Category: Uncategorized

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 

Tempe, Arizona based Focus Tech announces a new website that focuses on its offering in specialty chemical and process control system manufacturing for the printed circuit board and general metal finishing industries. Focus Tech is the only supplier to the PCB industry that designs and manufactures both process chemicals and control systems.

“Focus Tech is proud to roll-out a new company website this week,” commented Scott Campbell, Focus Tech Founder and President. “The site www.focustechchem.com features over 50 product pages for a variety of chemicals we manufacture for a variety of applications. In two clicks, viewers will find technical information on what we offer. We designed it from the ground up to make it easy to access and navigate all our information.”

Focus Tech product lines include anti-foam, anti-tarnish, copper cleaners, etch chemicals, developers, strippers, as well as others commonly used in the manufacture of printed circuit boards and general metal finishing. Focus Tech also manufactures process control equipment and offers a variety of services to PCB fabricators.

Focus Tech is known for responding quickly to customer needs and evolving technology by providing custom chemical formulations and controller designs tailored to the specific requirements of a given process.

Campbell added, “Last year, we moved to a new 47,000 square-foot facility with significant capital investment to improve and streamline all operational, research & development, and manufacturing processes. This has allowed Focus Tech to expand its capabilities particularly in toll blending capabilities. One click on the website will take viewers to a robust overview of what we can do in chemical blendings, custom process controls, and services.

“Our new R&D laboratory allows various types of testing including wet titration, atomic absorption and UV/VIS spectroscopy, and cross sections. Our access to a scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive x-ray analysis equipment round out our test services.”

A part of The Redfern Companies, Focus Tech’s products, equipment, and services are distributed by Insulectro leveraging the distributor’s sales team and 10 stocking locations in North America.

For more information, contact:
John A. Lee
Vice President of Marketing & Brand Strategy
Insulectro
[email protected]
949.587.3326

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – LAKE FOREST, CA   Insulectro, the largest distributor of materials for use in the manufacture of printed circuit boards and printed electronics, has opened a testing and development laboratory for Kyocera tools in its Lake Forest, CA headquarters. The Lab was created in association with backup and entry materials manufacturer LCOA™ in that company’s plant.   “I am pleased to announce that Insulectro, the exclusive North American distributor of drills, routers, endmills, and other cutting tools manufactured by Kyocera, will begin offering a variety of services from a new laboratory on our Lake Forest campus,” announced Geraldine Arseneau, Insulectro Product Manager for the Kyocera product line, “This will enable us to build on the synergy of Kyocera’s best-in-class tools and Insulectro’s dominance in drill room backup and entry products.” Arseneau joined Insulectro several years ago after a lengthy career with Kyocera.   The new Lab is expected to support new product design, troubleshoot field issues, and include design feature testing, DoE (Design of Experiments) studies, confirmation testing, and repoint cycling testing.   It will determine proper feed and speed parameters for common PCB applications, develop processing parameters for new industry materials to understand how new technologies affect product performance, and supply customers with complete solutions. The Lab will also support industry and competitor benchmark studies.   Joe Negron, Kyocera Sales Manager, enthused, “The Lab is a large next step for the Kyocera/Insulectro team. It vastly increases our capability to service our customers as technology changes.”   The Lab is equipped with a Schmoll Drill/Router (dual spindle drill with 160KRPM and router 50KRPM); a Microview CMM used to measure positional accuracy; and a Haas CM-1: compact CNC vertical machining center (50KRPM spindle, 5 HP motor).   It also includes a Struers Automated Polisher/Grinder for X-sections; an Olympus Toolmakers microscope; and a Metallograph to measure hole wall quality.   Insulectro Vice President of Product Management Michelle Walsh is also enthused about the additional capabilities, “This month we hosted a joint meeting of the Kyocera Team with Insulectro’s leadership and operations teams.   “We were all very excited not only about the Lab’s value for our existing customers but how we now have the capability to run studies to promote product offerings and qualifications requested by new customers. Fabricators can continue to count on Insulectro for the developing technological information.” Kyocera SGS designs and manufactures tight tolerance precision carbide cutting tools for PCB applications. Products include drills, routers, end mills, and specialized cutting tools ranging from 0.05mm to 6.70mm diameters (0.0020″ – 0.2638″).

