Leoben, January 22, 2026 – AT&S AG continues its strong growth path in the new year. Given the continued strong order situation and numerous major projects won in recent months, the company is investing massively in the infrastructure of the Leoben site. Following the successful commissioning of the state-of-the-art competence center for R&D and IC substrates production in summer 2025, AT&S is launching the next phase of its site offensive: With an investment volume in the mid-single-digit million range, the capacities in the existing printed circuit board plants will be comprehensively expanded and modernized.
AT&S is on the upswing
“After a challenging year and a half, things are looking up again,” says Michael Mertin, CEO and Chairman of the Management Board of AT&S. “The driver is artificial intelligence. It is therefore crucial to invest boldly in our own capabilities, especially in a challenging global economic environment.” Mertin adds: “Our decision to consistently expand production in Leoben-Hinterberg is a clear commitment to quality and a strategic step towards securing our technological sovereignty and our ability to supply our customers in the long term.”
Cleanroom area tripled
The key facts: the cleanroom area, which is essential for high-tech production, at the main plant in Leoben will be tripled from 760 to 2,300 square meters. As this new cleanroom extends over two floors, the elevator system and staircase will also be built using cleanroom technology. In addition, the quality of the cleanroom will be raised by one quality class to ISO6. Office, storage and logistics areas will also be converted. The expansion should be completed by summer 2026. “The conversion includes state-of-the-art production facilities and optimized logistics processes that will take the site to the next technological level,” says Barbara Decker-Schlögl. As Senior Director Operations and the new site manager, she is coordinating all activities with her team. “We are significantly increasing our capacities. We owe this expansion to a consistently strong order situation for special embedding products and it is a huge vote of confidence in the expertise of our team.”
AT&S CEO Mertin also refers to the increase in production staff. “In the fall, we announced 150 new jobs in Leoben and the feedback was great. With our IC substrates as essential components for new cloud and AI applications and our renowned expertise in highly developed printed circuit boards, AT&S is ideally positioned globally and here in Austria.”
AUSTIN, Texas – January 22, 2026 – CELUS, developer of the leading AI-assisted electronics design platform used by developers and engineers globally, and Atlantik Elektronik, a leading distributor and design-in specialist for innovative electronic and semiconductor components, today announced a strategic partnership aimed at streamlining and accelerating the hardware design process for engineers globally.
This collaboration is a significant step forward in integrating design intelligence with AI technology into the core of electronic distribution, engineering and design services. Under the agreement, users of Atlantik Elektronik's design services can now seamlessly start their development journey by leveraging the CELUS Design Platform. Furthermore, customers who are part of Atlantik Elektronik’s distribution and partner network can dramatically accelerate their product and component selection by utilizing the CELUS Design Platform’s intelligent component matching and project generation capabilities.
"At Atlantik Elektronik, we recognize that the best path to enabling our customers to achieve a market-leading position is through access to the most innovative technologies, shortened design cycles and faster time to market," stated Christian Flach, COO of Atlantik Elektronik. "Integrating the CELUS Design Platform into our ecosystem further assists us in achieving these goals while offering immense value across multiple aspects of our business. From component selection and engineering support to enhancing our overall design services offering, this partnership ensures our clients stay ahead in a rapidly evolving technological landscape."
The CELUS Design Platform bridges the engineering workflow with reliable component implementation by focusing on three foundational elements: enabling engineers to capture their design intent; providing the necessary information effectively; and guiding engineers through the journey of discovery based on their requirements. Rather than suggesting parts in isolation, CELUS supports engineers with complete circuit context ensuring that design decisions are both fast and sound.
"We are incredibly excited to be working with Atlantik Elektronik to truly transform how hardware is designed and further fortify the AI hardware design revolution," said Rob Telson, Vice President of Global Sales at CELUS. "Atlantik recognizes the shifting demands of the electronic component industry and the need for advanced tools to meet market acceleration. By combining Atlantik’s deep expertise and extensive distribution portfolio with the power of the CELUS Design Platform, we are enabling customers to achieve unparalleled speed and efficiency in their projects.”
