Although the German Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers’ Association (ZVEI) reported that orders in the printed circuit board (PCB) industry were 12 % down this year, compared to the same period last year, the growth of Ruwel, Germany’s largest PCB manufacturer, continues to defy the trend. In the first half of 2005, it continued to stand out with a high growth rate of 14% above the industry average. The company employs a staff of 1350, and last year it already increased its revenues by 12% to 175m euro. There are many reasons for this, as chairman of the board Wilfried Sehner explained. The production floor at the HQs in Geldern will be equipped with laser technology for high-volume manufacturing. This means that the company can also fulfill rising demands for high-density interconnect (HDI) boards. The plant at Pfullingen has been significantly specialized in providing samples, prototypes and urgent orders in quick-turn-around production. This flexibility will primarily serve customers’ design departments, but will also be able to cover unforeseen requirements. The special-technology fab in Wetter is further consolidating its position by flexible-rigid and high-frequency PCBs.
EPP EUROPE 406
