JUÁREZ – On September 17, 2024, Kurtz Ersa Manufacturing México S.A. DE C.V. celebrated the inauguration of its new production facility in Ciudad Juárez. The festive ceremony was attended by over 70 guests, including business partners and colleagues from Mexico, the USA and Germany. The following guests of honor were welcomed by name: Cruz Pérez Cuellar, Mayor of Ciudad Juárez, Fernando Alba, responsible for “Innovation and Economic Development” in the Chihuahua region, businessman and building contractor Jorge Bermúdez and Rainer Kurtz, Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Kurtz Ersa Group.

It took just over a year from the ground-breaking ceremony to the inauguration of the new site with 4,500 m 2 of production space, offices and demo center – with the festive inauguration in Juárez, Kurtz Ersa has now established its third major service and logistics center in America after Plymouth (USA) and Guadalajara (Mexico). The new production facility will initially focus on the production of Ersa reflow soldering machines and will also act as a pre-production facility for the US plant. Since 2012, Kurtz Ersa has had a local presence under the flag of Kurtz Ersa México. Due to the rapidly increasing demand in Mexico, the company moved to Guadalajara in 2016 to a larger office including a demo center for Ersa tools and machines, where customer seminars and training courses have also been held since then.

In 2022, the strategic decision was made to expand our own production capacities to Mexico. Following the expansion in 2020 with a new building in Wertheim, additional growth can be created with the plant in Mexico, which will also benefit the Wertheim production and development site and further strengthen Kurtz Ersa globally. Inspired by the success of the reflow soldering systems in Asia, where around 1,000 machines have been produced annually since 2013, the decision was made to also build the new high-end HOTFLOW THREE model in Mexico in the future. “After careful consideration of various cities and options, including leasing an existing facility, we decided to build here in Juárez, a location that offers proximity to the US border, a talented workforce and excellent infrastructure,” said Albrecht Beck in his speech, who in his role as President & COO Kurtz Ersa, Inc. is also Managing Director of Kurtz Ersa Manufacturing México. At the beginning of 2024, the management team in Mexico had put together a start-up team of highly qualified engineers – six of these engineers had traveled directly to Germany, where they received extensive training, including building their first machine and working on documentation and processes. The aim of manufacturing in Ciudad Juárez is to produce machines that match or even exceed the quality of machines “made in Germany”. To ensure this, the same advanced production methods and processes have been introduced.

“I am convinced that this plant will develop into a vibrant center of our production activities and that we have made an excellent choice with Ciudad Juárez – on behalf of the management, I would like to thank everyone involved in the successful implementation of this project. First and foremost, I would like to mention Marcelino Espelosin and his team México, who made the successful realization of this ambitious project possible. Also the entire US team of Kurtz Ersa, Inc. as well as the German Ersa and Kurtz colleagues, who have contributed significantly to the establishment of production here with tireless commitment,” said Albrecht Beck, before handing over the microphone to Vincent and Rainer Kurtz, who, as representatives of the Kurtz shareholder families, emphasized the strategic importance of the project for the Kurtz Ersa Group. The words of welcome were followed by the traditional ribbon-cutting ceremony, factory tour, festive buffet and live music from a mariachi band, before numerous customers were able to immerse themselves directly in the performance capabilities of Kurtz Ersa systems on the following Technology Day.

Learn more: www.kurtzersa.com 

SAN FRANCISCO – Bright Machines, the leader in software-defined manufacturing, today announced that Chris Stori has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of the company. Stori will lead Bright Machines into its next phase of growth delivering a suite of software-defined automation services for electronics manufacturing customers, including complex server assembly to meet the exploding demand for AI infrastructure.

Bright Machines' automated solution is achieved through a software-driven robotics stack. By leveraging computer vision, machine learning, and proprietary software, Bright Machines' levels of speed, visibility, and flexibility are unmatched in electronics manufacturing. Currently, the most sought-after application is in the company's work to build the "AI backbone." With AI demand at an all-time high, and the additional headwinds of chip shortages, outdated infrastructure, labor gaps, and supply chain disruptions. Compounded by increasing levels of complexity with today's AI infrastructure; it's almost impossible to manufacture at scale in a way that maintains the highest quality standards and is also efficient. With major market forces putting AI at the forefront of economic and political importance, Stori joins at a perfect time to scale Bright Machines to meet global demand for AI hardware infrastructure.

