Day 3 of Productronica brought steady traffic that, while still somewhat behind years past, was a relief to still-anxious exhibitors.
Almost across the board, the more than 80 companies we spoke with see 2010 already emerging as a brighter year. The strong consensus is that the worst is past, and while there remain certain structural problems — including major banks’ inability or refusal to reopen credit lines — business is picking up in most sectors, led — perhaps surprisingly — by automotive.
Just ran into ASYS’s Marcus Wilkins, who observed that “almost no one [here] is from Asia.” Interestingly, there seems to be more folks from South America — specifically Brazil — than the US walking the floor. (Apex, take note.)
Attendance at the.four-day Productronica started slow today and built as the day went on. Still, the drop in traffic is noticeable. Americans and Asians are in very short supply.
Spoke with more than 25 exhibitors today. Most say September and October sales were improved and some capacity buying is occurring in Asia.
Some interesting developments seen thus far: a new modular placer from Juki, the KE-3020RL, now in beta and due out next summer or fall; DEK’s Sentinel post-solder inspection unit, which fits on any of its post 2005 printers and features 8 2MP cameras; and Asymtek’s Simultaneous Dual Jetting setup, which is aimed at high volume PCBs. (Asymtek had, as usual, several new machines, and also is pushing hard on its new corporate identity, in which parent company Nordson’s name is prominent. More on them later.)
Ran into old friend Keith Favre, the ex-Speedline and Electrovert sales wizard who was last seen running PhotoStencil. He has launched a rep business under the name FHP LLC and is handling Foulongwin and Mirae, among others. Also, his neighbor in Texas, Bob Stevens, the ex-Speedline Asia president, is alive and well.
Also seen: A women pushing a baby stroller — complete with sleeping baby — down the show floor. That’s a first.
On the eve of Productronica, I am certain of one thing and becoming more sure of another.
First, I believe that this year’s show will be Dominated — capital D — by Europe. I believe that there will be few Americans and fewer (read: next to zero) Asians.
That leads me to No. 2: That the reason for the regionalization of trade show attendance has less to do with the economy and more to do with the fact that for the very most part, existing production technology can build even the latest and greatest products. No matter that new generations of end-products come out every six months (or less), processes are driven by component packaging, and while leading-edge package types have shrunk from 0402 to 0201 to 01005 during the past five years, most conventional equipment is so darn good that it can print, place, solder, inspect and test the latest package styles. Assemblers simply no longer need to chase the latest and greatest equipment around the globe in order to win or build the latest designs. And that obviates the need to run from show to show in search of the “next big thing.”
Heading to Productronica Saturday, as the world’s largest (for now) electronics manufacturing trade show.* I’ll be blogging from the show floor, and also will visit some area companies. Stay tuned.
*Frankly, I’m not so sure one of the two major Japanese shows — JPCA Show and InterNepcon Japan — hasn’t usurped But their claims of 100,000 or more attendees is implausible.
Heading to Productronica Saturday, as the world’s largest (for now) electronics manufacturing trade show.* I’ll be blogging from the show floor, and also will visit some area companies. Stay tuned.
Home to Productronica, the center never looks like this. At least not in November.
*Frankly, I’m not so sure one of the two major Japanese shows — JPCA Show and InterNepcon Japan — hasn’t usurped But their claims of 100,000 or more attendees is implausible.