On September 20, 2024, the 15th Long Night of Careers took place at the HCC Hannover, where around 160 companies presented their training occupations and entry opportunities. We also took advantage of this opportunity, ironed our polo shirts, set up exhibition material, prepared give-aways and made fresh popcorn on site.
At the end of August 2024, the Production Technology Working Group of the ZVEI PCB Division met at ILFA. In addition to the ongoing topics on the working group’s agenda, there were also two exciting presentations.
Our new V-Bond system significantly reduces the amount of manual handling required for multilayer PCBs. This also increases our capacity and quality in production.
We are delighted to welcome 4 young people to our company for the new training year. 2 young men are learning the profession of machine and plant operator specialising in metal and plastics technology, while the other 2 trainees are being trained as an industrial clerk and an electronics technician for industrial engineering.
Over the past four years, we have invested almost EUR 8 million in our PCB production at our Hanover Anderten site. There have been innovations in almost every department, e.g. new machines and systems, clean room areas and new lighting, air conditioning and automation concepts. Our shutdown a few weeks ago marked an important milestone, as our new LAUFFER pressing centre was installed, which again involved extensive conversion work. This work has now also been completed and our production facility is modern, bright and ergonomic for employees and visitors alike.
It is another important milestone in our modernisation offensive: with the commissioning of our new lamination centre from LAUFFER Pressen, we are tripling our lamination capacities in one fell swoop. The RMV 125/6 lamination centre forms the new heart of our multilayer department.
On 8 July 2024, the “Security Policy Dialogue” was continued at the invitation of Lower Saxony’s Minister for Economic Affairs, Construction, Transport and Digitalisation, Olaf Lies, in Hanover. Together with Siemtje Möller MdB (Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister of Defence) and industry representatives from Lower Saxony, the discussion focused on aspects of a sustainable security policy and what is needed to ramp up the production of defence technology for Germany and its international partners.
Since the beginning of June 2024, the management team at ILFA has been expanded and reorganised. We introduce the team and their tasks.
One of our current projects is intended for use as a high-frequency application. The requirements are correspondingly high, which, in addition to high-frequency suitability, envisage a rigid-flex PCB design with four flexible layers. The via fill and backdrilling processes are also used.
A total of 16 students set off in mid-May with their professor and a research assistant to visit us at ILFA and take a close look at our production. The students from Leibniz Universität Hannover are enrolled on the nanotechnology degree programme, which they will complete with a Master of Science degree. Two of our colleagues were there exclusively for the students on the day, giving presentations, practical insights and, of course, a detailed tour of our production facilities.