"Bright Machines' flexible automation and proprietary software — such as Smart Skills, the Bright Machines' brain — are key differentiators that stood out to me immediately," said Stori. "The expertise of the staff across multiple domains puts Bright Machines at the forefront of the AI and manufacturing space. Our solutions deliver value across multiple dimensions, helping customers improve quality, reduce time to market, provide insights into their manufacturing processes, and address security concerns."

Stori joins Bright Machines following his more than 11-year tenure at Meraki and Cisco. Most recently at Cisco, he was the Senior Vice President and General Manager for Cisco's Enterprise Networking, Meraki, and IoT Business. In this role, he led the teams responsible for business strategy and development, product management, and user experience for all enterprise networking. The multi-billion-dollar portfolio included the industry's broadest range of wireless, switching, and routing solutions. Prior to Cisco and Meraki, Stori spent seven years working at McKinsey & Company where he led projects helping U.S. manufacturing and industrial companies enter developing international markets and he also focused on renewable energy and mitigating climate change.

"Bright Machines is poised to completely change the way the world builds electronics and hardware," said Lior Susan, Co-Founder and Chairman of the Board of Bright Machines. "Stori's extensive experience propelling companies like Meraki from millions to billions of dollars in revenue is a testament to his ability to lead and scale a complex organization. As Chairman, I look forward to supporting Chris as he embarks on his work. I am confident that he will elevate Bright Machines to new heights and help fulfill the company's mission to rethink manufacturing at a critical time for the industry and its customers."

This appointment comes on the heels of the company's recent $126M Series C fundraise led by investment from funds and accounts managed by BlackRock and with participation from NVIDIA, Microsoft, Eclipse, and others. Earlier this year the company also announced a partnership with Microsoft Azure to deliver a full-stack environment for all stages of the manufacturing life cycle. Building on this momentum, Stori will focus on furthering Bright Machines' mission to radically transform the manufacturing industry through software and automation by driving customer growth and deepening partnerships with key industry players like Nvidia and Microsoft.

For more information on Bright Machines and its services, see here.

TROY, MI – Amtech Electrocircuits, a leading provider of manufacturing solutions, is proud to announce the modernization of its proprietary operating system, AmtechOS, by integrating cutting-edge AI technology and state-of-the-art process automation solutions. When AmtechOS was first developed 10 years ago, technologies such as cloud-based systems, BPM, and API integrations were not yet in existence. Since then, these technologies have evolved significantly, and Amtech is implementing best-in-class solutions from key partners. This allows the company to focus its resources on pioneering the next frontier in manufacturing technologies and automation, providing customers with even greater efficiency and precision while enabling them to concentrate on innovation and problem-solving instead of routine tasks.

“At Amtech, we believe in delivering more than just manufacturing services; we provide a unique customer experience,” said Jay Patel, Amtech CEO. “Our core values shape everything we do, from creative problem-solving to meeting deadlines with accuracy. Amtech is proud to be a partner that customers can rely on for all their manufacturing needs, thanks to our agile manufacturing process and the capabilities of AmtechOS.”

The updated AmtechOS system ensures seamless quality control, utilizing both software and hardware AI solutions, and the company plans on driving even more value to its existing and future customers. By selecting modern vendors and deploying AI-driven automation, AmtechOS further enhances production efficiency, ensuring that projects are delivered on time, with consistent accuracy, and to the highest quality standards.

For customers, working with Amtech means not only partnering with a reliable EMS provider but also benefiting from a process that is constantly evolving with modern technology to ensure accuracy and on-time delivery. Learn more about Amtech’s agile manufacturing process and advanced solutions by visiting www.buildamtech.com 

SAN JOSE, CA – Emerald Technologies (Emerald), a global provider of end-to-end electronics manufacturing services, announced plans to exhibit at MD&M Minneapolis, scheduled to take place October 16-17, 2024 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. At Booth 2536, the Emerald Technologies team will focus on providing innovative manufacturing solutions for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and suppliers in the life sciences sector.

Emerald Technologies' ISO-13485-certified facilities offer a comprehensive range of printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) and contract manufacturing services, including electro- mechanical and system assembly, precision touch-ups, in- circuit and functional testing, and clean room assembly. Specializing in advanced technology such as machine learning, robotics, and disruptive digital health device design, Emerald ensures its solutions meet the stringent demands for precision, reliability and safety in the life sciences sector.

Emerald Technologies continues to lead the way in groundbreaking advancements in engineering and manufacturing solutions. Attendees at MD&M Minneapolis are invited to visit Booth 2536 to learn how their state-of-the-art equipment and expert engineering can accelerate time-to-market for critical healthcare innovations.

Visit www.EmeraldTechnologies.com to learn more.