2021 Mid-Year PCB/EMS M&A Update
M&A activity is booming in the U.S. as the nation emerges from the COVID pandemic. Thanks to video conferencing and adjustments in procedures, M&A was also pretty busy in 2020. Now that the economy has opened and everyone is traveling,... Read More →
Keep Your Saw Sharp
My hobby is prairie restoration, which means that most weekends you will find me in the Cook County Forest Preserves near Chicago with a chainsaw or some other power tool. My favorite activity is to cut non-native invasive trees to... Read More →
2020 M&A Wrap Up
2020 turned out to be a strong year for M&A in the PCB and EMS/PCB Assembly markets. That is surprising considering the pandemic, US election uncertainty, and restrictions on travel. Although many people were traveling within the US, at least... Read More →
Dealing With Burnout
The year 2020 has certainly been interesting. Owners of companies in the PCB and PCBA industries are used to ups and downs, but yeesh, 2020 has been tough. The good news is most owners have survived all kinds of stressful... Read More →
Bringing PCB and PCBA Industries Back to the U.S.
Although U.S. PCB companies have been waving the flag for years, the COVID-19 crisis has shined a spotlight on the U.S. dependency on overseas suppliers for many electronics products. It was kind of a “Sputnik moment” for the U.S. that... Read More →
What Is a Quality of Earnings Report?
For the past several years, quality of earnings reports (also called “Q of E” reports), have become more popular in M&A deals. Whether the seller’s financials are audited, reviewed, compiled, in QuickBooks, or on the back of a napkin, a... Read More →
Bridging the Valuation Gap Between Buyer and Seller
PCB acquisitions in the U.S. are down so far in the first five months of 2017, with only two announced deals (HT Global Circuits’ acquisition of Pho-Tronics in April; American Standard Circuits’ acquisition of Camtech in May); and one anonymous... Read More →
Punching Out – How to Sell Your PCB – Assembly Shop
You are thinking of selling your PCB or assembly shop. Perhaps you are contemplating retirement, you have no successors, and the thought of going to the office on Monday is driving you crazy. This column is designed to help your... Read More →
Punching Out – Putting Together the Deal Team
When preparing to sell, remember the old saying, “He who represents himself has a fool for a client.” While many owners might be tempted to go it alone, in my experience it pays to have a deal team to help... Read More →
Punching Out – The Additive Process: Tips on How to Buy a Board Shop or Assembly House
One of the quickest ways to grow a business is to acquire another business. At the same time, acquiring a business can be risky, and a really bad deal may put your original business in jeopardy. Here are some tips... Read More →