Steve Piatt Achieves Half Century of Sales Excellence

Insulectro just commemorated a milestone never before celebrated; 50 years ago, a would-be geologist joined the Insulectro team and began cutting laminate. 50 years later, with geology far behind him, Steve Piatt celebrates an almost unimaginable accomplishment – a half a century as the most successful Insulectro Technical Account Manager we have ever had. The electronics industry was starting to emerge with new technologies in 1972 – an era that saw the invention of the VCR (video cassette recorder), the first floppy disk (8 inches in diameter), the first arcade game Pong, and the digital watch. A few years after Steve began work for our company, the electronics revolution picked up speed with the first home computers and cellular phones. Insulectro, with Steve’s help, pioneered these new technologies which radically changed how people lived and communicated. The revolution continues. All of us are honored to have known and worked with Steve entering the company at various points of those 50 years.      PERSONAL DEDICATIONS:   PATRICK REDFERN, PRESIDENT & CEO – INSULECTRO  “Speaking for the Redfern Family, I’d like to thank Steve for not only his unbelievable skill at sales and relationship building but for his personal performance, perseverance, and personality that have taken Insulectro to where it is today. On a personal note, I have learned so much about our business and its potential from Steve, plus a few things about Cabernet, steak, and doughnuts! From the entire Puma Family, thank you.” DON REDFERN, CHAIRMAN – INSULECTRO  “I met Steve in 1974. He had just transferred up from the El Segundo office to the Northern California office. I was the new finance guy coming into a sales and distribution company. I learned more from Steve Piatt over the years on what a unique sales and distribution organization Insulectro was than anyone else in the company or industry. We have been extremely fortunate to have Steve as part of our family. My brother and I have a lifetime of History and memories together.”   TIM REDFERN, MANAGING PARTNER – REDFERN PARTNERS “I have been very fortunate to have known Steve Piatt for most of my life, but it wasn’t until I went to work in sales at Insulectro that I had the opportunity to really know him and what made him so special. Steve created his own style of sales and customer service over the years and he stuck with it. From his self-effacing humor to his genuine generosity, it was hard not to love Steve. And for the few outliers, you could always count on him for delivering donuts with prepreg. Fifty years is an amazing milestone and nearly unheard of these days. Over those decades Steve has made an indelible mark on Insulectro and the culture that helps set us apart. “Thank you for your unwavering loyalty and support through thick and thin, Steve. You are a gem.”

“I am pleased to announce that Insulectro will soon become the exclusive North American distributor of drills, routers, endmills, and other cutting tools manufactured by Kyocera,” announced Michelle Walsh, Insulectro Vice President of Product Management, “Kyocera has long been a dominant player in this market segment and their offerings strengthen our already robust array of materials used throughout the PCB industry.”

Insulectro CEO and President Patrick Redfern commented, “The addition of Kyocera precision cutting tools to our lineup is a very strategic move to complete our drill room offering. It’s a perfect complement to the American-made backup and entry materials manufactured by LCOA®. Our companies realize so many of the challenges our customers encounter can be traced back to drilling. I’m also pleased both Kyocera and Insulectro share the strategic vision of supporting the critical North American PCB market.”

Kyocera SGS designs and manufactures tight tolerance precision carbide cutting tools for PCB applications. Products include drills, routers, end mills, and specialized cutting tools ranging from 0.05mm to 6.70mm diameters (0.0020″ – 0.2638″).

Kyocera’s renowned array of drills, routers, endmills, and specialty tools offer many benefits and advantages to customers for all their drilling and routing needs. Kyocera’s tool reliability and design flexibility are key strengths of their products, along with a complete R&D facility in the US, new tool manufacturing capability, and local technical resources, all available to support customer needs.

Repointing will be a new service offered by Insulectro through Kyocera. The company has recently invested in automated, state-of-the-art equipment and all repointing will be done in Southern California.

Tasked with overseeing the sales of these tools is Insulectro Drill Room Product Manager Geraldine Arseneau. Arseneau joined Insulectro several years ago after a lengthy career with Kyocera. “I am thrilled to again be working with my former employer and welcoming them to Insulectro. Kyocera is known throughout the industry for manufacturing highly reliable cutting tools. We can’t wait until August 1, 2022, when the products will be ready to go at Insulectro. Plus, our Technical Account Managers and Field Application Engineers are undergoing training to ensure product familiarity,” exclaimed Arseneau.

“We look forward to the transition of existing Kyocera customers to the Insulectro family, and to presenting Kyocera cutting tools to new customers,” she concluded.

Tom Haag, President of Kyocera SGS, looks forward to contract as well, “Kyocera is very pleased to establish our new relationship with such a premier distribution channel as Insulectro. This will accomplish a national distribution network for our PCB products as well as a collaboration in customer service and engineering to meet our objective to improve our products and services to the electronics industry. The proven track record of Insulectro has our Kyocera team invigorated for future growth together.”