Atlantik Elektronik partners with leading global technology companies to provide customers with a comprehensive range of products and services that support the development of innovative electronic design. With a portfolio of products and solutions including audio ICS, microcontrollers, displays, network technologies, embedded modules, power supplies, sensors, connectors, fuses, wireless modules and more, Atlantik Elektronik’s nearly half a century of market leadership helps customers combine and integrate the ideal components to greatly reduce time to technology and time to market while delivering significant reduction to the total cost of ownership.
Europlacer, a global leader in flexible SMT assembly solutions, has received a 2025 Service Excellence Award (SEA), marking the 12th year in a row the company has been honored. The award, presented to Technical Service Manager Scott Huffman by Mike Buetow – President of PCEA, recognizes Europlacer’s high standards in Pick & Place and Printer service.
The Service Excellence Awards, now in their 33rd year and sponsored by CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY, are based entirely on feedback from customers. Companies are evaluated on areas such as reliability, responsiveness, ease of use, manufacturing quality, and overall value. Scott Huffman, Technical Service Manager for Europlacer Americas said:
"Receiving the Service Excellence Award is a great recognition of the commitment our service team shows every day. As service engineers, we are on the front line with our customers, and our priority is always to keep their production running smoothly. This award reflects the trust our customers place in us and the teamwork behind every successful service delivery."
"We are delighted to receive this award, as it reflects the consistent level of support and attention we aim to provide our customers - from initial contact and throughout the life of their equipment."
This 12th consecutive award highlights Europlacer’s continued focus on service and support, a key part of the company’s approach to working with electronics manufacturers worldwide.
OSAKI, JAPAN – Rohde & Schwarz has opened a new larger office in Osaki, Japan, with increased capabilities, to deliver an innovation advantage for the Japanese automotive community.
The new location, which replaces the original one in Shinjuku, has significantly enhanced facilities for service, repair, calibration and engineering support of test equipment as well as increased space for hosting customer events.
Munich/Osaki, - At the new office Rohde & Schwarz hosts demonstrations developed in collaboration with leading automotive industry partners. Noashi Saito, General Manager of Rohde & Schwarz Japan commented, “We are very proud of our new facility in Osaki, and we invite the Japanese automotive community to make the most of this resource and the talented staff who work here.”
EMC measurements under dynamic driving conditions with AIP Automotive
The electromagnetic emissions of vehicles, particularly EVs, change significantly depending on their operational state. Therefore, to get a true understanding of the EMC performance of an electric vehicle, it is essential to test it under dynamic driving conditions. A test system that combines EMC receivers and automation software from Rohde & Schwarz with the AIP EMC Chassis Dynamometer enables vehicle manufacturers and Tier 1s to obtain an evaluation of the EMC performance of their designs under realistic operational conditions. AIP has enhanced this system with R&S radar target simulators to also provide vehicle-in-the-loop testing of radars in a controlled environment. The new R&S office in Osaki has a dedicated space for calibration of EMC equipment and is near AIP’s new office, enabling fast servicing and support turnaround time for AIP.
Rohde & Schwarz strengthens in vehicle network compliance testing in Japan with GRL and Analog Devices
Rohde & Schwarz is further expanding its collaboration with Granite River Labs (GRL) and Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI) to support in-vehicle network compliance testing in Japan. GRL, a provider of compliance test and certification services for standards like multigigabit Ethernet and Automotive SerDes Alliance (ASA), has a history of utilizing Rohde & Schwarz test equipment. ADI, a global semiconductor leader, is working closely with Rohde & Schwarz globally to advance the adoption of the emerging OpenGMSL™ standard via the OpenGMSL Association.
