Connect Group upgrades in Romania

To increase overall efficiency, Connect Group has invested EUR 2 million in hard‐ and software for surface mount PCB assembly, including fully automated solder paste inspection (SPI) and component inspection (AOI). The high‐speed SMD machines are equipped with 10 single pick‐and‐place robots and a robot for odd component shape assembly. Using newly‐installed Valor software, the line has a maximum output of 100'000 components per hour, significantly increasing capacity at the Romanian production facility. Connect Group Romania has now in total 3 high speed production lines with a total capacity of 300'000 components per hour plus 1 flexibility line for small quantity production. "Our Western European facilities are evolving more and more towards technology, prototype and assembly centres with a strong focus on flexibility and customer support, while our Eastern European factories are volume production plants with strong emphasis on efficiency. Investments are needed to keep these manufacturing plants technologically up‐ to‐date” explains Herman Struiwigh, Sales & Marketing Director, Connect Group. “Our customers are demanding more production capacity, which we are happy to provide," he continues. “The Valor software fits perfectly into our TiaS‐program, serving customers with development, cost‐down programs and life cycle management.” Production in Romania has evolved from a pure labour subcontracting activity of only 15 employees at the startup in 2002 into a fully fledged electronic subcontracting plant, including production machinery for PCB assembly and cable harnesses manufacturing. Today, with more than 900 employees, the Romanian factory is Connect Group’s largest production facility.