Kyocera’s Joe Negron, Sales Manager, voiced his enthusiasm, “I am very excited and look forward to working with Insulectro as Kyocera’s exclusive North American Distributor for our PCB Cutting Tool Product lines. I am confident the combined strengths of Kyocera and Insulectro will bring high value to our PCB manufacturers.

“The combination of Kyocera’s well engineered cutting tools and Insulectro’s extensive distribution and support channels will bring an unmatched ability to deliver value to drill rooms everywhere. The most exciting aspect of having Insulectro distribute, sell, and support our products is that we can increase and further concentrate on developing new cutting tool drills, routers, end mills, and special applications for advanced circuitry.”

Redfern added, “Insulectro continues to grow and expand as most recently demonstrated by our acquisition of ECEMS and its teammates who were already supporting Kyocera products. Kyocera coming on board is a significant advance for Insulectro’s dominance in the industry – another step forward to enable our customers build better circuits, faster.”

Insulectro supplies advanced engineered materials manufactured by Isola, DuPont®, LCOA®, CAC, Inc., Pacothane, Focus Tech, JX Nippon, TADCO, EMD Electronics (Ormet®), Shikoku, Denkai America, Industrial Brush Corporation, Kyocera SGS Precision Tools, InduBond®, and Shur-loc.

These products are used by its customers to fabricate complex, multilayer circuit boards and to manufacture printed electronics components. Insulectro serves a broad customer base manufacturing rigid, rigid/flex, and flexible circuit boards for applications in a variety of end markets including aeronautics, telecom, data communications, high speed computing, mobile devices, military, and medical.

Insulectro combines its premier product offering with local inventory across North America, fabrication capabilities and backed up by expert customer and technical support services.

For further information, please contact:
John A. Lee
Vice President of Marketing & Brand Strategy
Insulectro
949.587.3326 [email protected]

LAKE FOREST, CA – MAY 16, 2022

“I am pleased to announce a new teammate to our Insulectro Operations team, Joe Harbour,” announced Ken Parent, Insulectro Chief Operating Officer, “Joe comes to us with an extensive and diverse background in the design, development, implementation, and management of world class operations. He is experienced and skilled in driving LEAN operational culture, focused on Safety, Quality, and Service.  He will report to Jason Shuppert, VP Operations & Supply Chain.”

Harbour has over 15 years of operational experience, having spent the first 6 years of his career in the U.S. Air Force, as a Command Control Leader and Project Manager.  Here Harbour achieved the highest ratings for conducting specialized and advanced training for military personnel.  Joe has spent the last eight years with the TJX Companies, Inc. (TJ Maxx, Home Goods, Marshalls) where most recently he held the position of Regional Operations/Loss Prevention Manager.  In this role he provided executive-level operational leadership in the Eastern U.S. for five, 1 million+ square feet distribution and fulfillment centers.  Joe is the recipient of the 2022 “World Class Winner Award” by TJX Inc., for his leadership in implementing a standard DC staffing model that supported a transition to 24/7 operations and for championing efforts to promote a safe work environment with focus on incident de-escalation and workplace safety awareness and compliance.

“I’m very excited to have Joe Harbour joining our Puma Family, spearheading operational oversight in the East & Midwest Regions” stated Vice President of Operations Jason Shuppert. “Joe will bring much needed knowledge and insight in the areas of Safety, Quality, and Service best practices, to drive our World Class Manufacturing culture and our overall operating results forward.”

Ken Parent concluded, “Joe is a wonderful talent to add to our bench of superstars and will have an immediate impact helping us accelerate our WCM focus on People, Quality, Service, and Asset Care.  Insulectro certainly continues to grow and expand to help our customers build better circuits, faster.”

Insulectro supplies advanced engineered materials manufactured by Isola, DuPont®, LCOA®, CAC, Inc., Pacothane, Focus Tech, JX Nippon, TADCO, EMD Performance Materials (Ormet®), Shikoku, Denkai America, Industrial Brush Corporation, Kemmer, InduBond®, and Shur-loc. These products are used by its customers to fabricate complex, multilayer circuit boards and to manufacture printed electronics components. Insulectro serves a broad customer base manufacturing rigid, rigid/flex, and flexible circuit boards for applications in a variety of end markets including aeronautics, telecom, data communications, high speed computing, mobile devices, military, and medical. Insulectro combines its premier product offering with local inventory across North America, fabrication capabilities and backed up by expert customer and technical support services.

