a candid look at how a site grows from early uncertainty into a high-performing electronics manufacturing operation.  We talk about the real startup work behind an EMS launch: developing local suppliers, training teams, and building a culture that lasts. Octavio shares why retention and loyalty are not “soft” topics at all, but a hard advantage for quality, speed, and problem-solving. When your leaders and engineers stay for years, customers don’t just buy capacity, they buy stability and hard-earned know-how.  Then we zoom in on advanced manufacturing and engineering capability. The Costa Rica team is solving customer problems with automation, inspection methodologies, testing support, and DFX thinking like design for manufacturability and design for test, backed by Lean Six Sigma discipline. We also get into the ecosystem that makes scaling possible: relationships with government, academia, and technical schools, plus what customers say when they visit for the first time.  If you care about nearshoring, Costa Rica electronics manufacturing, high-reliability supply chains, or how to build a world-class culture in production, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share this with a colleague, and leave a review with the biggest takeaway you’re applying next. EMS@C-Level is hosted by global inspection leaders Koh Young (https://www.kohyoung.com) and Global Electronics Association (https://www.electronics.org) You can see video versions of all of the EMS@C-Level pods on our YouTube playlist.

The map for global manufacturing is changing fast, and it’s not just about who can build it cheapest anymore. From Costa Rica, I’m joined by Markus Aschenbrenner, Member of the Managing Board of Zollner, to unpack what’s actually driving electronics manufacturing strategy right now: the voice of the customer, the squeeze of geopolitics, and the practical impact of tariffs and IP protection that don’t look like they’re going away. We talk about why regionalization is accelerating and what customers are asking for as they try to protect supply, shorten lead times, and keep access to key markets. Markus shares how a high-tech EMS partner has to think differently, because qualifying a new supplier can take years and reliability becomes the real competitive edge. We also get specific about how a global footprint comes together, from added sites in the US to expanded capability across Southeast Asia, the evolving role of China for local demand, and why India keeps coming up as the next market to watch. Then we rewind to a decision that raised eyebrows: choosing Costa Rica early, when many expected Mexico. We dig into what made the bet work, including stability, an educated workforce, close ties with universities, and the way an industrial park and supplier ecosystem grew up around the site over the last decade. We close with what expansion looks like now, why adding space and SMT matters to customers, and how the team built the confidence to run demanding work like medical and aviation products. If you care about supply chain strategy, nearshoring, and high-reliability manufacturing, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share this with a colleague, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway. EMS@C-Level is hosted by global inspection leaders Koh Young (https://www.kohyoung.com) and Global Electronics Association (https://www.electronics.org) You can see video versions of all of the EMS@C-Level pods on our YouTube playlist.

India’s electronics manufacturing boom has been “coming” for years, but the signals now look a lot more like execution than hype. We sit down with Gaurab Majumda, Vice President at the Global Electronics Association for India and Southeast Asia, to get a grounded view of what’s changing across EMS, semiconductors, PCB manufacturing, and the broader electronics supply chain. From COVID-era disruption to today’s push for risk mitigation and supplier diversification, Gaurab explains why the momentum feels tangible and why global companies should pay attention. We walk through the policy landscape driving investment, including the impact of the PLI scheme and the shift toward more holistic programs that support components, materials, and long-term ecosystem depth. Then we map the real geography of electronics manufacturing hubs, from Bangalore’s defense and aerospace roots to Chennai and Pune’s automotive gravity, to North India’s consumer electronics base, and Gujarat’s growing semiconductor pull, with new activity reaching as far as Assam. We also touch on the rising opportunity in data centers and servers as AI demand accelerates. Quality and scale only matter if they travel together, so we dig into standards adoption, the gap among SMEs, and what India’s rapid rise in certifications says about maturity and reliability. We also explore workforce training that bridges academia and the shop floor, plus grassroots efforts that build pride in hands-on manufacturing work. If you’re sourcing, investing, or building partnerships in India, this conversation gives you practical context and a clearer lens on both the upside and the risks. Subscribe, share this with a colleague, and leave a review with your biggest question about India’s electronics future. EMS@C-Level is hosted by global inspection leaders Koh Young (https://www.kohyoung.com) and Global Electronics Association (https://www.electronics.org) You can see video versions of all of the EMS@C-Level pods on our YouTube playlist.

