CRANSTON, RI – AIM Solder, a leading global manufacturer of solder assembly materials, is pleased to announce the appointment of Covermat Co., Ltd. as its official distributor in Thailand.

Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Bangkok, Covermat is a rapidly growing industrial distributor specializing in advanced materials and adhesive technologies. The company serves a wide range of sectors, including electronics, automotive, home appliances, and medical devices, providing technical support and tailored solutions across Southeast Asia.

Covermat’s reputation for deep market expertise and strong customer relationships makes them an ideal partner to support the growing demand for AIM’s innovative solder materials in the region. The company’s local warehousing, multilingual sales teams, and ability to closely engage with engineering teams at customer sites ensure reliable and responsive support for OEMs, EMS providers, and converters.

“We’re excited to welcome Covermat to the AIM Solder global distribution network,” said David Suraski, President, Assembly Materials Division at AIM. “Their technical strength, customer-first philosophy, and strong track record in Southeast Asia align perfectly with AIM’s commitment to delivering high-performance soldering solutions and localized support around the world.”

AIM’s comprehensive line of solder pastes, bar solder, wire solder, fluxes, and specialty materials will now be more accessible to manufacturers in Thailand through Covermat’s established network and logistics capabilities.

Key Largo, FL & Hatboro, PA – Automated Production Equipment (APE), a trusted supplier of high-performance soldering and rework systems, proudly announces a strategic partnership with Manncorp, a leading provider of Surface Mount Technology (SMT) production equipment. This collaboration brings together two industry leaders to deliver expanded, end-to-end SMT solutions to electronics manufacturers across North America.

The partnership combines APE’s extensive experience in precision soldering, rework, and thru-hole technologies with Manncorp’ s robust portfolio of SMT placement, stencil printing, inspection systems and turnkey production lines. Together, the companies aim to streamline the equipment procurement process, improve technical support, and offer more flexible, scalable solutions to OEMs, contract manufacturers, and R&D facilities.

“Our customers are looking for trusted partners who can deliver complete SMT solutions with responsive, knowledgeable support,” said Casey Scheu, President of APE. “Partnering with Manncorp allows us to expand what we offer while maintaining the personalized service and technical expertise APE is known for.”

“Manncorp already offers fully integrated turnkey SMT production lines,” said Henry Mann, CEO of Manncorp. “Partnering with APE allows us to expand that offering even further with one of the industry’s most comprehensive rework equipment portfolios. We’re excited to align with a team that shares our commitment to innovation, reliability, and customer service; giving our customers the widest range of solutions from one trusted source.”

As part of the partnership, both companies will collaborate on joint marketing initiatives, co-host live demonstrations, and expand cross-training among technical teams. Customers will benefit from simplified purchasing processes, unified technical support, and access to a wider range of high-quality SMT equipment tailored to their specific needs.

For more information about available equipment and services, visit www.ape.com and www.manncorp.com.

With its commitment to innovation and growth through employee development, Indium Corporation today announced the promotions of Andy Seager to Associate Director, Continental Sales (EMEA), and Karthik Vijay to Senior Technical Manager (EMEA). These advancements reflect their contributions to the company’s continued innovative efforts with customers across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA).

Seager has more than 30 years of experience in the electronics manufacturing industry, spanning a broad range of roles, including production, quality assurance, and process engineering. As Associate Director, Continental Sales (EMEA), he leads the EMEA Field Sales and Inside Sales teams to ensure a seamless approach to engaging with Indium Corporation’s customers, fostering stronger partnerships and delivering superior service. Previously, he was the European Sales Manager responsible for growing soldering product sales throughout EMEA, including solder paste, solder preforms, fluxes, and thermal interface materials.

With more than 20 years of experience in electronics assembly, Vijay brings a customer-focused approach to product innovation. As Senior Technical Manager (EMEA), Vijay is responsible for technology programs and technical support for Indium Corporation’s EMEA customers. Previously, he was responsible for applications support for North American West Coast customers. His expertise spans automotive, industrial, and RF verticals, involving PCBA and power electronics with a focus on materials technology, including solder preforms, solder paste, thermal interface materials, and semiconductor-grade electronics materials.

“Andy’s exceptional expertise, strategic insight, and proven track record will be invaluable as we continue to expand our presence across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Karthik’s deep technical expertise and global mindset are pivotal in advancing our capabilities across automotive and power electronics assembly markets within the broader push for electrification and decarbonization,” said Indium Corporation Managing Director, European Operations, Brian Craig. “Together, they will play a pivotal role in Indium Corporation’s continued growth and operational excellence as we enhance customer engagement and drive materials science innovation throughout the region.”

Seager earned his degree at Farnborough College of Technology, specializing in value creation and delivery, marketing, sales, and business finance. He has also completed Miller Heiman large account management and channel management programs and is currently studying with the World Class Manager (WCM) program.

Vijay holds a master’s degree in industrial engineering with a specialization in electronics packaging and manufacturing from State University of New York at Binghamton. He also has a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification and is a Certified SMT Process Engineer.

About Indium Corporation

Indium Corporation® is a premier materials refiner, smelter, manufacturer, and supplier to the global electronics, semiconductor, thin-film, and thermal management markets. Products include solders and fluxes; brazes; thermal interface materials; sputtering targets; indium, gallium, germanium, and tin metals and inorganic compounds; and NanoFoil®. Founded in 1934, the company has global technical support and factories located in China, Germany, India, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the U.S.

For more information about Indium Corporation, visit www.indium.com or email jhuang@indium.com. You can also follow our experts, From One Engineer To Another® (#FOETA), at www.linkedin.com/company/indium-corporation/.

Larger substrate sizes for AI, network switch, and server CPUs are driving the development of new package structures as well as materials and processes for substrate fabrication. One of the major concerns with a large substrate is warpage; other concerns include material sets to support the larger body size, including thermal interface materials to help dissipate heat. TechSearch International’s latest Advanced Packaging Update examines these trends and includes a section on thermal interface materials (TIMs) under development for large body packages.

The Update also examines substrate material shortages, including glass fiber for the core and Bismaleimide Triazine (BT) resin for a variety of substrate types. Underlying causes for the shortages are discussed, along with alternatives for these materials.

An update on glass core substrates examines progress and highlights challenges in developing the technology. Trade-offs are examined. A particular advantage of the glass core is the potential for a thinner core than with existing glass cloth materials, but a core thickness of 1.0 mm may be necessary to meet reliability requirements. High-performance applications will require 11 or more build-up layers, and so far only three or four build-up layers on each side have been fabricated in test vehicles. There is little published reliability data for glass core substrates, and cost compared to alternatives is unavailable.

TechSearch International’s annual survey on substrate design rules is presented, featuring coverage of laminate flip chip BGA and CSP substrate suppliers worldwide. The design rules include body size, core thickness, via and pad diameter, minimum bump pitch supported, and substrate finish. Core and resin materials offered by each substrate supplier are listed. OSAT financials are highlighted.

The Update is a 100-page report with full references and a set of more than 90 PowerPoint slides.

TechSearch International, Inc., founded in 1987, is a market research leader specializing in technology trends in microelectronics packaging and assembly. Multi- and single-client services encompass technology licensing, strategic planning, and market and technology analysis. TechSearch International professionals have an extensive network of ~20,000 contacts in North America, Asia, and Europe. For more information, contact TechSearch International at tel: 512-372-8887 or see www.techsearchinc.com. Follow us on LinkedIn.