Contact: Dan Green
  847-790-5371
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
IPC/SMEMA COUNCIL UNVEILS PLANS FOR NEW ELECTRONICS ASSEMBLY PROCESS TECHNOLOGY SHOW

Northbrook, IL 11/12/98

 The IPC/SMEMA Council has announced plans for an industry sponsored trade show and
conference on electronics assembly process technology.  The event, yet to be named,
is being organized by all of the major assembly equipment suppliers with the
leadership of the IPC/SMEMA Council.
The event will be launched in March 2000 at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long
Beach, California, with the exhibition being conducted March 14-16.  Focused on the
electronics assembly industry, the scope of the exhibition will include the entire
assembly process, from bare boards to tested electronics assembly.  Developed by the
industry for the industry, the new show will present a broad exchange on electronics
production technology among equipment manufacturers, materials suppliers and their
customers.
Combining the technical capabilities and competence of IPC and IPC/SMEMA Council
members, the event will feature educational sessions and conference programs lead by
the best and brightest in the electronics assembly industry.  Based on the highly
successful model developed for the IPC Printed Circuits Expo, the program will be
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IPC/SMEMA Show, Pg. 2
conference focused, with exhibit space fairly allocated among all sponsors and
industry  suppliers.  All income from the conference and exhibition will be used to
benefit the industry through programs of IPC and the IPC/SMEMA Council.
 "This new show will provide our customers with a tightly focused exhibition and
educational program to allow them to make the best use of their time and money,
maximizing the attendees investment.  For industry suppliers, the event will not only
provide focus, but significantly reduce the cost associated with communicating with
their customer base," says IPC/SMEMA Council Vice Chairman Stephen Hall of BTU
International.
The IPC/SMEMA Council Trade Show Committee, which is leading this effort, includes:
Steve DeCollibus, Speedline Technologies; Neil Edmundson, Universal Instruments; Timm
Rose, Fuji America; Eddie Kawase, Panasonic Factory Automation; Steve Hall, BTU; Pat
O'Brien, JOT Automation; Brian Duffey, Mydata Automation; Patrick Trippel, Siemens
Energy and Automation; Michael Newkirk, Zevatech; Richard Heimsch, DEK; Michael
Buscher, Philips EMT; Craig Ramsey, Quad Systems; and Mark Peo, Heller Industries.
Additional members for the IPC/SMEMA Council Trade Show Committee, representing other
suppliers to the electronics assembly industry, are being sought to ensure broad
representation of the supplier community.
"The companies on the Trade Show Committee are committed to the new Electronics
Assembly Process Technology Show and want to make this the preeminent
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IPC/SMEMA Show, Pg. 3
conference and trade show in North America dedicated to electronics assembly," says
DeCollibus, chairman of the Trade Show Committee.
 A website is being developed to bring the industry up-to-date information as plans
develop in the coming months.  To keep informed of plans and developments for the
show, log on regularly to www.ipc.org/html/smematradeshow.htm.
 For more information, contact IPC Vice President of Industry Programs Tony Hilvers
at (847) 790-5338, or e-mail [log in to unmask]
 The IPC/SMEMA Council was formed through the recent merger of IPC and the Surface
Mount Equipment Manufacturers Association, and represents companies that manufacture
equipment for or produce software for surface mount board production.
 The IPC is a US-based trade association dedicated to the competitive excellence and
financial success of its nearly 2,500 member companies which represent all facets of
the electronic interconnection industry, including design, printed wiring board
manufacturing and electronics assembly.  As a member-driven organization and leading
source for industry standards, training, market research and public policy advocacy,
IPC supports programs to meet the needs of a $26 billion US industry employing more
than 250,000 people.
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NR8150.smemashow

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