The collaboration is supported by Rohde & Schwarz Japan's new expanded facilities and the availability of leading-edge oscilloscopes and vector network analyzers, designed to ensure fast and reliable standards-compliant testing, including solutions specifically tailored for the Japanese market. This will accelerate testing processes and facilitate the building and delivery of OpenGMSL-based solutions. The availability of local expertise and instruments is considered critical in supporting the global automotive ecosystem.
IPG Automotive, a leader in virtual test driving, partners with Rohde & Schwarz to integrate Automotive Radar Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) testing from the proving ground into the development lab. The collaboration combines IPG Automotive’s CarMaker simulation software with Rohde & Schwarz’s scalable AREG800A radar target simulator, the R&S QAT100 advanced antenna array, and the compact R&S RadEsT target simulator.
This combination provides vehicle manufacturers and Tier 1 suppliers with the ability to simulate ADAS/AD scenarios, including those defined in Euro NCAP, in a controlled, safe, time-efficient, and cost-reducing environment. In the expanded office facilities in Osaki both companies jointly set up and demonstrate HIL systems alongside the development of local traffic scenario simulations specific to Japan.
MediaTek and Rohde & Schwarz expand automotive NTN testing to Japan
The automotive industry is actively exploring non-terrestrial networks (NTNs) to provide ubiquitous wireless connectivity for always-connected vehicles. The capabilities of pioneering chipset developer MediaTek’s latest NR-NTN device have been demonstrated using the Rohde & Schwarz CMX500 radiocommunication tester, a versatile solution for testing various NTN technologies including NR-NTN, NB-NTN, and Direct-To-Cell (D2C, DTC). The CMX500 offers multiband and multi-orbit support, along with a dedicated NTN workspace for visualizing deployed networks and their parameters.
Rohde & Schwarz leverages its wireless and automotive expertise to help navigate the challenges associated with NTN, identify key vehicle components, and explain the role of testing in creating NTN-enabled vehicles. A global collaboration between MediaTek and Rohde & Schwarz, spanning Europe, North America, and China, is now expanding to Japan.
The office in Osaki will facilitate a greater number of projects for Japanese automotive partners, including faster support for local NTN projects with MediaTek. The R&S CMX500 empowers customers in Japan to test and optimize the entire NTN integration chain — from chipsets and modules to antennas, TCUs, and vehicles and validates NTN vehicle connectivity tailored to the Japanese market.
The new location, which replaces the original one in Shinjuku, has significantly enhanced facilities for service, repair, calibration and engineering support of test equipment as well as increased space for hosting customer events. Munich/Osaki, - At the new office Rohde & Schwarz hosts demonstrations developed in collaboration with leading automotive industry partners. Noashi Saito, General Manager of Rohde & Schwarz Japan commented, “We are very proud of our new facility in Osaki, and we invite the Japanese automotive community to make the most of this resource and the talented staff who work here.”
EMC measurements under dynamic driving conditions with AIP Automotive The electromagnetic emissions of vehicles, particularly EVs, change significantly depending on their operational state. Therefore, to get a true understanding of the EMC performance of an electric vehicle, it is essential to test it under dynamic driving conditions. A test system that combines EMC receivers and automation software from Rohde & Schwarz with the AIP EMC Chassis Dynamometer enables vehicle manufacturers and Tier 1s to obtain an evaluation of the EMC performance of their designs under realistic operational conditions. AIP has enhanced this system with R&S radar target simulators to also provide vehicle-in-the-loop testing of radars in a controlled environment. The new R&S office in Osaki has a dedicated space for calibration of EMC equipment and is near AIP’s new office, enabling fast servicing and support turnaround time for AIP.
Rohde & Schwarz strengthens in vehicle network compliance testing in Japan with GRL and Analog Devices Rohde & Schwarz is further expanding its collaboration with Granite River Labs (GRL) and Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI) to support in-vehicle network compliance testing in Japan. GRL, a provider of compliance test and certification services for standards like multigigabit Ethernet and Automotive SerDes Alliance (ASA), has a history of utilizing Rohde & Schwarz test equipment. ADI, a global semiconductor leader, is working closely with Rohde & Schwarz globally to advance the adoption of the emerging OpenGMSL™ standard via the OpenGMSL Association.
