What does it take to deliver a prototype that’s truly production-ready—and can Europe rebuild the industrial muscle to do it at scale? From the Productronica show floor, EMSNOW Publisher Eric Miscoll sits down with Eurocircuits’ Managing Partner Dirk Stans to explore how a digital-first approach to PCB and assembly turns messy “embryo” design files into clean, right-first-time builds. We walk through the discipline behind merging bare-board data with component realities before fabrication begins, why their Visualizer tool has become a go-to for design-for-manufacture, and how this rigor saves time, reduces risk, and sets teams up for a smoother transfer to any factory.
Then we widen the lens. Europe’s share of global PCB output has slipped below 2 percent, EMS volumes have softened, and AI-driven demand elsewhere risks leaving the region behind. We talk bluntly about what isn’t working—performative budgets, slow coordination, fragmented rules—and focus on practical fixes that could actually move the chains. At the top of the list: a centralized European component database with verified material content and compliance attributes. With that foundation, engineers could generate digital product passports in one click, slash administrative waste, and avoid the duplicate, error-prone data work that drags projects down.
We also press on procurement and policy. “European origin first” for publicly funded projects isn’t protectionism; it’s common sense in strategic manufacturing. The mantra is simple: enable, don’t just subsidize. Clear standards, shared data, and faster approvals create the conditions where good businesses can scale on merit. Along the way, we highlight the need for more engineers in policymaking and celebrate small, compounding wins that build confidence on the factory floor. If you care about resilient supply chains, design-for-manufacture, and restoring Europe’s ability to make at world-class levels, you’ll find actionable ideas here.
Subscribe, share with a colleague, and tell us the one practical change you’d implement tomorrow to unlock real progress. EMS@C-Level is hosted by global inspection leaders Koh Young (https://www.kohyoung.com) and Global Electronics Association (https://www.electronics.org)
