IPC Midwest Conference & Exhibition, held last week, proved that a regional event can be a win-win for all facets of the electronics manufacturing industry. From the highly productive standards development committee meetings, to the enlightening technical sessions, to the business conducted on the exhibition floor and the added excitement of the Hand Soldering Competition, IPC Midwest exhibitors, instructors, speakers and participants demonstrated the value of a focused show for the printed board and electronics assembly industries. Additionally, attendance figures jumped nine percent over last year; a total of 1,087 individuals participated.
“This show is the direct result of requests from local exhibitors for a focused event for printed boards and electronics manufacturing. As part of IPC’s mission, we are helping regional suppliers gain exposure and build their businesses,” notes Alicia Balonek, IPC director of trade show operations.
Raphael Padilla of Senju Comtek Corp. concurs, “A number of very important contacts were here for the conferences and stopped by our booth, as did a number of local EMS companies and OEMs — great for developing rapport and keeping our customer base strong.”
“We had an excellent show, probably the best we’ve had in surface mount technology since 2007,” says Lynn Roose, president of MicroScreen, LLC. “The show had an exciting atmosphere due to all the new technologies and the mix of existing customers and potential new customers. We had a great time!”
IPC Midwest Conference & Exhibition will return to the Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel & Convention Center in 2012. The meetings and courses will be held August 19–23. The conference and exhibition will be held August 22–23. For information on exhibiting or sponsorships, contact Maria Labriola, IPC trade show sales manager, at Marialabriola@ipc.org or +1 847-597-2866.
IPC (www.IPC.org) is a global trade association based in Bannockburn, Ill., dedicated to the competitive excellence and financial success of its 3,000 member companies which represent all facets of the electronics industry, including design, printed board manufacturing, electronics assembly and test. As a member-driven organization and leading source for industry standards, training, market research and public policy advocacy, IPC supports programs to meet the needs of an estimated $1.85 trillion global electronics industry. IPC maintains additional offices in Taos, N.M.; Arlington, Va.; Stockholm, Sweden; Moscow, Russia; Bangalore, India; and Shanghai, Shenzhen and Beijing, China.