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Susan Mucha In EMS, today’s headlines often become tomorrow’s production schedule.

While it may seem as if there is little rhyme or reason for variations in demand, the reality is that the electronics manufacturing service (EMS) industry’s repeating cycles actually make trends fairly predictable. As I write this, a number of those trends are starting to emerge. By the time it publishes, these trends will be even more evident. Understanding them can be helpful in addressing the issues and exploiting the opportunities that are likely to result.

Read more: Trendspotting Again

Jake Kulp The six functions every successful NPI needs.

A recent exchange on LinkedIn about the EMS industry got me thinking about the many good, bad and ugly NPI processes I have been part of or audited over the years. While there is no one right answer to launching first articles in the EMS space, far too many unrepeatable and inefficient NPI processes are “time eaters,” enabling first-article failures and taking the NPI team away from their day-to-day duties. This month, we examine some basic principles to consider if your NPI process is not consistent from NPI launch #1 to NPI launch #100.

Read more: Phase Gates, Not Face-to-Face: Modernizing the EMS NPI Process

Susan Mucha In an EMS environment built on controlled chaos, dashboards help program managers catch problems early and keep accounts on track.

The electronics manufacturing services (EMS) industry is controlled chaos by design. The basic EMS value proposition is that outsourcing relieves original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) of manufacturing challenges. The EMS provider covers fixed costs during manufacturing and carries the associated inventory costs on its balance sheet. Market slowing down? Revise your EMS provider’s forecast.

Read more: Dashboards and Controlled Chaos

Jake Kulp You’re going to make some mistakes!

Having led different-sized sales forces over the years, I’ve made some massive hiring mistakes. This isn’t a “how to avoid all hiring mistakes” piece; everyone will make hiring errors over a long and active career. It is how you respond to those mistakes that can make a big difference in your company.

Read more: Lessons From My Worst Sales Hires