In our fast paced and connected world, the term EMS (Electronic Manufacturing Services) has become synonymous with high-volume, off-shore manufacturing. Enter SMS (www.smselectronics.co.uk), a UK EMS company who offers low-volume manufacturing for high-mix applications.
Several years ago, SMS observed a market shift in the development of out-sourcing strategies of the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), based in Europe. This was also the time when many of their competitors were re-aligning their footprint in Western Europe and in many cases making the decision to completely exit several regional markets, including the UK. Capitalising on over 100 years of manufacturing, wearing the experienced hat of both OEM and EMS provider, SMS made the decision to invest in the region to serve the region.
To do this, they focused their attention on delivering complete design, development and distribution services to aerospace & defence, communications, industrial and medical OEMs.
Responding to the foreseen market demand, SMS made a commitment and investment to operate with the agility and flexibility of a Tier II / Tier III player, with the technology engine of a Tier I EMS company.
“SMS is organised to meet the needs of a new generation of OEM, who is looking to outsource their production locally, with all the benefits that local manufacturing provides such as; language, time-zone, culture, total cost of ownership visibility and a simplified supply chain.” Andrew Maddock, CEO explains. “However, the same OEM is responding to the current rapid climate of innovation and speed to market, therefore there is an understanding that in order to successfully compete in our local market, suppliers like us, must breed an innovative culture of their own and have the technology capability of a specialised manufacturer.” Mr. Maddock continues.
SMS provides their customers with a gateway to resources including: design, development and distribution across the entire supply chain, from concept to creation to consumer to customer and beyond.
SMS is managed by an accessible and agile executive team with autonomous decision making power. This means SMS can quickly sanction investments to reduce customers’ time-to-market. Unlike many of the local Tier II and Tier III EMS players in the regions, SMS are not focused on specific niche markets or segments. Rather, SMS serves customers across all major markets and work with a diverse customer base, from start-ups to established leading household brand names, where speed-to-market counts. Product types are just as diverse, including: semiconductor capital equipment; hand held instrumentation; telecom infrastructure switches; industrial meters; control panels for white goods; and large form factor capital equipment where multimillion dollar systems may be built at a rate of just one a month. SMS is structured to ensure customers never get lost in the system irrespective of their size or product type. From small hand-held devices to massive electro-mechanical products, SMS provides every market niche with a total supply chain solution. The SMS goal is simple: to provide local, regional and global customers with specialised services and capabilities close to their own facilities and end markets.
“Our typical batch sizes range from one or two pieces right through to several thousand, and our strategic business model of design, development and distribution, offers our customers one touch point, to simplify their supply chain, ensure transparency and remove risk, especially in those high reliability, certified markets and where IP counts.” Mr. Maddock concludes.