Ross Berntson, President and CEO of Indium Corporation, brings a wealth of perspective from his nearly three-decade journey with the company. After his promotion to CEO in late 2023, Berntson continues to balance technical innovation with strategic leadership, maintaining the special culture that has defined Indium’s success throughout its remarkable 91-year history.
“Material science changes the world” serves as Indium’s guiding philosophy, driving engineers to engage directly with customers on factory floors rather than developing solutions in isolation. This hands-on approach has evolved from plating sleeve bearings during World War II to today’s groundbreaking mixed powder technology that enables new assembly possibilities for advanced electronics. Berntson emphasizes that innovation isn’t confined to R&D – it permeates every department from manufacturing processes to workforce development.
The conversation explores how university partnerships advance both fundamental material science research and talent development through internship programs. Looking toward the future, Berntson sees enormous opportunity in addressing modern challenges like AI hardware requirements with award-winning products like DuraFuse HR and CordWire 807RS. Their low-temperature solder solutions demonstrate a practical approach to sustainability by reducing energy consumption 10-15% while solving warpage issues in large components. As Berntson aptly notes, “Sustainability back in the old days was just good engineering” – a philosophy that continues to drive Indium’s development of materials that provide designers with new possibilities while helping assemblers create more efficient, reliable products.
EMS@C-Level Live at APEX is sponsored by global inspection leaders Koh Young (https://www.kohyoung.com) and Creative Electron (https://creativeelectron.com)