For further information, please contact:

John A. Lee

Vice President of Marketing & Brand Strategy

Insulectro

949.587.3326   [email protected]

WILMINGTON, Del., May 6, 2022 – DuPont Interconnect Solutions, a business within the Electronics & Industrial segment, today held a ribbon-cutting ceremony with elected officials and business leaders to formally mark the completion of its $250 million capital project to expand production of Kapton^® polyimide film and Pyralux^® flexible circuit materials at the Circleville manufacturing site.

“The opening of the production line in Circleville marks a major milestone for DuPont and Electronics & Industrial,” said Jon Kemp, president of DuPont Electronics & Industrial. “The Kapton^® and Pyralux^® expansion will help ensure supply of innovative materials to meet the growing global customer demand in the automotive, consumer electronics, telecommunications, specialized industrial and defense segments. It also demonstrates our ongoing commitment to being the partner of choice for our customers and delivering them new products with higher reliability and supply assurance.”

DuPont employs more than 1,000 people across eight locations in Ohio, including 500 people at its site in Circleville. Kemp said, “DuPont is proud to play an integral role in Ohio’s plans to expand its semiconductor and electronics manufacturing ecosystem.”

This new manufacturing line uses DuPont proprietary processing capabilities to produce advanced Kapton^® polyimide films, which have set industry standards for more than 50 years, offering high performance, reliability and durability. Kapton^® polyimide films offer a unique combination of electrical, thermal, chemical and mechanical properties that withstand extreme temperature, vibration and other demanding environments.

Kapton^® polyimide film is also at the heart of DuPont’s Pyralux^® line of flexible copper-clad laminates that are available in a wide variety of copper types, thicknesses and construction options, all of which offer excellent thermal, chemical, electrical and mechanical properties. Pyralux^® laminates are ideal for use in a wide variety of multi-layer flex and rigid-flex applications which require advanced performance, such as low dissipation loss for high speed, high frequency, robust thermal resistance and high reliability.

LAKE FOREST, CA – MAY 2, 2022

After a two-year hiatus caused by the COVID pandemic, Insulectro, the largest distributor of materials for use in manufacture of printed circuit boards and printed electronics, is exhibiting at the Del Mar Electronics & Manufacturing show May 4 and 5, 2022 in Del Mar, CA.

“Insulectro is looking forward to once again participating in Southern California’s own electronics tradeshow – the Del Mar Electronics & Manufacturing show held this week at the Del Mar Fairgrounds,” announced Ken Parent, Insulectro Chief Operating Officer, “It’s good to be back!”

The Del Mar Show markets itself as a place to find productive and fun ideas for design, assembly & manufacturing, as well as quality & testing. A smaller show by some standards, this show is renowned for the quality of exhibitors and of the technical seminars. The interaction of industry leaders is unmatched.

“Located in space 101 in the Bing Crosby Hall, we are flanked on either side by two of our premier suppliers – Isola and DuPont® (which will feature its MCM product line of conductive inks and pastes). Attendees will find spaces 100, 101, and 102 to be the ‘power corner’ of the exhibition,” Parent continued. “With our Design Education program, we have been emphasizing to OEMs, fabricators, and designers the importance of selecting not only the right materials but following through to ensure they are used properly for maximum productivity. We can help with that.

“Our two experts on that subject – Michael Creeden CID+, Technical Director and Laura Martin, Director of Technology – are ready to discuss that with you. Michael is a well-known personality in our industry and an expert on strong, producible designs. Laura has recently joined Insulectro after a lengthy career with Lockheed Martin where she held a variety of high-profile positions. She knows what OEMs expect,” Parent concluded.

The Del Mar Show hours on May 4^th from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM and May 5^th from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Attendance is free, and you use this link to register: https://www.mfgshow.com/electroshows/delreg.html.

Insulectro supplies advanced engineered materials manufactured by Isola, DuPont®, LCOA®, CAC, Inc., Pacothane, Focus Tech, JX Nippon, TADCO, EMD Performance Materials (Ormet®), Shikoku, Denkai America, Industrial Brush Corporation, Kemmer, InduBond®, and Shur-loc. These products are used by its customers to fabricate complex, multilayer circuit boards and to manufacture printed electronics components. Insulectro serves a broad customer base manufacturing rigid, rigid/flex, and flexible circuit boards for applications in a variety of end markets including aeronautics, telecom, data communications, high speed computing, mobile devices, military, and medical. Insulectro combines its premier product offering with local inventory across North America, fabrication capabilities and backed up by expert customer and technical support services.

