It’s not often you get the chance to talk shop with Hayao Nakahara, Gene Weiner, Tom Kastner and David Schild. When you do, you’re best off sitting back and listening.

That was the order of the day during the PCB East conference last month. Under the auspices of another media group, I was asked to moderate a panel on the future of PCB manufacturing in North America. And while journalists are often thought of as the seers of the industry, we are, in fact, more purveyors of others’ insights, versus prognosticators in our own right.

GLENVIEW, IL – The electronics unit of Illinois Tool Works reported revenue of $652 million, with operating income of $139 million and an operating margin of 21.4%.

TEMPE, AZ – Benchmark Electronics reported first quarter revenue of $632 million, a 6.5% year-over-year decline, missing expectations by $8.24 million. Despite the drop, the company delivered operating income of $29 million and generated over $27 million in free cash flow.

PEACHTREE CITY, GA – The annual PCB East conference, featuring more than 75 hours of in-depth electronics engineering training, opens today at the Boxboro Regency Hotel and Conference Center in Boxborough, MA, the Printed Circuit Engineering Association (PCEA)announced.