Aspocomp: with a different angle

Mikko Montonen, the new CEO of Aspocomp comes with a backpack full of experience from the electronics industry, 25 years to be precise. And while he is just a week in to his new role as the new “Big Boss” of the Finnish PCB manufacturer, he already has a vision of where he wants to take the company. “We need to be larger, we need to grow, but we also need to change our business model so that we are not so heavily affected by the cycle of the industry. It's easy to make money when the market is hot, but we need to have a model that is stable and can fight the cycles. We need to have manufacturing capabilities that are flexible so that we can respond to market changes.” As Mr. Montonen explained to me, the first point on the agenda is to learn and understand the company, as well as its customers. And along with that comes the understanding of the market, technologies and of course the competition. “After my review I will of course make necessary changes to our operations and our way to conduct business. I would like to see our customer base grow, currently we are a bit too focused in certain areas and I think we need a wider customer base to operate.” Aspocomp's current European focus won't cut it in Montonen's plans, as he sees some very interesting companies and markets outside of Europe. While he might not have a detailed plan – after only one week as the CEO, who would? – as of yet, he does find the American market very interesting. But being the “new guy” at a company with a long history and a strong culture, what exactly is it that Mr. Montonen brings to the company? “I have 25 years within the electronics industry behind me, so I have the knowledge of how it works. And having that many years from the silicon wafer industry, I probably have a different angle of seeing things, a different set of eyes so to say. I'm very new to the PCB industry, so I might not see all the opportunities just yet. But I do know that looking forward, I will most definitely benefit from my way of seeing things and the knowledge that I bring.” As he points out to me, the customers within the two industries – silicon wafers and PCB – are quite similar, still the industry is different, but as Montonen says “I think that I might see some common things and similarities between the industries that others haven't quite figured out yet.” The knowledge that he brings will also help the company to adapt to the changes and trends of the market. “I have been following the market trends for 25 years, and the same trend applies to both industries, PCB and the silicon wafer business. The same applications are behind the changes and I can easily understand what is going to change in the market.” But a company's true ace in its sleeve will always be how it conducts its business, and this is where Mikko has a very clear view of how he likes to see Aspocomp. “We need to work very closely with our clients. We need to be that company that provides the best service and value for the customers. And if we can provide that, it will be easier to bring in new business. Everything starts with your service towards the customers.” And with a mindset that the customers are to be a top priority, Mikko is set to serve the clients, as he put it: “I very open to cooperate with our competitors for the benefit of our customers and suppliers. I'm very open in my way to conduct business.”