Smart Factory Design: from investment case to running factory

FAQs

The questions that come up most often before a factory program starts.

• How does a factory program usually start?

  With a feasibility and concept phase: production targets, technology scope, site constraints and the budget envelope. It produces the master layout and the investment case everything else is built on.

• When should we bring you in?

  Before the building is fixed. Utilities, wastewater, cleanroom class and material flow all shape the structure, and reworking them after the shell is designed is the most expensive way to build a factory.

• Can you work on an existing plant?

  Yes. Expansions, line upgrades and environmental retrofits are a large part of the portfolio, and they start with a survey of current capacity, utilities and process bottlenecks.

• Do you supply the manufacturing equipment yourselves?

  No. We specify the machinery, provide multiple recommended sourcing options, and define the integration. We are not tied to any one supplier.

  In our opinion, when a factory design company also sells manufacturing equipment, it can create a conflict of interest and may reduce the potential ROI for the client.

• Do you supply the recycling and environmental management equipment yourselves?

  We offer unique, high‑ROI recycling equipment through our partner network for clients interested in closed‑loop systems.

  However, there is no requirement to use our recommended recycling systems. The final equipment selection remains entirely up to the client.

• How do you decide the automation level?

  From product mix, volume and labour cost, not from a target on a slide. High‑mix lines and mass production justify very different degrees of automation, and over‑automating a high‑mix fab is a common and expensive mistake.

• What do you do about wastewater and water recovery?

  Environmental infrastructure is designed with the process, not bolted on afterwards. Depending on chemistry and volume that ranges from conventional treatment to closed‑loop recovery and full ZLD.

• Which regions do you deliver in?

  Projects are currently running in India, ASEAN, China, and the United States. Engineering is coordinated centrally from Europe and executed through regional installation and integration partners.

• Who runs the installation on site?

  Regional integration partners carry out the on‑site installation under the supervision of one of our experienced project managers. We also involve our key global technology partners when the project scope includes closed‑loop recycling technologies.

• How long does a greenfield program take from the start of planning to production start?

  A greenfield program typically takes 12 to 24 months from the initial concept to the production ramp‑up of Phase 1. The schedule is driven primarily by permitting requirements and long‑lead‑time equipment.

  Expansions within an existing building or production shell typically take 3 to 18 months.

• Do you also provide a sales pipeline for greenfield projects?

  Yes. We can connect clients with end‑users looking for new PCB manufacturing partners and coordinate Letters of Intent, or LOIs, to help de‑risk the business plan.

• Do you offer Joint Venture opportunities?

  Yes. We provide matching services to help identify the most suitable Joint Venture partner based on the client's preferred commercial structure and term sheet.

  We also hold equity positions in selected PCB companies and may participate directly, provided that doing so does not create a conflict of interest within our existing portfolio.