India's electronics manufacturing story is changing fast, and the old “low-cost” label no longer fully explains what’s happening on the ground. In this episode of The EMS India Pod, recorded in late June 2026, I talk with Murthy Munipalli from InCap India and Otto Pukk, Global President and CEO, about what makes India a serious destination for advanced electronics manufacturing services and why capability, speed, and trust now matter more than labor rates. We get specific about how InCap India scales: from a TVS Electronics acquisition into a three-factory campus near Bangalore, thousands of employees, and state-of-the-art SMT lines including new AI-driven equipment built for dense, complex boards. Murthy shares why low attrition becomes a competitive weapon, how institutional memory improves quality, and what it takes to support global customers with real engineering depth. Otto adds a global lens on why India’s democracy, rule of law, and improving business environment reduce risk for long-term manufacturing programs. Then we zoom out to the India EMS industry itself: rapid market growth, the push toward EVs, AI infrastructure and data centers, and the practical impact of Make in India and PLI incentives on supply chain localization. We also compare India and China honestly, including what India can learn about ecosystems and execution while staying aligned with strict IP protection. If you care about electronics manufacturing in India, EMS strategy, supply chain resilience, or where global production is headed next, this conversation will sharpen your view. Subscribe, share this with a colleague, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway. EMS@C-Level is hosted by global inspection leaders Koh Young (https://www.kohyoung.com) and Global Electronics Association (https://www.electronics.org) You can see video versions of all of the EMS@C-Level pods on our YouTube playlist.

Policy is moving faster than most electronics companies can adapt, and the stakes are no longer limited to margins and lead times. When tariffs, incentives, and industrial strategy change overnight, the entire electronics supply chain feels it, from electronics manufacturing services (EMS) and PCB production to IC substrates, components, and OEM sourcing decisions. I’m joined by Chris Mitchell Vice President for Global Government Relations at the Global Electronics Association to explore why the new Global Electronics Policy Council was created and what makes it different. We talk through the gap it’s trying to fill: a global mechanism where electronics-centric companies can compare notes, align where it makes sense, and engage governments with real operational insight. The point is not just to push a wish list. It’s to build a credible two-way channel so policymakers understand the downstream impact of trade rules, resilience programs, and geopolitical decisions, and so industry understands what governments are trying to achieve. We also get into the detail of what success should look like, particularly  in the first 12 months: expanding representation across the value chain, becoming a recognizable and trusted voice with administrations and agencies, improving communications that raise the profile of the entire electronics supply chain, and shaping research that delivers actionable industry intelligence. Trade volatility comes up repeatedly, including the uncertainty created by shifting tariffs and the importance of preserving USMCA for North American manufacturing stability. Chris shares why the council is intentionally growing at the right pace to protect integrity and long-term credibility across regions, while elaborating on the ideal profile of members and the need for a degree of altruism. If you care about electronics policy, supply chain resilience, and how government decisions shape manufacturing investment, this conversation will give you a clearer map of what’s happening and what’s next. Subscribe, share this episode with a colleague, and leave a review with the policy question you want us to tackle next. EMS@C-Level is hosted by global inspection leaders Koh Young (https://www.kohyoung.com) and Global Electronics Association (https://www.electronics.org) You can see video versions of all of the EMS@C-Level pods on our YouTube playlist.

PCB lead times are climbing, but the real story isn’t just “more demand.” It’s where the supply chain actually breaks first: copper clad laminate, glass cloth, and resin. I’m joined by Vytautas Ilgunas from TLT PCB and Raymond Goh from Confidee to map the bottlenecks that are turning everyday procurement into a long-range planning exercise, and to explain why availability is beating price across the board. We dig into Europe’s manufacturing reality, from the long decline in PCB factories to the even more fragile laminate situation, and why rebuilding capacity takes years of commitment, not months of urgency. Then we zoom out to the global picture: how AI servers and data center buildouts absorb advanced material capacity, why that squeeze cascades down into standard FR4, and how single points of failure upstream can ripple through every EMS schedule. Finally, we get practical about what helps in the short term: better forecasting, earlier ordering, capacity reservations, and approving alternate laminate materials so a program isn’t locked to one source. If you buy, build, or design electronics, this conversation will change how you think about PCB supply chain risk, traceability, and the policies needed to rebuild a complete manufacturing ecosystem.  Subscribe, share this with your procurement or hardware team, and leave a review with your biggest PCB supply chain question. EMS@C-Level is hosted by global inspection leaders Koh Young (https://www.kohyoung.com) and Global Electronics Association (https://www.electronics.org) You can see video versions of all of the EMS@C-Level pods on our YouTube playlist.

