Chinese New Year 2024: Have you prepared your PCB orders?
Chinese New Year 2024 is fast approaching and will fall on Saturday, February 10th 2024, starting the year of the Dragon. As a public holiday, our China factories will be closed for seven days from February 9th to February 15th 2024.
The holiday could affect the production of your printed circuit boards. We kindly advise you to consider that from February 2nd – February 23rd, our Chinese factories will reduce production, so planning ahead is essential.
To avoid supply chain disruption, please place your orders as early as possible, covering the production volumes for the coming months.
Secure your PCB production now. Together, we can plan the best solution for your needs! Our team is well-prepared to help you put your requests into action and answer any questions. Do not hesitate to contact your local PCB Connect office for further information about lead times and recommendations for your order planning. Get in touch today.
China Covid Update
With the recent easing of Covid restrictions in mainland China, there has been a resultant increase in the number of daily Covid cases.
The PCB Connect Group continues to monitor this daily to monitor the effect on our team, our logistics network, and manufacturing output at our factory base.
Whilst Covid is taking its natural course, all of our factories continue to be able to meet demand at this moment, with production ahead of schedule as we plan for the Chinese New Year.
We will continue to monitor the Covid situation and report further in due course.
Chinese New Year 2023: Have you prepared your PCB orders?
Chinese New Year 2023 is fast approaching and will fall on Sunday, January 22nd, 2023, starting a year of the Rabbit. As a public holiday, our China factories will be closed for 7 days from January 21st to January 27th in 2023.
The holiday could affect the production of your printed circuit boards. We kindly advise you to consider that during the weeks of January 14th – January 20th and January 28th – February 4th, our Chinese factories will reduce production and as a result, planning ahead of time is important.
To avoid supply chain disruption, please place your orders as early as possible, covering the production volumes for the coming months.
Secure your PCB production now. Together we can plan the best solution for your needs! Our team are well-prepared to help you put your requests into action and answer any questions you may have. Do not hesitate to contact your local PCB Connect office for further information about lead times and recommendations for your order planning. Get in touch today.
PCB Connect moves to the China Merchants Qianhai Economic and Trade Center
We´re moving offices!
We are pleased to announce that we will be moving to China Merchants Qianhai Economic and Trade Center in Nanshan District.
We move on June 27 2022.
"Qianhai has the unique geographical advantage of "relying on Hong Kong, serving the mainland, and facing the world", which is undoubtedly benficial to both us and our customers."
"The new office environment will bring a new working atmosphere for employees and also facilitate our business partners."
"Welcome PCB Connect to China Merchants Qianhai International Center. As a world-class global electronic product supplier, PCB Connect has provided our region with global electronic manufacturing expertise and a high-tech electronic ecological industry chain. We are very happy to develop together with PCB Connect."
You are most welcome to visit us.
Room 901, Block B, Phase I, China Merchants Qianhai Economic and Trade Center,
Nanshan District, Shenzen. 518051, China
China Covid-19 Restrictions Update!
With confirmation that most lockdown restrictions imposed on Shenzhen on March 13th have been lifted as of March 21st. We can confirm that the PCB Connect Group’s core supply chain has resumed total production.
Whilst manufacturing returns to normality, logistics routes out of Shenzhen’s three main container ports and air freight lanes out of Shenzhen and Hong Kong remain heavily congested. Our local logistics team continues to work with our freight partners to minimise any disruption.
Our onsite factory management teams returned to work on March 21st, and we continue to observe all relevant local guidance regarding nucleic testing protocols.
For more information on the current situation, please get in touch with your local PCB Connect Group office for more information.
New Covid-19 Restrictions Placed on China
As an organization, we continue to actively monitor all aspects of our upstream and downstream supply chains in light of the ongoing war in Ukraine and the escalation of the Covid-19 outbreak in Shenzhen.
The latest outbreak of Covid-19 culminated in the suspension of public transport and the movement of people over the weekend of the 12th March, with the majority 17 million-strong population in one of the Chinese most crucial technology hubs being caught off guard by the sudden announcement which has led to a cessation of some manufacturing.
While there is currently no specific timeline for easing these restrictions, PCB Connect Group has been reviewing the situation over the weekend of 12th March; we can confirm that production is continuing in the majority of the PCB Connect group approved factories. Most of our factories are positioned across China, away from Shenzhen, and are not affected. Our factories located in Shenzhen are looking for opportunities in line with guidance notified by the health department of Shenzhen.
