Southern Manufacturing & Electronics Show 2020
February 20, 2020
To showcase the company’s portfolio of Services, Materials & Equipment offerings to the UK market, Reel Service Ltd was exhibiting once again at the Southern Manufacturing & Electronics show, ‘The UK’s LARGEST regional manufacturing technology, electronics and subcontracting exhibition’ which took place in the fantastic Hall 1 at the Farnborough Exhibition & Conference Centre.
From early on the first day the isles were full of visitors and this continued across all 3 days of the show. This proved an excellent opportunity to meet with existing customers to discuss current business and also potential new business opportunities. The show also provided the all-important opportunity to meet with new companies to discuss their component packaging challenges and to show them what service & material solutions Reel Service can provide.
Following recent political uncertainty post-General Election within the UK and nervousness surrounding the UK’s departure from the EU the following month, it was refreshing to discuss the current positive view of the UK manufacturing sector with prospective customers, existing customers and suppliers, all of whom expressed a general positivity surrounding trade within the UK and European markets. The general mood from the discussions was ‘cautious optimism’ with most visitors reporting healthy order books. However with the heat now out of the Brexit debate and the General Election over, murmurs around the show were discussing the new looming spectre of coronavirus and how this may affect trade. There were already examples being cited of supply-chain interruptions due to temporary factory closures within China, however the greater impact and duration of these interruptions is still undetermined and were being cautiously played down.
However, should lead-time for materials from Asia become an issue, Reel Service are well positioned to support European demand. Following the move of many American & European carrier tape manufacturers transferring their tape forming operations to SE Asia, the lead-time for carrier tape shipped via sea-freight can be at best 12 weeks to Europe, a whole fiscal quarter! With added delays and uncertainty surrounding supply from SE Asia due to coronavirus, Reel Service provides a major competitive advantage for European customers. With Reel Service’ carrier tape manufacture located within Europe, lead-time for most carrier tapes is short, typically 2 weeks instead of months compared to ordering from Asia.
Regardless of this new uncertainty, time and trade waits for no one and in the meantime, the UK electronics industry is looking forward to a busy year ahead. To support this, Reel Service remains positioned as Europe’s premier Tape & Reel Service provider and further strengthening our market position as ‘The Tape & Reel Company’.
