2016 International Printed Circuit & APEX South China Fair

The International Printed Circuit & APEX South China Fair 2016 (HKPCA & IPC Show) opened this week in Shenzhen, China, and ran through 9 December. Over the 15 years since it was launched in 2002, the Fair has evolved into one of the world’s most influential trade shows for the Printed Circuit Board and Electronic Assembly industry. This year’s show was again larger than ever, staged under the theme “Global Wisdom Shaping the Future.”

This theme reflected the fact that the show gathered global industry elites and their latest products and technologies together under one roof, providing an ideal platform for sourcing and information exchange.  This enables participants to draw on a deep reservoir of global knowledge and leadership to shape their local actions, helping to lead the industry into the future.

Exhibitors Showcased the Industry’s Hottest Innovations

Close to 550 exhibitors displayed the latest and most creative industry offerings at more than 2,500 booths, taking up over 50,000 sq. m. of floor area across Halls 1, 2 and 4 of the Shenzhen Convention & Exhibition Center. One hundred of these exhibitors were new to the show this year. An enormous selection of products and solutions covering the whole supply chain were shown from both new innovators and the industry’s leading names including TTM, Ellington, Aoshikang, Evertek (Kunshan), Gainbase, Sunshine, World Mastery, Atotech, Harvar, WKK, Rockent, Schmoll, PAL, Dow, Han’s CNC, C Sun, Topoint, Carl Zeiss, Jadason, Orbotech, Isola, Hitachi Chemical, MacDermid, Rogers, Schmid, Universal P.C.B., Protek, Joint Stars, Guangdong Guanghua, Farcien, JT Automation, Desen, and many more. The impressive array of innovative products and services offered attracted industry participants from all over the world.

Special Pavilions Highlighted the Path to the Industry’s Future Success

A brand-new “Japan/Korea Pavilion” was launched this year in Halls 1 and 2. This grouped together leading industry players from Japan and Korea, bringing innovative equipment and technologies from these two countries to the Show to help accelerate the industry’s upgrading. Meanwhile the “Smart Automation Pavilion” made a welcome return with enriched content, guiding the industry’s progress towards higher productivity and smarter manufacturing through enhanced automation—the “Industry 4.0” paradigm.

In his opening speech, HKPCA Chairman Mr. Canice Chung highlighted the value of the show in helping to tackle the challenges facing the industry in today’s slow economy, saying: “At such times, farsighted companies will focus on preparing themselves to take advantage of an eventual market upturn. Here, the Fair can help by showcasing the very latest technology to enhance production quality and efficiency.”

A Full Program of Accompanying Events Added Value to the Show

As in the past, a rich array of accompanying events and activities added more value to the Fair, offering attendees abundant opportunities for education and networking. The International Technical Conference featured a variety of current issues—such as Industry 4.0, intelligent production, the latest PCB technology innovations, and market trends—enabled visitors to stay on top of current developments.

The Hand Soldering Competition has been a popular element of the Fair in recent years. This year the fair hosted the 2016 IPC Hand Soldering World Championship, the first time it was staged in China. Champions from China, Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, India and Europe fought for the world title at the Show, enabling visitors to observe the highest levels of hand soldering craftsmanship on display.

Other onsite events included the Golf Tournament, Welcome Dinner, China PCB Design Competition, IPC China PCB Design Conference etc. which provided visitors with ample educational and networking opportunities.

In his Opening Ceremony speech, Dr. John W. Mitchell, President and CEO of the IPC−Association Connecting Electronics Industries®, stressed the value of the Fair’s educational opportunities, saying: “Over the next few days, as you learn about new advancements and opportunities that will help you address your challenges at work, do not miss the keynote speakers who will share their expertise on new technologies, provide updates on market and industry trends, new products, processes and more.”