While it is anticipated that the PCB Connect Group factory management team will be unable to travel to the manufacturing sites, we continue to monitor and progress our WIP through daily video calls with the factories and utilizing direct video feeds to monitor product build-up in key bottleneck areas.
We remain in close dialogue with our logistics partners in identifying the likely impact of the lockdown on the movement of goods in and out of Shenzhen and Hong Kong once manufacturing resumes. It is anticipated that the delays in moving products out of Shenzhen will become the primary concern over the next few days, and we will outline further news once it becomes available.
Contact Us for further enquiries:
PCB Connect BV moves to High Tech Campus
We're moving offices!
PCB Connect BV is glad to announce that we partnering with one of EU's most innovative campuses: High Tech Campus Eindhoven.
We move on January 17 2022.
PCB Connect BV has been experiencing strong growth in recent years, and the move is an excellent opportunity for us to expand. We will be a part of a phenomenal knowledge network that our customers will most certainly benefit from.
“It is a well-considered choice to become part of the HTC innovative ecosystem. An inspiring environment among dynamic start-ups and prominent multinationals. The campus has been at the historical heart of electronics development in the Netherlands and is described as an excellent workplace for our crew: open and transparent, high-tech and centered in nature. It aims to be one of the most Sustainable Campuses in Europe”.
'We welcome PCB Connect to our Campus. Being a global supplier of complex printed circuit boards and adding expert knowledge of global electronics manufacturing base and environmental aspects, PCB Connect strengthens our high-tech ecosystem and introduces synergy with the companies on campus.'
We look forward to this new chapter in the PCB Connect development story.
contact us:
Will the Tiger Roar in 2022
Throughout history, the Ox has been a symbol of reliability. It is tenacious to the task at hand and assured in its progress as it moves calmly towards its goals.
It is fair to say that 2021 the year of Ox, has been anything but calm.
A bubbling pandemic, an explosion in global demand, shortages of materials and finished goods were unseen since the early 80s. As we look forward to the holiday season, what does 2022, the year of the Tiger, promise for the PCB industry? And will the market move in a more calculated tiger-like fashion?
At PCB Connect, we look back, reflect on another unprecedented year. Asking what challenges await in the year of the Tiger.
Is the Tiger's roar the loudest in the jungle?
By any measure, anticipated GDP growth of 8% for 2021 would signify success for most modern-day economies. Still, for the world's second-largest economy. 2021 may be the year when China focuses on the extraordinary highs in Q1 and its 18.3% leap in GDP. To the more sobering prospect of trying to limit inflationary pressure on the cost of goods sold on exports.
Whilst dealing with a real-world climate crisis and growing domestic debt. With export growth up 27% year on year in October 2021 beating analyst forecasts. What does the prospect of a stifled domestic economy mean for PCB export prices? With a domestic cooling market, we expect export sales to regain some of the power it ceded to domestic production in 2020.
Predominantly due to the first in, first out post-pandemic domestic growth. Whilst a weaker domestic market would typically increase competition for export orders providing a more competitive landscape for importers. It is unlikely that the start of 2022 will bring the price relief that many are hoping for.
So what have China's policymakers got to do with it?
With producer prices increasing by over 10% in September. China's policymakers face a dilemma on limiting inflation, reinvigorating the domestic economy, and maintaining its new self-image as a responsible global climate citizen.
Does this have anything to do with the so-called China energy crisis?
Higher input prices in China's factory system can be partly attributed to soaring coal and energy prices as supply struggles to meet demand. With pressure to cut the use of coal, the resulting rationing of power has left many factories facing the prospect of reduced capacity and output. The question for China's policymakers as we enter 2022 is how to reinvigorate its domestic economy without the tool of massive internal infrastructure investment. Which has historically contributed in part to the global climate crisis. As we move deeper into the winter months. The electricity demand will continue to grow, and the disconnect between supply and demand is anticipated to deepen. Global news coverage around the crisis has started to slow. Still, the issues remain current, and vigilance around supply chain capacity and output levels will be critical barometers of factory performance as we head deeper toward winter.
Rapidly increasing freight rates lead to surging profits for shipping companies and higher import pricing for consumers.
