Author: Emma insynch

Camtronics Named Finalist in Two Categories at the Made in Wales Awards

Camtronics is delighted to announce that it has been shortlisted as a finalist in two categories at the prestigious Made in Wales Awards:

🏆 Engineering Manufacturer of the Year
🏆 Manufacturer of the Year (Under £25m Turnover)

The recognition celebrates the achievements of UK manufacturers that demonstrate excellence in engineering, innovation, operational performance and manufacturing excellence.

For more than 30 years, Camtronics has supported manufacturers across the UK and Europe with high-reliability electronics assembly services, helping customers bring complex electronic products to market through predictable, right-first-time manufacturing. The company specialises in complex SMT assembly, box build, material management, inspection, testing and engineering support, all underpinned by ISO 9001-certified processes, full traceability and a commitment to long-term customer partnerships.

The dual finalist status reflects Camtronics’ continued investment in its people, processes and technology, as well as its commitment to delivering quality, reliability and exceptional customer service.

“To be shortlisted for both Engineering Manufacturer of the Year and Manufacturer of the Year is a fantastic endorsement of the business we have built. At Camtronics, our goal is simple: make electronics manufacturing effortless for our customers through exceptional people, robust processes and a commitment to doing things right first time. This recognition belongs to every member of the team whose passion, expertise and dedication make that possible.” Linda Sterry, Finance, Purchasing & HR Director, Camtronics.

As a Welsh electronics manufacturer established in 1993, Camtronics has built its reputation on delivering dependable, high-reliability electronic assemblies for a wide range of industries and applications. The company combines engineering expertise, proactive supply chain management and rigorous quality systems to help customers overcome manufacturing challenges and achieve predictable production outcomes.

The awards recognition comes at an exciting time for the business as it continues to grow its market presence while remaining focused on the principles that have shaped its success: clear communication, reliability, accountability and building long-term partnerships with customers.

The winners will be announced at the Made in Wales Awards later this year. Camtronics looks forward to celebrating alongside fellow manufacturers and showcasing the strength of UK and Welsh manufacturing on the national stage.

Is Your Manufacturing Strategy Still Right for Your Business?

For many OEMs, manufacturing decisions are surprisingly permanent.

A company either builds an in-house production capability because that’s what is needed at the time, or it outsources to an EMS supplier from the beginning because establishing a manufacturing operation wasn’t commercially viable. Once that decision has been made, it often remains unchanged for years. Production continues, products ship, customers are served, and the question of whether the existing model is still the right one gradually moves into the background.

The problem is that the business environment rarely stands still for long enough to justify that level of complacency.

An electronics manufacturing strategy that was the obvious choice five years ago may not be the best choice today. The company may have grown, product volumes may have increased, product complexity may have changed, and the wider supply chain is almost certainly different to the one that existed when the original decision was made. Yet many organisations never revisit the question because there is no obvious trigger to do so.

In reality, manufacturing strategy deserves the same level of scrutiny that businesses apply to finance systems, suppliers, logistics partners and commercial operations. Few organisations would continue using the same software platform, procurement strategy or distribution network indefinitely without evaluating whether it still met their needs. Electronics manufacturing should be viewed in exactly the same way.

The discussion around outsourcing is often framed too narrowly. It is frequently presented as a simple choice between retaining control through in-house production or reducing costs by sending work to an EMS supplier. In practice, the decision is significantly more nuanced than that.

Many OEMs initially outsource to a manufacturing partner because they cannot justify the investment required to manufacture products themselves. Modern electronics manufacturing requires specialised equipment, quality systems, skilled personnel, inventory management processes and continual investment in capability. For some companies, particularly those producing lower volumes or highly complex products, that level of commitment simply doesn’t make commercial sense.

However, cost is only one part of the equation.

