Paul Cooke of ITL Circuits, a solution provider at the marcus evans Aerospace & Defense Manufacturing Summit 2013, on achieving shorter product development cycles. Interview with: Paul Cooke, Director of Operations, ITL Circuits

1. Interview with: Paul Cooke,
Director of Operations, ITL Circuits
A e r o s p a c e a n d d e f e n s e
manufacturers need to get printed
circuit board makers involved in the
design phase much earlier, according to
Paul Cooke, Director of Operations, ITL
Circuits. “As the pressure to get to
market sooner increases, we need to be
more involved to understand their
requirements and be able to spin
designs in a very short period of time,”
he adds.
A printed circuit board manufacturer,
ITL Circuits is a solution provider at the
marcus evans Aerospace & Defense
Manufacturing Summit 2013, in Las
Vegas, Nevada, October 20-21.
What difficulties are aerospace and
defense manufacturers faced with
today?
It is a very tightly knit community that
is gradually becoming more open and
competitive. For a tier three or four
supplier of our size, it is difficult to get
real visibility. It takes a considerable
amount of time to see the actual
decision-makers and get the opportunity
to develop a relationship with them.
As the US government moves towards
cost saving and exploitation of
efficiencies that we normally see in the
commercial markets, it is important for
us to keep ahead of what customer
requirements are going to be.
There is investment required from our
end, so we need to know what
technologies will be required in two
years to five years, so that we can
invest in people and equipment to keep
up with industry requirements. We also
have to keep up with changes in
technology.
How would this improve the product
development cycle?
Previously we had three to six month
lead times for planning and building a
product. Today, we may be asked to
build the same product in five to ten
days.
As the pressure to get to market sooner
increases, we are being asked to spin
designs must faster. We need to be
involved early on in their design and
component selection phase to
understand their requirements, and do
our best to meet them.
Is there a lack of communication
here that needs to be addressed?
Not necessarily. A lot of the times we
receive a design with specifications and
are asked to build to print.
However, if the customer is moving into
newer technologies and designs, we feel
that developing a relationship, and
keeping it pretty buoyant, is critical.
When we are requested to build a new
product in a week, if we have visibility
we can be prepared to handle the job.
Any final comments?
There were around 1,500-2,000 circuit
board shops in North America 25 years
ago. Today there are fewer than 300, as
a lot of it is now being procured
offshore.
My concern is that this erosion of our
business is resulting in a lot of capability
and technological knowledge migrating
out of North America.
Aerospace and defense companies
should help bolster the circuit board
industry, which in the long-term will
also help them as well.
It is
important
for us to
keep ahead
of what
customer
requirements
are going
to be
Getting Aerospace & Defense Products to Market Sooner

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Please note that the Summit is a
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limited.
About the Aerospace & Defense Manufacturing Summit 2013
This unique forum will take place at the Red Rock Casino, Resort & Spa, Las Vegas,
Nevada, October 20-21, 2013. Offering much more than any conference, exhibition
or trade show, this exclusive meeting will bring together esteemed industry thought
leaders and solution providers to a highly focused and interactive networking event.
www.aerospacedefensesummit.com
About ITL Circuits
ITL Circuits is one of North America’s leading providers of printed circuit board fabrication services. Established in 1971, ITL
Circuits is the oldest and largest privately-held PCB manufacturer in Canada. We serve both original equipment manufacturers and
electronic manufacturing service companies, with prototype and production-volume requirements, around the world. Located just
outside Toronto, in Markham, Ontario, Canada, ITL has over 65,000 square feet of factory space and approximately 130
employees.
ITL utilizes leading-edge fabrication technology to produce the highest quality PCBs on a quick-turn basis; in order to support our
customers’ accelerating product development cycles. Our rigorous process controls and high standards of workmanship result in a
finished product of superior reliability. Due to our sustained investment in the latest equipment and processes, ITL continues to
develop new capabilities and lower production costs. We turn our customers’ complex electronic designs into competitively-priced
printed circuit boards, manufactured in accordance with ITL’s industry-leading Performance Excellence.
Our Commitment to servicing our customers’ ever-changing needs is embodied in our continuing investment in people and
equipment. This investment within the company will allow us to continue to grow along with our expanding customer base – made
up from the leaders in their industries – including military, aerospace, industrial automation, medical, communications and
computer systems.
www.itlcircuits.com
About marcus evans Summits
marcus evans Summits are high level business forums for the world’s leading decision-makers to meet, learn and discuss
strategies and solutions. Held at exclusive locations around the world, these events provide attendees with a unique opportunity to
individually tailor their schedules of keynote presentations, case studies, roundtables and one-on-one business meetings.
For more information, please visit: www.marcusevans.com
To view the web version of this interview, please click here: www.aerospacedefensesummit.com/PaulCooke
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