Greatly Improved Market for PAL Products

Geoff Paterson is a Managing Director who likes to roll up his sleeves and get near PAL’s machines

There can’t be anyone in the PCB electroplating industry saying "what a marvellous few years we’ve had"! The mood however is changing, as Geoff Paterson, Managing Director of Process Automation International Ltd – PAL – explains: "After more than two years of difficult times, we can finally see the prospect of a greatly improved market for PAL products, driven by a strengthening world economy and by important technology developments. The factory is busier than at any time for many months, with a full order book for the foreseeable future. We’re looking forward to seeing our machine count – 1283 installed in 35 countries by December 2003 - increase considerably this year."

During the lean years, when costs in many areas had to be cut, PAL kept faith with its long-standing policy of continuous development. The New Technologies Department, with its impressive track record, and our relatively new Product Development Department, were maintained at full strength throughout the period.

"It is now that we are seeing the benefits of this decision," says Geoff Paterson. "The main areas of development have centred round the trend toward in-line vertical plating and the PCB industry's desire to fill ‘Blind Vias’ by electroplating techniques."

"The in-line vertical plating need was answered by signing a licence agreement in 2002 with Marunaka Kogyo Co Ltd, a well-known Japanese equipment manufacturer (more information here). Since then PAL's engineers have embarked on a programme of development and enhancement of the equipment, adding new features and adapting the concept for new applications, some are such leading edge ones, for specific customers, that our lips must remain firmly sealed!

"The technology for Via Filling has been developed by the New Technologies Department (known internally as "Newtech"), in conjunction with major chemical suppliers. Much of the success of the process depends on highly s pecialised fluid handing systems, which have been developed by Newtech for both in-line and traditional vertical transporter machines."

Another reason for the present healthy order book at PAL has been the success of its recently formed Surface Finishing Group, which has made huge strides towards making PAL's name known as a major supplier of equipment to the various surface finishing industries, in addition to its more traditional PCB market.

"Indeed, we have seen some ‘electronically inclined’ customers, like Honeywell and Molex, join the ever-growing number of companies using our machines for surface finishing tasks, which proves just how important it is that contacts throughout major companies know of our expertise on both sides of the ‘plating fence’," adds Geoff Paterson.

"Here’s to a 2004 that confirms our belief that things are really picking up; we know that many of our customers have had an extremely tough time, and we look forward to working with them in planning for a profitable future."

A message of congratulations and good luck to PAL’s German customer for whom a record-breaking machine was built