In many cases, outsourcing becomes attractive because it allows an organisation to focus on the activities that genuinely differentiate the business. Customers rarely choose an OEM because it owns a pick-and-place machine or operates a surface mount line. They choose it because of its expertise, innovation, product performance and understanding of the market it serves. The value is often created through design, engineering, software development, customer relationships and technical knowledge rather than through the act of manufacturing itself.

That doesn’t mean manufacturing is unimportant. Far from it. Manufacturing is a critical part of delivering a quality product to market. The question is whether it needs to sit within the organisation in order to deliver that value.

This is where a feasibility study can provide enormous benefit.

The importance of conducting an electronics manufacturing feasibility study

The purpose of a manufacturing feasibility review should not be to justify outsourcing to an EMS supplier. Equally, it should not be undertaken with the expectation that in-house production is automatically superior. The objective is simply to determine whether the current arrangement continues to represent the best use of the organisation’s resources.

Unfortunately, many businesses never perform this analysis properly.

When comparing in-house production with outsourced manufacturing, management teams often focus on the most visible costs. Labour rates, factory floor space and equipment purchases tend to dominate the discussion because they are easy to identify. What receives far less attention are the secondary costs that accumulate over time. Equipment maintenance, calibration, software upgrades, inventory carrying costs, recruitment, training, quality management, compliance requirements and production support activities all consume resources, even though they may not appear directly on a production report.

The result is that some organisations believe they know the cost of manufacturing a product when, in reality, they only understand part of the picture.

A well-executed feasibility study forces businesses to look beyond these headline figures and examine the true cost of ownership associated with maintaining an in-house manufacturing capability. More importantly, it encourages management teams to consider factors that are difficult to quantify but can have a substantial impact on long-term competitiveness.

For example, if demand increased significantly next year, could production scale quickly enough to support growth? If a key manufacturing engineer left the business, how easily could that expertise be replaced? Are valuable engineering resources being devoted to solving production challenges when they could be focused on developing the next generation of products? Is capital being tied up in manufacturing assets that might earn a better return elsewhere in the business?

These are not always comfortable questions, but they are important ones.

Interestingly, some organisations undertake a feasibility study and conclude that keeping production in-house remains absolutely the right decision. Their volumes may justify the investment, their processes may provide a competitive advantage, or their product requirements may be better served by retaining direct control over electronics manufacturing operations.

That is a perfectly valid outcome.

The value lies in knowing that the decision has been tested rather than assumed.

Other organisations discover that an external manufacturing partner could provide access to capabilities, technology, purchasing power and supply-chain expertise that would be difficult or expensive to replicate internally. In those situations, outsourcing becomes a strategic decision rather than a cost-cutting exercise. The objective is no longer simply to reduce manufacturing expenditure but to improve resilience, increase flexibility and allow the business to concentrate on the activities that generate the greatest value.

Is it time to change your manufacturing strategy?

An occasional feasibility review can help OEMs take an objective look at their manufacturing strategy, uncover hidden costs, identify opportunities for improvement and determine whether valuable resources are being focused in the right areas.

If that review indicates that outsourcing could deliver greater value, partnering with an experienced UK electronics manufacturer can make the transition straightforward. Camtronics supports OEMs with manufacturing expertise, engineering support, material management, testing, traceability and quality-controlled production, enabling them to focus on product development, innovation and growth while maintaining confidence in their manufacturing operations.

Ultimately, manufacturing strategy should never be driven by habit. The businesses that achieve long-term success are those that regularly challenge their assumptions and ensure their operations continue to support their future ambitions.

FAQs

1. How do I know if outsourcing electronics manufacturing is worth considering?
There is rarely a single trigger. Most OEMs begin exploring outsourcing to a manufacturing partner when they experience capacity constraints, increasing production costs, difficulties recruiting manufacturing staff, or the need for significant capital investment in equipment and facilities. However, even businesses that are operating successfully in-house should periodically assess whether their current model remains commercially and strategically effective.

