AND IN EUROPE......

STEVENAGE CIRCUITS JUST GREW AND G-R-E-W

Stevenage, some 30 miles north of the UK’s capital, London, has several claims to fame – all showing incredible growth. For example, it was the first town to be designated a "New Town" in 1946 – an initiative brought in by the UK’s post-World War II Labour government with the aim of creating a series of new communities across the country. Building of Stevenage New Town, alongside the existing town with its 6,450 inhabitants began in July 1947 and it just grew and grew and g-r-e-w, now around 80,000 live there.

Knebworth House is nearby. This delightful stately home, where Victorian novelist Edward Bulwer Lytton, author of those immortal words "the pen is mightier than the sword" lived, is famous worldwide for its rock concerts. Over 2 million people have attended them since they were introduced back in 1974; bands who have played live there include the Rolling Stones, Queen, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Oasis and Robbie Williams. Indeed, the Robbie Williams concerts last summer broke all records with 375,000 attending over the three days! The preconcert traffic jams certainly grew and g-r-e-w!

In the PCB business, Stevenage has another claim to fame. It is home to the ever-expanding Stevenage Circuits Group. This buoyant company with its £10m annual turnover specialises in the supply of medium-high technology prototype requirements on rapid response delivery programmes through to ongoing series production. "We have some 400 customers spanning the aerospace, military, telecoms and motortronics sectors at home and overseas, and at any time could be juggling with work from perhaps 50 of them," says General Manager, Tony Hunt.

Stevenage Circuits on a snowy January day

Tony Hunt (right) and Neville Robson with the new PAL machine

Stevenage Circuits has been producing PCBs for over 30 years. "The company was founded by our Managing Director, John Brown," explains Tony Hunt. "He worked on the photographic side of PCB production way back in the early 60s and, realising the industry’s potential, he set up his own small company; and just like Stevenage it has grown and grown over the years; and John remains as actively involved then as when he set up the company.

"We specialise in complex fast turnaround work and are capable of manufacturing product ranging from simple double sided plated through PTH, and multilayers to flexi-rigid technology and high density interconnect (HDI). We are the only company in the UK to have UL approval on flexi-rigid boards."

Major investment programme John Brown is a great believer in investing in the future and over the past two years Stevenage Circuits has invested £2.3m and expanded into a third interlinked building on their existing site. It’s a light and bright place to work, with wide aisles "We’ve modelled it on German factories," he says. "We employ many technologically advanced manufacturing systems; and are also investing an increasing amount of resource into alternative materials technology. It is important to be prepared to offer a range of manufacturing solutions." Their equipment list features on their website; proof, if proof was needed of the continuing investment they are making in ensuring the company can meet all challenges.

The new machine

One of Stevenage’s most recent investments is in an enclosed PAL Electroless Nickel/Gold line designed with very complex boards in mind. Delivered and installed in December/January it is currently in full production following rapidly successful commissioning. Like John Brown, Tony Hunt has had a long career in the PCB industry, Plessey (where he saw the first paper-based PCBs made, "incredible to think that we now deal with 75 micron dimensions, when I remember those early days, who would have believed it would be possible!"), Marconi, Shipley… the names trip off his tongue. It was during his time on the chemistry side of the industry that Tony Hunt saw PAL machines in operation in plants around the country; and learned how reliable they were and what good after-sales service PAL gave.

"That was very definitely a contributory factor when we were looking for manufacturers for our new machine soon after I joined Stevenage Circuits," he explains. The new machine has been installed in the new area set aside for wet processes. Just as light and airy as the rest of the factory, it has been designed with ease of cleaning in mind. Installation went smoothly and PAL and the chemical suppliers have tidied up a few small tasks and now Stevenage is in full production!

Loading the machine

The new single side arm transporter line has an hourly output of 40 panels (up to a maximum of 610mm x 457 mm and up to 4.5 mm thick), with 20 panels per basket. "OSSTjWin was an essential feature when we are juggling with work for so many different customers with such different requirements. We’re looking forward to talking to PAL about a new Copper plating line that will incorporate the latest technology of plating copper filled Vias. The aim is for installation later this year," says Tony Hunt.

Further information on Stevenage Circuits is on their website at www.stevenagecircuits.co.uk