Guest Editor Dick Crowe joins Erhard Hofmann, managing director at AdoptSMT Europe GmbH, to learn more about the distribution of after-market parts and consumables, along with pre-owned equipment, in Europe and the Americas.

Mo Ohady, general manager of Digicom Electronics, joins Guest Editor Judy Warner to discuss his company's new facility and its unique abilities and services offered to the academic community.

Aegis' Karsten Schluter, managing director, Asia, presents FactoryLogix, a software system designed to meet customers' needs, at NEPCON China 2013. Combined with diplan, it's a great way to enhance the company's service and products.

Since beginning life as MRP technology in the 1970s, the traditional distribution chain has become an antique. The world has evolved with Internet technology replacing traditional points of sale. Many electronic products have also become fashionable. Such changes have completely altered the demand patterns that MRP and ERP logic were designed to manage.

Larger EMS companies have been addressing the medical device industry very well for many years. Some have even acquired small medical manufacturers to create instant competencies as they expand their depth of service. For the smaller electronics manufacturer just entering the fray, opportunities to participate still exist, but there is much to prepare for and to understand.

Jot Automation, in 12 years of doing business in the region, is starting to see a rise in automation in China as operator wages rise. General Manager Matti Leirimaa explains what the industry can expect from his company, especially in the mobile sector, in the next year.

As a result of IPC and other industry lobbying efforts, the RoHS2 Directive published in the European Union Official Journal did not include any additional substance restrictions in Annex II. However, RoHS2 called for the EU Commission to review additional substances for restriction. The Commission is required to complete its review of Annex II by July 2014.

Shaun Fuller, switching product manager at Pickering Interfaces Ltd., informs Editor Barry Matties about eight--count 'em, eight--new products his company is launching at NEPCON China. Five of those new products are high-density switch matrices found nowhere else in this market.

Robert Nelson, VP and GM for Cincinnati Sub-Zero (CSZ), talks about the importance of environmental testing in the manufacture and development of high-reliability electronic products. Not just for OEMs, environmental testing helps manufacturers dial in their processes and gain a competitive advantage.

Creating a partnership with a new customer mirrors another important milestone in the life of most adults: Dating and, eventually, marriage. Karla Osorno walks you through the important steps OEMs and EMS providers must follow to make a working partnership successful.