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Product category: Electronics Manufacturing Services
News Release from: Components Bureau | Subject: Electronics manufacturing services
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial Team on 07 July 2006

Chinese electronics manufacturing comes
to the UK

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Components Bureau has become the exclusive UK representative for Chinese electronics manufacturing services provider SMT.

Components Bureau has signed an exclusive deal to represent Chinese electronics manufacturing services (EMS) provider SMT in the UK This deal will benefit UK companies by offering the advantages of Chinese labour costs while having an intermediary acting for them that knows the Chinese market intimately and can provide local and international support

Customers will also be able to source the cheapest available raw materials through Components Bureau.

Many companies in the UK have reasons for outsourcing, these include lack of capacity, wishing to take advantage of reduced labour costs, or requiring a complex build.

Outsourcing manufacturing is an effective way to cut costs and stay competitive in the European market, but the move is not without risks.

Differing work practices and local customs mean that initially moving manufacture can be problematic for those companies without experience in Asia.

By using Components Bureau as an interface, these problems can be eliminated and cost reductions can be achieved from the start and continue throughout the project.

Components Bureau offers the customer a single price which can include material procurement, assembly, ICT, functional test, conformal coating, final assembly, import to the UK and delivery or shipment to customers' preferred worldwide distribution centre.

The company can even let customers use its own facilities as a buffer for JIT programmes.

Engineering support is provided both locally and in Hong Kong throughout the production process.

Components Bureau will prepare a quote for raw materials sourced in Europe and compare the cost with a list prepared by SMT in the Asian market, assuring that the best possible price is guaranteed.

With over 20 years experience of distribution in the UK and strong relationships with its partners in Asia, Components Bureau has the in-depth knowledge of both markets and work practices to make it the ideal interface company.

Component Bureau's Commercial Manager Andrew Ferrier will take responsibility for the complete outsourcing service, and Chris Wilson will take over Ferrier's current responsibility for components and distribution.

Ferrier comments: "Components Bureau can take as much, or as little, responsibility for projects as customers require, and this deal with SMT will ensure the customer gets the best price and support available".

Headquartered in Hong Kong, SMT is one of the top ten EMSs in the Asian continent.

The company has three production plants in China, in Dalingshan, Tangxia and Suzhou, with a combined production area of 60,000m2 with more than 100 surface mount lines and 10,000 employees.

SMT combines the efficiency, flexibility and low-cost of Chinese manufacture with the quality and environmental responsibility required in the UK.

All three manufacturing plants are ISO9001 quality assured, ISO14001 environmental protection, OHSAS18001 occupational safety and health and ISO/TS16949 automotive certified.

It is also the first Chinese company to be certified as a Sony OEM Green Partner.

Other green manufacturing initiatives such as lead-free soldering, the elimination of heavy metals and halogen-free PCBs have been introduced to ensure SMT is as environmentally friendly as possible.

The company supplies 20% of the world's floppy disc drives and CD PCBAs for some of the worlds leading manufacturers such as Sony and Samsung.

SMT has a flexible, highly-trained workforce that is experienced in a number of highly complex projects in diverse areas such as telecomms, consumer electronics and automotive electronics.

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