2. What should be included in an electronics manufacturing feasibility study?

A thorough feasibility study should examine the total cost of manufacturing, including labour, equipment maintenance, facility costs, inventory, quality management, training and compliance activities. It should also evaluate strategic factors such as scalability, supply-chain resilience, engineering resource allocation and future investment requirements.

3. Is outsourcing electronics manufacturing only about reducing costs?

No. While cost can be a factor, many OEMs outsource because it allows them to focus more resources on product development, innovation, customer support and other activities that create competitive advantage. The decision to outsource to a manufacturing partner is often driven by strategic priorities as much as financial considerations.

4. Does outsourcing mean losing control over production?

Not necessarily. Modern EMS suppliers often offer detailed reporting, full traceability, dedicated account management and close collaboration throughout the manufacturing process. In many cases, OEMs gain greater visibility into production performance because of the systems and processes their manufacturing partner has in place.

5. How often should an OEM review its manufacturing strategy?

There is no fixed rule, but many organisations benefit from conducting a formal manufacturing review every three to five years, or whenever there is a significant change in product volumes, business growth, market conditions or capital investment requirements.

6. Should we outsource electronics manufacturing or keep production in-house?

The answer depends on your products, volumes, strategic priorities and long-term business objectives. Rather than assuming one approach is better than the other, OEMs should periodically review their manufacturing model and make decisions about EMS solutions using current operational and financial data. The best solution is the one that supports growth, quality, scalability and profitability for your specific business.

For more information about Camtronics, please explore our website or get in touch with our knowledgeable team to discuss your electronics manufacturing requirements.

Precision electronics manufacturer’s commitment to UK production earns Made in Britain accreditation

Welsh manufacturer Camtronics has become a member of Made in Britain, reinforcing its commitment to UK manufacturing and “engineering excellence”.

A Tredegar-based electronics manufacturing services (EMS) provider specialising in high-reliability electronic assemblies has officially been inducted as a member of Made in Britain.

The organisation’s trademark will now appear on Camtronics’ website and digital presence to highlight the company’s commitment to British manufacturing.

Made in Britain is a trade organisation that represents manufacturers that genuinely manufacture products in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, with its trademark only permitted to be used on products that meet its standards of provenance, quality and sustainability.

Established in 1993, Camtronics manufactures circuit boards and finished electronic products on behalf of leading tech companies. From its 13,500 ft² facility in Tredegar, South Wales, the company provides complex surface mount technology (SMT), automated optical inspection (AOI), through-hole assembly, box build, and comprehensive material management. By operating from a single, purpose-built site, the firm provides customers an end-to-end electronics manufacturing service (EMS).

Paul Macleur, Managing Director of Camtronics, said:

“British manufacturing has earned a reputation for quality, innovation and engineering excellence, and we’re proud to be part of that tradition.

“Joining Made in Britain is a natural step for Camtronics because it reflects what our customers already value: dependable British based manufacturing, right-first-time production and a commitment to long-term partnerships. It also gives us a clear, recognised way to demonstrate this more widely.

“For the type of companies we work with, particularly British manufacturers of complex electronic products, the Made in Britain mark helps us stand out earlier in their search and builds confidence, from the first interaction in our capability, delivery and communication.”

For Camtronics, use of the official trademark and membership reflects a long-standing commitment to delivering dependable UK manufacturing. Working with manufacturers of complex electronic products, Camtronics specialises in high-reliability electronics assemblies, complex surface mount technology (SMT), automated optical inspection (AOI), through-hole assembly, box build and comprehensive material management.

John Pearce, CEO of Made in Britain, said:

“Camtronics is a great example of the specialist expertise found across British manufacturing. Their commitment to quality, traceability, dependable delivery and long-term customer relationships reflects the high standards businesses across our membership strive to uphold.

“As specialists in high-reliability electronics manufacturing, they are a valuable addition to the growing Made in Britain community, and we look forward to supporting their continued success.”

For more information about Camtronics, please explore our website. To learn more about Made in Britain and to discover verified UK manufacturers, visit www.madeinbritain.org.