The Future of the European PCB Industry: Challenges and Opportunities with ILFA CEO Thomas Michels

Our CEO Thomas Michels gives a detailed insight into the PCB industry and highlights challenges and opportunities, such as efforts to relocate production facilities and the battle to remain competitive in the global market. It looks at changing trends among customers, the role of the ZVEI in promoting the importance of the microelectronics ecosystem and the urgent need for balanced government support.

ZVEI Semiconductor Summit: MICROELECTRONICS FOR FUTURE 2023 and a heart for the printed circuit board

The ZVEI e.V. Semiconductor Summit took place in Berlin on 8 November 2023. Numerous top representatives from politics, science and industry took part in the event and discussed the topic of “How do we create a strong microelectronics ecosystem in Europe?”. Opportunities as well as challenges for the entire supply chain were highlighted, with high-calibre contributions and keynotes from the participants and, of course, plenty of room for networking and the exchange of ideas.

ILFA at the training fair of IGS Bothfeld

The integrated comprehensive school (IGS) Bothfeld organised an internal training fair for the second time on 12.10.2023, which was aimed at grades 9 to 13. In addition to ILFA, around 40 regional companies presented themselves, offering a wide range of opportunities for training or studying after leaving school. With our training officers Peter Schittek and Ismail Uckun, we also showed the range of our entry opportunities at ILFA and presented, among other things, the professions of machine and plant operator, industrial clerk or electronics technician for industrial engineering.

Trainees to become electrical engineering assistants (ETA) develop their own circuit board layout at ILFA

Training to become an electrotechnical assistant is a two-year, initial vocational training programme that is conducted at a vocational school and includes a four-week internship. Our two trainees Johanna and Nikola attend the Berufsbildende Schule Metalltechnik – Elektrotechnik (bbs-me) of the Hanover region for the training and have each secured a traineeship at ILFA. There they learn everything about the production of the printed circuit board and design their own printed circuit board layout for their project work.

ILFA offers its employees the D-Ticket Hannover Job at a reduced price

Since its introduction in May 2023, ILFA has also been offering its employees the D-Ticket Hannover Job, which can be used in combination for the daily commute but also for journeys throughout Germany. The special feature here: ILFA pays an employer subsidy of €12.25 and thus bears around 25% of the costs per ticket. A further subsidy from the GVH and the Hannover Region means that the employee only has to pay €30.40 per month – making the D-Ticket Hannover Job significantly cheaper than the previous regular job ticket.

ILFA Kirchheimbolanden branch celebrates together at the 71st Residence Festival

The 71st Residenzfest took place in Kirchheimbolanden in mid-August. The wine festival, in the ambience of the historic towers and city walls, was awarded the title of the most beautiful wine festival in the Palatinate in 2017. The employees of ILFA’s Kirchheimbolanden branch did not want to miss out on this festivity and celebrated there with colleagues from TCLAD Europe and Brain4PCB.