Publication date: 20 July 2010
HCD, the contract electronics manufacturer, PCB design house, cable assembler and box build specialist, has responded to its clients requirements with the creation of a new volume production line in addition to its existing organisation which has been structured to respond very quickly to low volume orders typically placed by companies which are prototyping and trialling new products.
Unlike many UK-based contract manufacturers, HCD has always supported NPI (new product introduction) by having no MOQs. Explains MD, Gene Holmes: “Some established CEMs struggle to cope with fast turn-around prototype quantity orders within the constraints of their existing set-up which has been tailored for mid and high volume orders. We come from the opposite position: we have always looked to service the design engineer who needs a one-off board made very quickly to demonstrate a prototype. However, we are now seeing the numbers of units that some clients are ordering from us significantly increase – from 10s to over 500.”
Holmes comments that HCD is seeing business increase from a number of sectors “from broadcast to industrial”. This has required a significant restructuring of the business to keep service quality levels high. Therefore the company has separated out its NPI line, and invested in new pick and place and AOI equipment to handle the volume production business.
By separating out the two business activities, Holmes hopes that HCD will continue to offer a very high quality of work. “We will never lose sight of where we made out name – fast turn around no MOQ orders”, he comments. “But with careful planning and controlled investment where necessary, we can develop with our customers – as we have always done – meeting their volume requirements as well. The investment in AOI has already brought many benefits as it speeds the work flow without compromising quality.”
HCD (Homes Circuit Design) was founded in 1996 and is now headquartered in Letchworth, Herts. The company began as a PCB design consultancy and gradually moved first into contact manufacturing, then cable assembly and most-recently, box build as the needs of its customer base developed. From PCB design through to final product assembly, HCD has developed by investing in plant and personnel, and now offers a complete in-house solution for electronics prototyping and assembly.
