Case Study: A successful model for PCB fabrication in an ever-changing market
Case Study: A successful
model for PCB fabrication
in an ever-changing market
From the date the company started in
1999 to the present recessionary slump,
few companies have been able to show the
consistent steady growth and controlled
quality management of PCBs from design
to prototype to mass production as P. D.
Circuits.
Software controls, professional long-
term employees, quality control throughout
and steady business management keep P.
D. Circuits growing strong, even in rough
financial markets.
Recent news about PCB design and
production characterizes the industry as
one in a stage of flux, responding to global
and macroeconomic recessionary condi-
tions. Headlines reflect a shrinking market
in 2008.” For a $5 billion industry in
for PCs, with declining automotive elec-
North America alone and approximately
tronics, a lowering of the book-to-bill ratio,
$45 billion worldwide, making $24 million
poor financial results for many electronics
might seem like a small piece of the whole
firms in quarter-to quarter and year-over-
pie. However, the attitude of the company
year reports, and falling stock markets. In a
is an ambitious one. “There’s so much
time when negative headlines for electron-
more business to be had out there,” said
ics production are more common than
Wolff.
positive ones, Hampstead, N.H.-based P.
D. Circuits, Inc. keeps growing in size and
reasons for success
strength and stands out through rock-
As we toured the building, Wolff talked
steady business management.
about the reasons behind his firm’s success.
P. D. Circuits is noted for providing
“We’re offering bare board supply
electronics OEMs and EMS with a com-
chain management, including engineering
prehensive approach to handling circuit
expertise, choice of manufacturing venues
board design, prototype and production.
in qualified facilities and inventory man-
We visited their headquarters to talk with
agement of finished and inspected boards.”
David Wolff, president and CEO, and his
The firm uses DFM (design for manufac-
staff to see first hand some of the reasons
turability) processes to lower production
for the company’s success.
costs and build a reliable board with long
The company looks for the best, yet
board life.
low-cost, providers of board production,
Dorothy Bograkos, engineering man-
with 30% of boards built by U.S. firms and
ager, has 26 years invested in PCB fabrica-
70% built in Asia—most of which is accom-
tion and assembly. She leads the team to
plished in China. The next place to build
ensuring that board layouts are checked apart, and many employees joined P. D. at
boards appears to be Vietnam, Cambodia
for functional integrity and manufactur- that time.
and Laos, though these locations are not
ability to avoid time-consuming issues later “Hadco’s employees had a ‘we will
ready for prime time and are not used by P.
in production. As we talked to Bograkos, figure it out’ attitude and they brought that
D. Circuits at present.
we learned that she and many of P. D. to us,” said Wolff. At P.D., engineers have,
“We’re not immune to market swings,
Circuits staff started their careers at the on average, 24 years of experience.
for instance the end of December and
former Hadco plant, once the largest North
January was slow,” said Wolff. “Though
American bare-board manufacturer, located
alliances
our sales were up 32% in 2008, climbing
in Derry, N.H. After Sanmina purchased
“We have 300 active customers now,” said
from $17 million in 2007 to $23.4 million
Hadco in 2001, things started breaking
Wolff. Because of economic conditions,
46 – Global SMT & Packaging – June 2009 www.globalsmt.net
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