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Rent-to-Buy Option from Itochu-Takaya helps avoid
high initial outlay for one of the UK’s leading CEMs
November 2006 | posted by D
Claxton
Exception EMS, the UK-based contract
manufacturer, is one of three elements within the Exception Group,
which also includes Exception PCB (PCB manufacture), and Exception VAR
(offshore sourcing of medium to high volume PCB’s). The Exception
Group employs some 450 staff at its sites located in Calne and
Tewkesbury in the West Country.
This Calne, Wiltshire, based manufacturer prides itself in its 6-year
long record of helping to develop and produce low to medium volumes of
the highest quality coupled with a speedy turnaround whilst
maintaining competitive rates. Exception EMS’ managing director, Phil
Jackson, is enthusiastic about the business which has full turnkey
ability from PCB design and manufacture through to assembly and test,
including box-build where required.
Key to Exception EMS’ success has been their Fast Track service –
offering a 24hr turnaround service - that has responded well to the
demand for single batch prototyping at the highest technical levels.
Important to this success has been their approach to assembled board
testing. From the outset Exception had been using Takaya flying probe
test equipment, starting with the APT-8400 then expanding their test
facility with an APT-9400 both to meet the then improving technology
as well as catering for increased demand.
However as technology advances and test requirements became more
challenging it was apparent that a review of the business and a
reassessment of the demands being made from external customers as well
as the company’s own production requirements had become essential.
This extensive review highlighted, amongst other areas of the
business, the test facilities within the organisation. The original
Itochu-supplied Takaya 8400 has been the main workhorse for test
services whilst the later APT-9400 added extra dimensions in terms of
added capacity coupled with improved technology. Equally important
have been the demands of the military sector with its growing
complexity, greater sophistication and 100% test necessity.
Exception EMS recognised that the demands of the electronics
production marketplace, with increasingly higher technology, shorter
deadlines and increasingly more complex assemblies, exampled by such
requirements as 22 layer boards, that tying up valuable test resources
to meet specific targets was an expensive process. In an innovative
and inspired approach Phil Jackson, MD, and Pete Stoneham, Test
Director, decided to approach the dilemma head on. Essentially, is
there a way to benefit from increased test facility without incurring
the initial high capital cost?
The Takaya APT-9411 was identified as the ideal addition to the test
capability of Exception EMS, given the flexibility and improved
functions of this latest flying probe test system from the Takaya
stable, with higher fly height, faster test cycles and enhanced
technical features offering different options allowing for additional
probes top and bottom as well as top and bottom cameras for improved
visual inspection.
To help Exception EMS Graham South, Itochu’s Takaya Business Manager,
was able to offer a low cost alternative that avoided the relatively
high initial capital outlay of the latest Takaya flying probe test
system but enabled Exception to benefit from the latest technological
advantages of the Takaya 9411 series on an initial rental basis. The
monthly rental has been offset in large part when Exception committed
to purchase the system. This “Rent to Buy” initiative from Itochu for
the Takaya APT-9411 system has been introduced to help all companies
considering investment in flying probe test to literally test it for
themselves without the high initial cost outlay.
Exception EMS now has three Takaya flying probe test systems for which
the company has been able to justify the investment through a proven
programme and, with this latest initiative, has helped to avoid an
initial capital outlay. As Phil Jackson, Exception EMS’ managing
director stated, “The rent-to-buy alternative gave us the breathing
space needed whilst we were assessing our future needs”.
This latest initiative from Itochu will enable those companies who
have identified the need for flying probe test technology but are yet
to justify the initial capital outlay to gain first hand the wide
range of benefits of the Takaya system. The “rent to buy” alternative
offered by Itochu enables companies to initially rent the flying probe
test system and, when they find that they need to commit to invest in
the system, the rental fee will be off-set against the purchase.
This facility has been used to great advantage by Exception EMS who,
although already established users of Takaya systems, was able to
profit from this initiative. Itochu’s “Rent to Buy” arrangement is not
limited to existing customers, it is available to all those companies
who would like to utilise the economies of scale offered by
fixtureless testing but are either unsure about the initial outlay or
are at an early stage in developing their own in-house test
facilities.
For further information regarding the “Rent to Buy” option from Itochu
contact Graham South, Itochu’s Takaya Business Manager on + 44 (0) 1580 895550
or e-mail gsouth@itochu.co.uk, or for Exception EMS contact Peter
Stoneham on 01249 814081.
Press Contact::
David J Claxton
Slipstream Marketing Communications
1 Newport Close, Chandler’s Ford, SO53 4NN
slip_stream@btinternet.com |
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