Almost in defiance of the challenges being endured worldwide due to the coronavirus pandemic, Speedprint reports July 2020 as a record month for its global SMT screen printer business.
While arguably too early to declare ‘green shoots’ of a virus recovery, Speedprint’s experience highlights that the electronics assembly sector is finding a way through or around the constraining issues of Covid-19. The company’s order book clearly shows a historic record month in order volumes from new and existing customers and that the geographic spread is global, with orders secured from businesses in Asia, the Americas, mainland Europe and the UK.
“Of equal interest to the global nature of the activity is the diversity of industry sectors investing in new SMT print technology. We are seeing a mix of OEMs and Contract Manufacturers pushing ahead with manufacturing and expansion plans despite some market difficulties.”
Mark Brawley, Speedprint President
New or disruptive electronics technologies cannot wait for markets to stabilize. Special applications have bucked trends in the past.
“Of particular note in this context is a new customer application for 8K displays utilizing micro-LED technology that could supersede OLEDs. This assembly process in Asia deploys our largest printer platform, the SP1550, to print thin-film substrates which will house ultra-bright micro-LEDs as backlighting for 8K LCD panels used in consumer, industrial and automotive display applications. It’s just one of several exciting breakthrough applications being addressed by our printer platforms.” Brawley explains.
About Speedprint Technology
The Blakell Europlacer Group comprises the Speedprint Technology, Europlacer, and Blakell Europlacer Distribution business units. All three are active and pre-eminent in the electronic circuit board assembly sector with advanced product and service solutions for electronics manufacturers in the UK, US and globally. Speedprint Technology is a provider of screen printing equipment used in surface mount assembly processes. Europlacer is a provider of surface mount component placement equipment. Blakell Europlacer Distribution augments the provision of screen printing and pick & place platforms in the UK with a range of associated equipment, including AOI, reflow and PCB handling.