For further information, please contact:

John A. Lee

Vice President of Marketing & Brand Strategy

Insulectro

949.587.3326   [email protected]

North America’s largest distributor of materials for use in manufacture of printed circuit boards and printed electronics, has broadened its commitment to Canadian business. It has acquired more warehouse space at 237 Unit 1 Finchdene Square, Scarborough Ontario M1X 2E1 Canada significantly increasing its local presence and capabilities in Canada.

“Insulectro continues be optimistic about the electronics business and we are pleased to announce our increased investment in the Northeast Canadian market,” announced Ken Parent, Insulectro Chief Operating Officer, “Our goal is to continue to improve our focus and service to our local Canadian customers.”

Rudy Chavarria has been hired as Operations Supervisor at this new Insulectro location. Our local Technical Account Manager Michael Currie will be point person in the PCB market. Bob Lee will continue to be TAM and point person for Printed Electronics business. Ron Murdock, Insulectro’s Director of Sales Eastern Region will manage this PCB territory. Kevin Miller, Insulectro VP of Sales for Printed Electronics will manage the PE business in the marketplace. A list on pertinent contacts with phone numbers and emails is available for Insulectro’s technical account managers, inside sales managers, field application engineers and product managers.

Ken Parent concluded, “Insulectro appreciates all the support and our relationship with First Electronics and Chester Cartage over the years, as they have helped us get to this position in the marketplace. We expect this continue even stronger with the additional warehouse space that enables us to support our customers.

Insulectro supplies advanced engineered materials manufactured by Isola, DuPont®, LCOA®, CAC, Inc., Pacothane, Focus Tech, JX Nippon, TADCO, EMD Electronics (Ormet®), Shikoku, Denkai America, Industrial Brush Corporation, Kemmer, InduBond®, and Shur-loc. These products are used by its customers to fabricate complex, multilayer circuit boards and to manufacture printed electronics components. Insulectro serves a broad customer base manufacturing rigid, rigid/flex, and flexible circuit boards for applications in a variety of end markets including aeronautics, telecom, data communications, high speed computing, mobile devices, military, and medical. Insulectro combines its premier product offering with local inventory across North America, fabrication capabilities and backed up by expert customer and technical support services.

For further information, please contact:
John A. Lee
Vice President of Marketing & Brand Strategy
Insulectro
949.587.3326 [email protected]

“Today, I’m welcoming Doug Gotelli to the Puma Team,” announced Ken Parent, Insulectro Chief Operating Officer, “Doug has had a very impressive career with many high-profile positions throughout the supply chain.”

Gotelli has an extensive background in PCB fab/assembly/integration/supply sales and account management with such firms as Compass Electronics Solutions, MacDermid Alpha, Minco Products, Endicott Interconnect, and Tyco.

“I’ve known Insulectro since my start in the PCB business. The first ‘business lunch’ of my career was with Tom Earle and Anne Garibaldi when I worked in procurement/purchasing at a small PCB factory back in 1979! From that day on, I’ve had such respect and admiration for Insulectro. To have the opportunity of joining Insulectro at this juncture in my career is both extraordinary and humbling,” Gotelli commented.

Gotelli will report to Chris Hunrath, Insulectro VP of Technology. Hunrath’s responsibilities have recently increased with the sales leadership role for Northern and Southern California being added. In addition to his Technology title, Hunrath is now also Vice President of Sales – Western Region.

Ken Parent concluded, “Doug’s enviable track record is pinned to his driving goal of long-term customer engagement. We’re glad he’s now carrying an Insulectro business card.”

Insulectro supplies advanced engineered materials manufactured by Isola, DuPont®, LCOA®, CAC, Inc., Pacothane, Focus Tech, JX Nippon, TADCO, EMD Performance Materials (Ormet®), Shikoku, Denkai America, Industrial Brush Corporation, Kemmer, InduBond®, and Shur-loc. These products are used by its customers to fabricate complex, multilayer circuit boards and to manufacture printed electronics components. Insulectro serves a broad customer base manufacturing rigid, rigid/flex, and flexible circuit boards for applications in a variety of end markets including aeronautics, telecom, data communications, high speed computing, mobile devices, military, and medical. Insulectro combines its premier product offering with local inventory across North America, fabrication capabilities and backed up by expert customer and technical support services.

For further information, please contact:

John A. Lee

Vice President of Marketing & Brand Strategy

Insulectro

949.587.3326   [email protected]