The recent acquisition of UK?based Briton EMS by US electronics manufacturing provider OSI has opened a new door for developing electronic products in the UK, with strong IP?protection and close links to low-cost Far East manufacturing.
“It means intellectual property is kept in the UK while the product is undergoing development and pre-production trialling,” says Peter Towler, business development manager of Briton EMS.
“But when sales justify higher production levels and Far East manufacture becomes economic, we?can now offer an OSI group-owned manufacturing facilities in Indonesia and Malaysia.
“All the design, development and initial production can be done in the UK, with on-going low and medium volume production. But when volumes develop further, manufacture can continue under Briton EMS’?control in the Far East,”?Towler said.
“It enables product security and confidentially to be maintained if manufacturing in a lower cost area is necessary to meet market demand – and is ideal for locally managed NPI (new product introduction) projects to migrate with confidence to a lower cost facility.”
In addition to Far East production bases, Briton EMS’ parent company has manufacturing plants in California, AS9100c certified for aerospace, defence and military work, and ISO 13485 for medical and life sciences (which the UK company will also soon acquire).
“This is another area where we can help UK?companies to develop and trial AS9100 products and medical prototypes,” Towler commented. “Working with our UK design partner 42 Technology, specialist components can be designed such as hybrid electronics and potted sensors for use in harsh environments – including vibration, temperature and solvents.”
Established in 1979, Briton EMS is a full EMS service provider and the outsource manufacturing partner for over 30 companies, making electronic products on their behalf ranging from life critical and high security devices to sports industry, broadcast and medical products.
RF and full functional testing are major strengths in the UK – and new commodities, including multi-chip modules, hybrids and complex harness assemblies, are available through its new overseas facilities.