Contract Electronics Manufacturers (CEMs) can add substantial value to New Product Introductions (NPIs) but only if the outsourcing engagement model is collaborative rather than transactional. Nick Fairhead, Sales & Marketing Director of Speedboard Assembly Services, explains how ‘virtual shop floor’ arrangements produce a real win-win.

The practice of outsourcing the manufacture of PCB assemblies (PCBAs) is commonplace within the electronics industry. However, in the current economic climate, CEMs that cannot find new and innovative ways to add value to the services they offer face a bleak future. To add true value – particularly where an NPI is concerned – it is necessary to move away from the traditional model of waiting until the design is considered final before engaging with a CEM, even if it is a manufacturer that has been used before.