Product category: Electronics Manufacturing Services
News Release from: Components Bureau | Subject: SMT manufacturing services
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial Team on 15 May 2006

Deal brings UK
support for Eastern manufacturing

Components Bureau announces the signing of an agreement to represent Surface Mount Technology (SMT) in the UK

Components Bureau has signed an agreement to represent surface mount technology (SMT) in the UK. The deal with this significant Asian provider of electronics manufacturing services (EMS), will benefit UK companies by offering the advantages of low cost manufacturing while having an intermediary that knows the Asian markets intimately and can provide local and international support.

The agreement between Components Bureau and SMT, one of the top ten EMS providers listed on the Singapore stock exchange, is intended to assist the many companies in the UK that wish to cut costs and stay competitive in the European market.

There are various reasons why UK companies would consider outsourcing, which include production capacity, labour costs, or cost-sensitive assemblies/box-builds.

However, outsourcing is not without its own risks, differing work practices and local customs mean that moving manufacture can be problematic for those companies with limited experience in Asia.

The agreement with SMT, combined with Components Bureau's experience in Asian markets can eliminate these problems and achieve cost reductions from the start, which will continue throughout the project.

Customers will also receive full engineering support, both locally and in Hong Kong throughout the production process.

As a part of its all-round service, Components Bureau offers the customer a single price which can include material procurement, assembly, ICT, functional test, conformal coating, final assembly, import to the UK and delivery or shipment to the customer's preferred distribution centre.

Components Bureau also offers customers the use of its own facilities as a buffer for JIT programmes.

To assure the complete savings package for its customers, Components Bureau will compare European raw materials pricing with costs from SMT in the Asian market, thus guaranteeing the best possible price.

With over 20 years' experience of distribution in the UK and strong relationships with its partners in Asia, Components Bureau has the in-depth knowledge of both markets and work practices to make it the ideal interface company.

Headquartered in Hong Kong, SMT has three production plants in China with a combined production area of 58,000m2, over 100 surface mount lines and 10,000 employees.

All three SMT manufacturing plants are certified for quality management, environmental compliance and health and safety to ISO9001, ISO14001, OHSAS 18001 and additionally ISO/TS16949 for the automotive industry.

Other green manufacturing initiatives such as lead-free soldering, the elimination of heavy metals and halogen-free PCBs have been implemented to ensure SMT is as environmentally friendly as possible.

SMT is also the first Chinese company to be certified as a Sony OEM Green Partner and supplies 20% of the world's floppy disc drives and CD PCB assemblies for world's leading manufacturers such as Sony and Samsung.

As part of this announcement, Component Bureau's Commercial Manager Andrew Ferrier will take responsibility for the complete outsourcing service, and Chris Wilson will take over Ferrier's current responsibility for components and distribution.

Ferrier comments: 'Components Bureau can take as much, or as little, responsibility for projects as customers require, and this deal with SMT will ensure the customer gets the best quality, price and support available'.

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