ICYMI: Unlocking Tunisia’s Potential in the EMS Industry – On Tour with EMSNOW & in4ma

This post originally appeared in June.

How does a small North African country like Tunisia stand out in the global EMS industry? Prepare to take a look behind the scenes of Tunisia’s electronics manufacturing sector with Dieter Weiss of in4ma and Eric Miscoll of EMSNOW, as the EMS industry’s favorite couple take to the road in their 4th tour. Dieter and Eric share stories and insights following visits to Zollner, AsteelFlash, Lacroix, TIS (part of ALL Circuits), ATEMS, Circor, La Pratique Electronique, emkaMED and OneTech. Dieter shares some of the significant metrics of revenue, headcount, and SMT lines, and discuss the promising trends in productivity that are setting Tunisia apart in the competitive EMS market.

Eric explains the unusual dynamics of Tunisia’s export-only business model, where factories operate almost as independent trade zones, benefiting from streamlined customs processes that facilitate tax-free importing and exporting. We dive deep into the operational specifics of these factories, which serve primarily the automotive and communication sectors, and are equipped with technological capabilities like high and low-volume SMT lines and THT wave soldering lines.

We navigate the challenges and opportunities in Tunisian manufacturing, focusing on the expansion and optimization of facilities, as we shed light on the highly skilled yet underemployed talent pool of Tunisian engineers and explore how cultural pride influences their career choices. This coupled with Tunisia’s competitive labor costs, have positioned it as a viable alternative to manufacturing hubs in Eastern Europe and the Far East.

Don’t miss this comprehensive look at Tunisia’s potential as a key player in the EMS industry and a key supplier to Europe.

Dieter Weiss of in4ma was sponsored on this tour by IPC (https://www.ipc.org) who are doing sterling work in Europe and globally to support the electronics manufacturing supply chain.

EMSNOW thanks sponsors of this research:

Cogiscan – the factory digitalization partner for electronics manufacturers globally

Luminovo – your copilot for quoting and procuring PCBAs

Mycronic – Bringing tomorrow´s electronics to life

TrustedParts – Genuine electronic components from only authorized sources.

Their support allows us to conduct these tours and provide these important insights to the industry.  Please check them out.

If you wish to connect with Eric Miscoll or Dieter Weiss please email them directly at:  emiscoll@emsnow.com or weiss@in4ma.de

Like every episode of EMS@C-Level, this one was sponsored by global inspection leader Koh Young (https://www.kohyoung.com) and Adaptable Automation Specialist Launchpad.build (https://launchpad.build).