The collaboration is supported by Rohde & Schwarz Japan's new expanded facilities and the availability of leading-edge oscilloscopes and vector network analyzers, designed to ensure fast and reliable standards-compliant testing, including solutions specifically tailored for the Japanese market. This will accelerate testing processes and facilitate the building and delivery of OpenGMSL-based solutions. The availability of local expertise and instruments is considered critical in supporting the global automotive ecosystem. IPG Automotive and Rohde & Schwarz enhance autonomous driving radar testing capabilities
IPG Automotive, a leader in virtual test driving, partners with Rohde & Schwarz to integrate Automotive Radar Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) testing from the proving ground into the development lab. The collaboration combines IPG Automotive’s CarMaker simulation software with Rohde & Schwarz’s scalable AREG800A radar target simulator, the R&S QAT100 advanced antenna array, and the compact R&S RadEsT target simulator.
This combination provides vehicle manufacturers and Tier 1 suppliers with the ability to simulate ADAS/AD scenarios, including those defined in Euro NCAP, in a controlled, safe, time-efficient, and cost-reducing environment. In the expanded office facilities in Osaki both companies jointly set up and demonstrate HIL systems alongside the development of local traffic scenario simulations specific to Japan.
MediaTek and Rohde & Schwarz expand automotive NTN testing to Japan The automotive industry is actively exploring non-terrestrial networks (NTNs) to provide ubiquitous wireless connectivity for always-connected vehicles. The capabilities of pioneering chipset developer MediaTek’s latest NR-NTN device have been demonstrated using the Rohde & Schwarz CMX500 radiocommunication tester, a versatile solution for testing various NTN technologies including NR-NTN, NB-NTN, and Direct-To-Cell (D2C, DTC). The CMX500 offers multiband and multi-orbit support, along with a dedicated NTN workspace for visualizing deployed networks and their parameters.
Rohde & Schwarz leverages its wireless and automotive expertise to help navigate the challenges associated with NTN, identify key vehicle components, and explain the role of testing in creating NTN-enabled vehicles. A global collaboration between MediaTek and Rohde & Schwarz, spanning Europe, North America, and China, is now expanding to Japan.
The office in Osaki will facilitate a greater number of projects for Japanese automotive partners, including faster support for local NTN projects with MediaTek. The R&S CMX500 empowers customers in Japan to test and optimize the entire NTN integration chain — from chipsets and modules to antennas, TCUs, and vehicles and validates NTN vehicle connectivity tailored to the Japanese market.
MULINO, OR – ASC Sunstone Circuits, a leading provider of high-quality, quick-turn printed circuit boards (PCBs), is pleased to announce a significant enhancement to its Oregon manufacturing facility. As part of a strategic initiative to align capabilities across the organization, a high-precision via fill machine has been transitioned from parent company American Standard Circuits (ASC) to the ASC Sunstone facility in Mulino. This equipment transfer represents a deepening of the synergy between both facilities, providing customers with faster access to advanced fabrication techniques previously unavailable on site.
Streamlining Complex PCB Fabrication
The addition of dedicated via fill equipment allows ASC Sunstone to manage complex design requirements - such as conductive and non-conductive via fill - entirely in-house. This move is designed to:
Reduced Lead Times: By integrating in-house via fill capabilities at the Oregon facility, ASC eliminates the need to transfer boards between plants or outsource specific processes. This localized control ensures that complex commercial designs stay on the fast track, maintaining industry-leading quick-turn delivery schedules.
Enhanced Reliability: Bringing the via fill process in-house at the Oregon plant ensures total quality control over boards requiring flat surfaces for component mounting (via-in-pad). This provides customers with superior structural integrity and optimized assembly surfaces without the logistics of multi-site handling.
