May/June, 2012 Bringing it Home Continued fromprevious page Suntron’s Saunders gives a
great deal of credit to ZeeVee for tak- ing the time to quantify what manu- facturing in China actually means to their business. He applauds the over- all business savvy it takes to look at total costs, saying, “We have been building electronic devices and print- ed circuit board assemblies for 30 years, and for the last 15 years we have been told that only niche, low- volume high price products can be manufactured in the U.S. cost effec- tively. We knew differently, and our success with ZeeVee proves that we can manufacture cost effectively in the U.S.”
ZeeVee in turn has high regard
for Suntron’s investment in U.S. manufacturing, noting that it was Suntron’s own investment in manu- facturing that paved the way for ZeeVee to come back to the U.S. Is U.S. manufacturing the wave
of the future? According to Saunders, although labor costs in China are increasing, manufacturing there still makes sense for very high volume items and those that require a great deal of hand work. For example, cell phones and disposable electronics are likely to continue being manufac- tured offshore, due to the nature of
H&T Global Circuits Launches Web-Based Division
St. Petersburg, FL — H&T Global Circuits has launched H&T Express to satisfy today’s market trend of ordering printed circuit boards (PCBs) online when they are needed urgently. Because speed is key in these cases, the company created H&T Express to meet these cus- tomers’ needs worldwide. For nearly 20 years, HT Global
Circuits has expanded its capabili- ties and services to meet the broader needs of a diversified global market. Through innovation and acquisition, the company has grown from the largest PCB manufacturer in Florida to one of the largest privately held PCB manufacturers in the world. A critical part of the company’s
competitive advantage was the early development of a global manufactur- ing strategy. Production operations in both Germany and the Middle East have provided the foundation for expansion in the world market. H&T Express transforms de -
signs into a reliable, quality board. The company offers 1-12 layer quick- turn prototype boards shipped in as little as 24 hours, excels at service, and quickly responds to customer needs. The company’s offices are strategically and globally located, and its highly trained staff is always available. This enables H&T Express to provide the highest quality PCBs at the best cost possible. Contact: HT Global Circuits,
2510 Terminal Dr., St. Petersburg, FL 33712 % 727-369-1222 fax: 727-369-1242 E-mail:
sales@htglobalcircuits.com Web:
www.htglobalcircuits.com
the product. However, in his view, firms should take a closer look at manufacturing products in the U.S. He also believes that products requiring a combination of automat- ed equipment and skilled labor can be manufactured very competitively in the U.S., because machines have become more automated and higher machine efficiency allows for greater throughput. Odryna notes that as the tech-
nology evolves, it can be challenging to work with people on the other side of the world, or waiting nearly two months for cargo to arrive by boat. With development performed domes- tically, ZeeVee can reduce shipping costs and rush charges, more easily
www.us-tech.com
develop new products, and balance SKUs. The bottom line is that ZeeVee can be more competitive. As jobs continue to be a hot-but-
ton issue in the U.S., there has been a growing number of stories report- ing on a shift of manufacturing back to the U.S. due, in part, to rising costs in China, along with concern about intellectual property and patent laws, and a desire to support the U.S. economy. After several months of working with Suntron, ZeeVee said the question other com- panies should ask is, “Why not use a domestic manufacturer” Says Odryna. “Every manufacturer should investigate doing business stateside. ZeeVee has made it work and there is no reason other firms cannot realize
Page 33
the same benefits.” Ed Wheeler, Suntron’s presi-
dent and CEO puts it this way: “I firmly believe this success can be replicated by other businesses who take the time to evaluate the total costs of off-shore manufacturing. If your overseas manufacturing isn’t working as well as you hoped it would, try working with a U.S. man- ufacturer like Suntron. Even if things are going well, Suntron has demonstrated that it can improve cost, quality and other logistics that will allow you to work better as a company.” Contact: Suntron Corp., 300
Griffin Brook Dr., Methuen, MA 01844 % 978-208-4555 Web:
www.suntroncorp.com r
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