The UK is shifting from “can it compete?” to “how fast can it scale?” and the change is showing up in real purchase orders. I sat down with Jon Hurrell, Managing Director at Sellectronics to unpack what’s powering growth in UK electronics manufacturing services, especially the pull from aerospace and rising defense spending across Europe. From a garage origin in Cornwall to running complex SMT assembly at scale, John shares what it takes to grow without breaking quality, delivery, or customer trust.  We also get specific about electronics supply chain disruption. PCB lead times are stretching, and AI data centers are a major force behind it, pulling laminate, capacity, and priority toward high margin builds. John explains how that pressure can spill into component availability, especially for higher end parts and the neighboring ecosystem around BGAs and FPGAs, and why “there’s never a quiet time” if you’re managing procurement and delivery commitments.  As the business grows, customer strategy becomes survival. We talk about the reality of breaking into established prime supply chains, why tier one and tier two system builders can be a better fit, and how startups and neo primes, including fast moving defense and drone programs, lean heavily on manufacturing partners to manage supply chain risk and scaling. We close on the skills gap across UK manufacturing, what it means to home grow talent in a region like Cornwall, and why training and retention are now competitive advantages.  If you found this useful, subscribe, share it with someone in EMS or hardware, and leave a review. What’s the biggest constraint you’re seeing right now: PCBs, components, or people? EMS@C-Level is hosted by global inspection leaders Koh Young (https://www.kohyoung.com) and Global Electronics Association (https://www.electronics.org) You can see video versions of all of the EMS@C-Level pods on our YouTube playlist.

A rebrand can be cosmetic, or it can be a line in the sand about what you build and how you want to grow. I’m joined by Nick Wasserman, President and CEO of PTG Electronics (formerly Pinnacle Technology Group), to unpack why a 40-year, family-owned EMS company in Southeast Michigan changed its name and what that clarity unlocks with customers who need serious electronics manufacturing services, not commodity volume. Nick shares how the business has transitioned leadership, stayed resilient through diversification, and kept its identity rooted in disciplined quality systems.  We spend a big part of the conversation on PTG’s newly earned AS9100 aerospace certification and what it signals to aerospace and mil-aero buyers looking for traceability, repeatability, and a partner who can handle mid-volume, higher-complexity electronics assembly. That naturally connects to the surge of activity in the drone space, where startups and newer entrants are moving fast and need an EMS partner who can help with design for manufacturability, documentation readiness, and ramp planning, not just build-to-print execution. If you’ve ever watched a promising prototype stumble in production, you’ll recognize why “manufacturable at the right scale” is the real standard.  Nick also explains how digital transformation and AI are changing the unsexy but crucial parts of contract manufacturing: speed to quote, speed to onboard, and speed to launch purchasing. We talk about the balance between turning quotes quickly and still delivering pricing that reflects real sourcing, plus the supply chain turbulence hitting the industry, from memory constraints to emerging FR4 laminate concerns for printed circuit boards. We close with how tariffs, second-sourcing strategies, and regional manufacturing “arms” are pushing more work toward US EMS providers, including opportunities where PTG supports turnkey fulfillment and even ships directly to end customers.  If you care about aerospace manufacturing, drone hardware, EMS partnership models, AI in manufacturing operations, or the reality of today’s electronics supply chain, hit play. Subscribe, share this with a colleague, and leave a review with the biggest constraint you’re seeing right now. EMS@C-Level is hosted by global inspection leaders Koh Young (https://www.kohyoung.com) and Global Electronics Association (https://www.electronics.org) You can see video versions of all of the EMS@C-Level pods on our YouTube playlist.

Buying a company out of insolvency is one of those decisions that sounds bold from the outside and feels very different at 2 a.m. when you are the owner. I sit down with Carsten Ellermeier to unpack his first fourteen months leading Deltec Group as both CEO and owner, including what the automotive downturn revealed about concentration risk and why trust with customers and suppliers becomes your real operating system. We get specific about the turnaround playbook in electronics manufacturing services (EMS): diversifying revenue away from automotive without throwing away the quality culture that automotive PCB assembly builds. Carsten explains why many legacy automotive electronics still fit the EV transition, then lays out the non-automotive growth lanes he sees as real, not hype: medical manufacturing with rigorous traceability, robotics and automation with strong German mid-market demand, and energy storage and charging infrastructure that rewards disciplined industrialization. A big chunk of our conversation goes deep on vertical integration and digital transformation. Deltec is moving from high-tech PCBA into complete modules and products, backed by test strategy and end-to-end data. We also dig into the Panasonic partnership and the new guided manual assembly approach that ties together pick-to-light, camera support, traceability, and KPI measurement, setting up an AI-ready foundation built on inspection data like SPI, AOI, and X-ray. That vertical integration story gets a concrete second chapter with the acquisition of a former Circor facility in Tunisia, adding wire harness assembly, cable assembly, plastic injection, and over-moulding capability alongside an existing SMT and THT operation. Carsten explains why the site's free trade zone status, German industrial heritage, and experienced local workforce made it the right answer when customers started asking about plan B. We close by zooming out to supply chain pressure around PCB laminate and how transparent forecasting and hard-but-fair relationships keep production stable. If you found this useful, subscribe, share the episode with a manufacturing leader, and leave us a review. What part of an EMS turnaround would you tackle first? EMS@C-Level is hosted by global inspection leaders Koh Young (https://www.kohyoung.com) and Global Electronics Association (https://www.electronics.org) You can see video versions of all of the EMS@C-Level pods on our YouTube playlist.

