Q&A With Indium’s EMEA Director About the Implications of Brexit

It’s almost time for Electronica, so the industry is turning its attention to pressing issues in Europe. EMSNow caught up with Indium’s EMEA Director Brian Craig to understand how Brexit will impact the industry from his perspective.

 

EMSNow: So Brian, what’s the deal with Brexit?

Well that’s a question I have been asked often and increasingly over the past year or so, and it’s not a simple one to address.

I could speak about it endlessly as others seem to about the why, if, and how it all happened, but that, to me, seems somewhat pointless. We are where we are, so where is that?

Uncertainty is the rule of the day. No one knows. Government “experts” from all political parties and everyone in between are posturing and pointing fingers at each other. Political pundits do the same. The confusion is further fueled by reports in social media fanning the fire of uncertainty and making it difficult to differentiate between fact and fiction.

The uncertainty is unhealthy for most businesses because uncertainty is what businesses hate most.

Meanwhile, the rest of us in the UK, EU, or beyond make an attempt to get on with their lives, businesses, and economies in an ongoing environment of frustration, bewilderment, and confusion.

 

EMSNOW:  So who will “win” and what does it mean for Indium Corporation, its customers, and their partners?

It has always been my belief that, in the end, economies will win. Economies, the people they employ, the subsequent taxes they pay, have a proven propensity to grow. It’s what they do. This growth allows us to invest, grow, and thrive as businesses and individuals in our respective societies. Sometimes they grow faster than other times, and the rate of growth boils down to the function of one single factor – confidence. Confidence comes from predictability and stability.

If we (individuals and businesses) are confident, we will grow. That’s on the macro scale.

Indium Corporation, for the most part, is involved in the electronics and related assembly business from semiconductor to the devices we use and control in our daily lives. We operate in a great, growing, and confident industry, full of innovation, rapid change, and evolution.

Our successes over the decades have depended on developing and maintaining solid relationships with innovative customers in our field of expertise, resulting in product platforms that allow our customers to continue to innovate further; it’s a win-win.

 

EMSNow: So how does Brexit change that? 

I don’t believe it does really, at least not in the long term, and Indium Corporation is a long-term kind of business. We will continue to have intimate relationships with innovative customers, wherever they may be and regardless of the political or economic situations we will always face.  We will continue to provide competitive, legal, environmentally positive, and ethical offerings that will facilitate our customers being competitive in their respective fields. We are able to do this because Indium Corporation’s company ownership allows us to take a long-term view on how the business operates, not just over financial quarters, but long-term, over generations.

For sure we will need to react to disruptive changes in our industry. We have a very good track record of doing just that. I can list CFCs; WII Directive; REACH; DOT.COM crash; Millennium bug; and countless other disruptions without breaking a sweat. Indium Corporation has and will continue to react positively, as have many of our co-suppliers and customers. The flexibility, innovation, and creativity in our industry have allowed us to thrive through these challenges.

We will remain flexible and confident based on our stable and proven platform; we are flexible and innovative in the way we run the business; and we will be here before, during, and after Brexit, or the next disruption that comes along.

 

EMSNow:  What does it mean to the customer, supplier, employee, or other stakeholders?

As a business leader in our industry, my job here is to make sure any changes dictated by governments don’t adversely affect our stakeholders. One of our “three-legged stools” is the relationship between our customers, employees, and suppliers.

We always have supported our customers with great products and best-in-class support, and we always will, wherever they may be. Whatever Brexit might bring, we will strive to continue to do that regardless of political change and uncertainty.

 

About the author: Brian Craig, Managing Director of Indium Corporation’s EMEA Operations, is responsible for the management of operations and activities throughout Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. This includes the company’s manufacturing facility in Milton Keynes, UK, EU-based sales and technical support team, and a network of 25 sales channel partners.

A native of the UK, Brian joined Indium Corporation in 1987. During this time he was instrumental in the launch of the company’s European facility. While based in the NY USA headquarters, he served in several roles with the company, including Corporate Programs Manager and Director of Interconnect Products Business Unit. Brian has continued to manage numerous multi-disciplined global business projects and technology advancements during the company’s rapid expansion.

Under Brian’s leadership, Indium Corporation’s European facility achieved its TS-16949 compliance, supporting the company’s automotive sales and service programme. This facility consistently generates an impressive record of on-time delivery and high first-pass yield performance.