First Evertiq Expo Zurich just around the corner – industry experts to take the stage

What becomes visible in the conference programme is not a single dominant theme, but rather a set of tensions shaping the electronics industry today. On one side, continued miniaturisation, new design approaches and increasing process precision. On the other, questions of supply, resilience and the limits of existing industrial structures in Europe. Between them, a growing need to rethink how systems are designed, produced and sustained over time.

The conference agenda reflects this landscape quite directly — moving from laser depaneling and fine-line PCB production, through global EMS dynamics and component reclamation, to broader shifts in the memory and semiconductor markets. Across these sessions, the focus remains less on isolated technologies and more on how they interact with economic constraints, regulatory pressure and changing supply chains.

So what exactly is on the Evertiq Expo Zurich agenda?  

The conference will open with Patrick Stockbrügger from LPKF Laser & Electronics who will focus on the growing role of laser depaneling in improving both manufacturing quality and cost efficiency. As he argues, the technology is advancing not only through more powerful laser sources, but also through very short pulse durations and ultra-fast beam deflection systems such as LPKF’s Tensor technology. Together, these developments are expanding the range of applications in which laser depaneling becomes economically viable, while also reinforcing its technological advantages, including high precision, stress-free processing and low dust generation. 

Stockbrügger will also look at how the full potential of the process can be further unlocked through targeted measures such as minor design optimisations, and examine the effect of higher laser power and beam deflection on temperatures near the cutting channel, including their relevance for SAC and LTS solder alloys.

Afterwards, during the morning session, the floor will be given to Daniel Schulze from Dyconex, who will concentrate on miniaturization and fineline PCB production. Moving beyond the current industry standard of around 50 µm, advanced subtractive processes already allow lines and spaces down to 18 µm, while additive plating technologies push these limits further, below 10 µm. To fully benefit from this level of miniaturisation, however, related parameters such as via size, material thickness, alignment accuracy and adhesion must be considered in parallel.

Schulze will look at applications where fine-line subtractive and semi-additive plating (SAP) offer clear advantages — including flexible electrodes, passive structures and substrates for fine-pitch components — while also addressing the practical challenges of implementation, from fabrication options and cost to the realities of high-mix, low-volume production.

Next to take the stage will be the renowned and leading expert on the EMS, whose analyses and reports the industry awaits with bated breath: Dieter G. Weiss from in4ma. His speech, entitled 'Global EMS industry 2025: growth abroad, stagnation at home’ will be a wake-up call for the industry and a sobering reality check. 

Dieter G. Weiss states that 2025 was expected to be a year of recovery and growth for the European EMS industry — a hope that ultimately did not materialize. Instead, the market stagnated in Europe, while EMS companies in the Far East and Southeast Asia achieved double-digit growth rates. His presentation will quantify these developments and explain what happened in the global EMS industry compared to Europe.

From there, the programme shifts to Stefan Theil from Factronix, who turns the focus towards electronic component reclamation as a response to growing pressure on supply chains.

His starting point is a contradiction that is becoming increasingly visible. While the industry struggles with obsolescence, extended lead times and supply disruptions, large volumes of fully functional components continue to be discarded — whether due to product discontinuation, excess inventory or manufacturing fallout. Reclamation and reconditioning, based on controlled processes such as reballing, retinning, automated inspection and electrical testing, offer a way to reintroduce these components safely into production and service environments.

Rather than positioning reclamation as a marginal practice, Theil presents it as a structured third sourcing strategy, alongside new production and the secondary market — one that connects supply chain resilience with quality assurance and sustainability.

At midday, we’ll return to market analysis and a topic that’s been making headlines recently: the memory market. The microphone will take over by semiconductor and electronics expert — Nikolaos Florous from Memphis Electronic.

The global memory market is undergoing a paradigm shift. Once viewed as a commoditised, cyclical market, memory is now increasingly shaped by AI-driven demand concentration, geopolitical realignment, and unprecedented capital intensity. The result is that legacy and advanced memory are both experiencing shortages, but for entirely different reasons.

In this session, Nick Florous provides a clear, application-centric, and fact-based outlook on the global memory market—moving beyond short-term noise to explain the structural forces redefining supply, pricing, and investment behaviour. 

Another major issue that the industry has been focusing on recently is base materials for PCB. About development of copper, glass, resin-systems, REACH and local European supply will be talking Alexander Ippich from Isola GmbH. 

With every increasing performance requirements for PCBs, advanced copper foils and glass weaves are needed in addition to improved resin systems. More stringent requirements within the European Union (REACH, SVHC listings, PFAS) are to be considered when selecting base materials for a given application. Due to geopolitical changes, especially the military, space and aerospace segments are re-considering and looking for European suppliers. In addition, supply chain disturbances during and after CoVID reminded the industry of the dangers of being dependent on Greater China.

With the exit of two more base material suppliers from European production, there is only one remaining laminate and one remaining copper foil producer in Europe. Alexander Ippich in his speech is going to show, how all those requirements can be addressed.

And then the scene will be taken over by in-depth analyses by Claus Aasholm from Semiconductor Business Intelligence who will show the semiconductor industry as it is, not as it is told. His approach is firmly data-driven, focusing on the metrics that actually define the market — from capacity expansion and capital intensity to supply chain shifts and real utilisation across the value chain. Rather than following dominant narratives, Aasholm works against them, using proprietary models to expose structural changes and question assumptions that are often repeated without scrutiny. The result is a more grounded view of a sector increasingly shaped by geopolitics, investment cycles and uneven demand dynamics.

Afternoon will be filled with technical presentations by experts. First, Rolf Nick from FlowCAD will give a speech dedicated to AI assisting PCB design enabled designers to significantly increase productivity and efficiency. As Rolf Nick says: time is one of the most valuable and non-renewable resources. That’s why is important to find the great solution. In his opinion The Cadence AI solution helps design teams significantly shorten their design cycles while making extensive optimizations in advance. AI-powered PCB design enables fast, informed decisions, increasing productivity many times over. During his presentation he will explain why this allows designers to focus on the tasks that really make a difference, while AI takes care of the rest.

Dimitri Kokkinis from Cicor will then focus on the embedding of components in PCBs and packages as a key enabler for enhanced electronic devices. As electronic systems are expected to deliver more functionality while becoming smaller and lighter, conventional PCB technologies are increasingly approaching their limits. Embedding passive components and bare dies directly into multilayer substrates offers a way forward — increasing functional density, improving electrical performance and reducing assembly height without expanding the footprint. The presentation will outline Cicor’s approach to this process and its potential to support further miniaturisation in advanced electronic applications.

Evertiq Expo Zurich will conclude with an interesting presentation dedicated to conformal coating and dispensing by Gianfranco Sinistra from Rehm Thermal Systems. In many organisations, these processes are still associated with added complexity, long setup times and increased production risk. Sinistra will instead look at the conditions under which they can be implemented in a stable, efficient and economically viable way — focusing on process design, automation and repeatability.

Using practical examples, the presentation will show how material selection, programming and component protection can be managed in a more controlled manner. A live interaction with an intelligently controlled coating system will serve as a demonstration of how modern equipment can increase process transparency and support operators in day-to-day production.

Taken together, the programme offers a snapshot of an industry that is no longer moving in a single direction, but is instead shaped by parallel pressures — technological, economic and structural. Evertiq Expo Zurich will take place on April 23, with registration now open for visitors.