AI is boosting demand and breaking planning models at the same time, and that tension shows up everywhere in electronics manufacturing services right now. From my home to yours, I sit down with Otto Pukk, President and CEO of INCAP, to take stock after Q1 and get specific about what a stronger 2026 actually depends on: execution, supply resilience, and a footprint that can serve customers where they need to build.  We talk through INCAP’s recent acquisition of Lacon and what “integration” really looks like in a lean, decentralized EMS organization. Otto shares why cultural fit matters more than slide decks, how cross-selling becomes a practical organic growth engine, and why customer concentration risk looks very different today than it did years ago. We also dig into the structural shifts required to scale, including a new regional approach that adds just enough governance to protect leadership time without taking ownership away from factory teams.  From there, we zoom out to geographic strategy and market forces. India plays a central role, not as a simple low-cost bet but as a capability and engineering hub, while the US market still feels like early innings. We also get into automation, early AI use in manufacturing, and the real-world headaches of component availability as AI data centers pull on semiconductor supply. Tariffs come up too, framed as a “new normal” that EMS partners have to navigate calmly. Finally, we tackle the defense boom with a balanced lens, including how startups and drones are reshaping defense electronics and manufacturing expectations.  If you found this useful, subscribe for more EMS leadership conversations, share the episode with a colleague, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway. EMS@C-Level is hosted by global inspection leaders Koh Young (https://www.kohyoung.com) and Global Electronics Association (https://www.electronics.org) You can see video versions of all of the EMS@C-Level pods on our YouTube playlist.

Global EMS demand is back in growth mode, yet parts of Europe are still shrinking and the gap is getting harder to ignore. I sat down with Christoph Solka, Director Industry Intelligence at the Global Electronics Association to talk through what the latest data is really signaling and why “Europe vs the world” is too simple to be useful when the market is splitting by region, sector, and exposure to AI infrastructure. We also get into the behind-the-scenes story of building a unified electronics industry intelligence platform. With European EMS data, European PCB reporting, global rankings, and ongoing market analysis coming together at the Global Electronics Association, the big question becomes: how do you scale the system without breaking the trust that took decades to earn? Christoph explains why the first priority is strengthening the IT foundation, reducing error risk, and creating a platform that can handle larger-scale data collection while keeping the methodology steady and familiar for subscribers. Then we turn back to the numbers: why automotive weakness and local economic conditions weigh on Western Europe, why certain Eastern European players benefit more from AI-linked demand, and how defense spending can reshape outcomes in places like the Nordics. We also discuss a striking indicator of resilience: many companies improve margins even as revenue falls, and what that mix of cost control, headcount pressure, and agility says about the EMS industry right now. If you care about EMS market intelligence, PCB industry trends, and practical signals you can use for planning and strategy, this is a must-listen. Subscribe, share, and leave a review, then tell us: what single metric best predicts a turnaround where you operate? EMS@C-Level is hosted by global inspection leaders Koh Young (https://www.kohyoung.com) and Global Electronics Association (https://www.electronics.org) You can see video versions of all of the EMS@C-Level pods on our YouTube playlist.

Carmakers are quietly changing the rules of the automotive supply chain, and it shows up first on the printed circuit board. From my recent visit to ALL Circuits' flagship facility south of Paris, I’m joined by President & CEO Bruno Racault to talk about why some EMS companies are doing better than the doom-and-gloom narrative around European automotive, and what “winning” looks like when the engine is no longer the center of the car. We get specific about the EV pivot: why ALL Circuits bet early on the growing need for OEM-controlled electronics, how carmakers bring engineering and intellectual property back inside, and why that move can squeeze traditional tier one suppliers that built their business on full ECU design-and-build. Bruno explains the new relationship many automakers want: they define the product, they keep the know-how, and they rely on electronics manufacturing services partners for PCB assembly, process discipline, and consistent quality. We also dig into what actually creates advantage in automotive electronics manufacturing: support that helps OEM teams understand manufacturing limits, DFX feedback that speeds up design changes, and the real cost of waiting on long logistics cycles. Yes, China can be cheaper and often better at execution, so we talk about humility, learning, and where Europe can still differentiate through innovation, supplier access, and faster iteration close to the customer. If you care about EV supply chains, PCB manufacturing, and how automakers are reshaping control of the vehicle’s electronics, listen through to the end and tell us what you think the next competitive edge will be. Subscribe, share with a colleague in automotive or electronics, and leave a review so more builders can find the show. EMS@C-Level is hosted by global inspection leaders Koh Young (https://www.kohyoung.com) and Global Electronics Association (https://www.electronics.org) You can see video versions of all of the EMS@C-Level pods on our YouTube playlist.