Support for Advanced Commercial Designs: This equipment enables the Oregon plant to support tighter pitch designs and improved thermal management locally. By streamlining the production of sophisticated boards, ASC provides a faster, more efficient path for domestic prototyping and production.
A Unified Manufacturing Strategy
"Since joining forces with American Standard Circuits, our goal has been to provide the best of both worlds: ASC’s vast technical resources and Sunstone’s legendary speed and ease of use," said Mathew Stevenson, VP & General Manager at ASC Sunstone Circuits. "Moving this via fill capability to Oregon is a perfect example of that synergy. We are literally putting the tools for complex engineering directly into the hands of our quick-turn customers."
About ASC
ASC is a premier PCB solutions provider formed by the integration of American Standard Circuits and Sunstone Circuits, bringing together over 50 years of collective industry expertise. By unifying high-tech fabrication capabilities with industry-leading quick-turn agility, the company provides a comprehensive "design-to-production" workflow across its domestic manufacturing facilities. ASC delivers a robust technology portfolio—including Ultra HDI, RF/microwave, metal-clad, flex, and rigid-flex solutions—supported by world-class certifications and a legendary commitment to customer service. From rapid prototyping to large-scale production, ASC leverages its combined multi-site capacity to meet the technical precision and scalability demands of the global electronics industry.
West Chicago, IL — Building on the success of their 2023 merger, two of the nation’s leading printed circuit board manufacturers — American Standard Circuits and Sunstone Circuits — have united under a shared brand family: ASC. Now known as American Standard Circuits (ASC) and ASC Sunstone respectively, the change reflects a shared legacy of innovation, engineering excellence, and the expanded capabilities now available to customers across industries.
New logo reflects legacy of innovation in PCBs
The updated brand identity combines aspects of both company’s original logos, to honor each company’s legacy: the people and partnerships that shaped their growth and solidified their standing as leaders in PCB manufacturing.
At the center of the new logo is a stylized lightning bolt, representing the spark of brilliance that drives innovation, and the current of energy that flows when a circuit is complete. The design also evokes PCB tracelines — a nod to the engineering precision and advanced capabilities that unite both companies.
Looking ahead for 2026 and beyond
While branding evolves, what remains constant is an unwavering commitment to the customer experience. Customers can expect the same responsiveness, reliability, and technical mastery they’ve always trusted — now backed by the combined strength and capabilities of two established PCB leaders united under a shared brand.
“This unification is about more than a name — it’s about a shared vision for the future of PCB manufacturing,” said Anaya Vardya, CEO at ASC. “By coming together as a brand family, we’re harnessing the strengths of two pioneering companies to accelerate innovation, expand our capabilities, and continue to offer new solutions for our customers.”
With a refreshed visual identity, an expanded suite of manufacturing capabilities, and ongoing investments in employees, technology, and R&D, ASC enters the new year poised to lead the next era of PCB manufacturing. Together, American Standard Circuits (ASC) and ASC Sunstone are committed to delivering innovative, high-quality, U.S.-made circuit board solutions — from quick-turn prototypes to complex, high-reliability designs — serving industries from aerospace and medical to telecommunications and consumer electronics.
About ASC
ASC is a premier PCB solutions provider formed by the integration of American Standard Circuits and Sunstone Circuits, bringing together over 50 years of collective industry expertise. By unifying high-tech fabrication capabilities with industry-leading quick-turn agility, the company provides a comprehensive "design-to-production" workflow across its domestic manufacturing facilities. ASC delivers a robust technology portfolio—including Ultra HDI, RF/microwave, metal-clad, flex, and rigid-flex solutions—supported by world-class certifications and a legendary commitment to customer service. From rapid prototyping to large-scale production, ASC leverages its combined multi-site capacity to meet the technical precision and scalability demands of the global electronics industry.
