Microtek Laboratories, an independent test facility for the electronics industry, celebrated the grand opening of its new 40,000 square-foot facility in Changzhou, China in late September, during the country’s mid-autumn festival. To serve China’s growing PCB market, Microtek (Changzhou) Laboratories is a joint venture with the Chinese government, consisting of twenty employees on two floors, along with state-of-the-art test equipment. The company’s Changzhou facility has the ability to conduct UL and IPC testing and consulting, which will allow it to play a major role in Microtek’s expansion of service to the Pacific Rim. The new facility is also the designated CPCA testing facility for the Chinese PCB industry. Prior to the opening, Microtek spent the last eighteen months training key Chinese personnel in the U.S. to ensure testing and quality standards are the same in China.

Microtek's grand opening.  From Left  to Right: Chen Yan (Microtek), Roy Sakelson  (Circuitree), Bob Neves (Microtek), Wang Longji (CPCA) and Denny McGuirk (IPC).

Approximately one hundred people attended the event, including Microtek's owners Bob Neves and Mike Shepherd, IPC and CPCA leadership, local government officials, and PCB industry representatives. Neves said that Microtek “has been involved in testing in both Greater China and Japan for years now and we have measured steady growth in all areas of testing. The new facility will go a long way in support of the manufacturers in Asia.” According to Neves, there are not currently any Chinese competitors in the market with similar capabilities, and he speculated that only a quarter of the country’s PCB facilities are capable of certifying product to IPC technical standards. "This could allow us to own a significant portion of China’s test market in the coming years. While the U.S. market is relatively mature, China’s PCB industry is just taking off. Many companies haven’t thought of how testing can help them streamline their manufacturing processes.” The ribbon-cutting ceremony was punctuated with fireworks, streamers and confetti, followed by a tour of the facility, and a multi-course meal at one of Changzhou's fine restaurants.

Microtek's Bob Neves and Mike Shepherd (center) perform the ceremonial  ribbon cutting for their company's new 40,000 sq. ft. test facility in Changzhou.