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all modern electronic devices. Electronics manufacturing,


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he emphasized, will remain a key industry —even as value cre- ation shifts and production mod- els continue to evolve.


Innovation and Speed While opportunity abounds,


the challenges are equally signif- icant. One of the most pressing is the sheer pace of innovation, now amplified by artificial intelli- gence. Companies must learn faster, adapt more quickly, and innovate continuously. “We see this as a chance to


learn and grow,” Lauber ex- plained, “and to further strengthen each of our SEMI and SMT Solutions segments as inde- pendent strategic businesses, closely aligned with customer re-


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March 2026 ASMPT and Transformative Times...


quirements.” This structural flexibility al-


lows ASMPT to respond more ef- fectively to rapid technological change while keeping customers at the center of innovation.


Navigating Geopolitics Global politics and regula-


tion add another layer of com- plexity. Lauber describes today’s environment as increasingly BANI — “brittle, anxious, nonlin- ear, and incomprehensible” — a reality that directly affects sup- ply chains, raw material access, and trade policies. In response, resilience has


become a leadership imperative. “As managers, we must build trust where governments cannot ensure stability,” Lauber said. “And we must provide orienta- tion in a world that is constantly


Why High-Mix is the Future... Continued from page 1


throughput. Manufacturers that can manage frequent change - overs, multiple bill-of-materials configurations, and varied process requirements without sacrificing quality or delivery performance are increasingly in demand. In many cases, these capabilities matter more to customers than the lowest quoted price. For OEMs operating in fast-


moving or regulated markets, the ability to introduce new de- signs quickly and adjust produc- tion in response to demand shifts is a strategic advantage. Executing high-mix produc-


tion well is not trivial. It exposes weaknesses that high-volume en- vironments can mask. Poor data


reinventing itself.” Collaboration plays a criti-


cal role here. ASMPT actively supports industry-wide initia- tives and standards, including multi-vendor communication protocols, to strengthen coopera- tion across the electronics ecosystem. According to Lauber, suppliers, customers, and associ- ations can only succeed if they work together.


The Next Wave of Growth Looking ahead, Lauber


identifies these industries driv- ing global innovation: artificial intelligence, hyperconnectivity, smart mobility, consumer elec- tronics and smartphones, and green energy and power electron- ics. Each brings new demands for performance, precision, and


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discipline, disconnected systems, manual workarounds, and tribal knowledge all become liabilities when product variation increases. As a result, manufacturers


that succeed in high-mix environ- ments tend to have stronger fun- damentals: standardized pro - cesses, robust engineering change management, and tight integra- tion between design, production, and quality.


Digital Infrastructure as an Enabler


Digital infrastructure plays


a critical role. MES platforms, intelligent line programming, feeder management, and closed- loop quality systems enable rap- id transitions between products


while maintaining traceability and control. In high-mix environ- ments, learning speed often mat- ters more than raw efficiency. Equally important is the ability to use production data to identify trends, prevent defects, and shorten feedback loops between manufacturing and engineering.


Complexity as a Competitive Edge


As electronics become more


application-specific and supply chains remain volatile, high-mix manufacturing will continue to move from niche capability to core expectation. In the new elec- tronics landscape, the winners will not simply be those who can make more units faster, but those who can deliver the right products, in the right configura- tions, at the right time —without compromising quality. r


Contents


Tech-Op-Ed ........................... 4 Tech Watch ...........................10 People......................................12 Business News......................14 Business Briefs.................... 15 Management............................16 EMS ........................................18 Electronic Mfg. Prods..............28 Production...............................40 Partnering................................42 Distribution..............................44 New Products.........................88 High-Tech Events...................96 2026 Editorial Calendar..........96 Advertisers Index................... 98


Special Focus: Assembly & Automation....... 46


Product Preview: APEX..........................................58 See at APEX Expo, Booth 3912


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