The UN reports that rising freight rates are likely to push up global import prices by as much as 11%. Many shipping lines are reporting historic high-profit levels, with one notable global freight company having increased profits tenfold yearly. Conditions for consumers will likely remain challenging for some time to come. However, the global freight crisis is not solely about capacity availability. With staff turnover and wage inflation becoming an emerging issue. According to Hing Chao, executive chairman of Wah Kwong, a shipping line in Hong Kong, the risk of travelling to and from destinations at the front line of the pandemic is having a real impact on the mental health of seafarers. Which is making it increasingly difficult to crew many cargo ships, which has a knock-on impact on crew wage costs.
With as many as 600 shipping containers ships are currently stuck awaiting to dock in ports globally at the start of November. It is anticipated that global sea freight congestion would last until at least the beginning of February.
The so-called global supply chain crunch stretching from Asian producers & reaching consumers globally continues to be felt on airfreight markets. With reductions in airfreight capacity struggling to contend with global demand. As recovering economies and increases in global vaccination levels drive economic expansion.
With airfreight traditionally operating as a release valve for periods of peak loading, allowing importers to manage their freight need. It is clear that the impact of the pandemic will continue to be felt on freight and logistics for some time to come. As the western world settles down and looks forward to the coming festive season, and as Asia looks eagerly ahead to the year of the Tiger, the global economy continues its recovery but the resilience of global supply chains continues to be a concern. And only time will tell whether the Tiger will roar again in 2022.
contact us today
Chinese New Year
The Chinese New Year Holiday is coming. From January 31 to February 6 2022, our china factories will be closed. The holiday could affect the production of your printed circuit boards. We kindly advise considering that during weeks of (January 24 - January 30) and (February 7 - February 12), our Chinese factories will soften production and thus planning ahead of time is important.
Due to the Chinese government's recent dual control of energy consumption policy. Some factories can be affected by reducing production capacity.
You can prepare yourself to avoid supply chain disruption by placing your orders as early as possible, covering the production volumes for the coming months. The most important is to secure your PCB production.
Together we can plan the best solution for your needs!
Our teams are well prepared to help you put your requests into action and answer any questions you may have.
Do not hesitate to contact your local PCB Connect office for further information about lead time and recommendations for your order planning.
Contact: sales@pcbconnectgroup.com
PCB Connect and Accent PCB join forces in The Netherlands
PCB Connect BV in The Netherlands, part of PCB Connect Group, takes another big step forward in the Dutch market by signing a Business Integration partnership with Accent PCB Nederland BV.
For over 25 years Accent PCB has been providing PCB solutions to their loyal customers in the telecommunication, computer&peripherals, consumer electronics, medical, industrial and high-tech sectors. Customers can rely on personal approach, flexible solutions and quick response times every day and this will not change. The partnership, signed on November 30th, will be in effect from January 1st, 2021. The synergy effect will allow Accent PCB Customers to benefit from the global PCB Connect network and brings to PCB Connect an even stronger technical knowledge with the addition of two experienced employees from Accent PCB, Stefano Bongaerts as Customer Support Representative and Dirk van den Hout as a Product Engineer.
“During extensive and very pleasant conversations with John Kuitert and Hans van de Ven, we found that we have a lot in common on both a business and personal level. Our customers will benefit from the strengths PCB Connect has to offer. Together with Stefano Bongaerts, I will make sure our customers experience a smooth transition to PCB Connect. So familiar faces - only the company name is different!”, says Dirk van den Hout.
Stefano Bongaerts agrees that he “will mainly focus on the transition of our customers at Accent PCB to PCB Connect as easy as possible, with the same service and quality level they are used to from Accent PCB, but with the new possibilities of being a part of the PCB Connect BV team, he hopes to create more turnover at these customers.”
The Managing Director of Accent PCB Nederland BV, Fer Verhoeff, will enjoy a well-earned retirement.
John Kuitert, Managing Director at PCB Connect BV, says to “admire Fer Verhoeff for having grown Accent PCB into the company it has become, facing some challenging years in the PCB industry. I thank him for the trust and allowing us to continue serving his customers with the support of Dirk and Stefano. With the expert technical knowledge and years of experience that Dirk and Stefano will add to the PCB Connect team, we see a perfect basis to expand our service to all our customers.”
