ICT Chairman - Steve Payne

Chairman's Address 2008

The ICT was formed in1974, a time when the first website was still 17 years away. There have been tremendous changes for the Electronics Industry and in particular the Printed Circuit Industry during the last 34 years. It is important however to remember that the global PCB industry is still increasing and a recent report estimates global PCB production at over $50 billion. Although a majority of global production is situated in the Far East, the Institute and its members still have an important involvement through education, technical dissemination and networking on all matters concerned with printed circuit technology.

2007 proved an important year for the Institute. Although the ICT is a member of Intellect, we are now fully independent and strive to maintain a sound financial basis to offer real and improving benefits for all our members. To provide an alternative to individual subscriptions, the Institute introduced a Group Membership for all relevant organisations. Many companies have taken up this option. Our membership has grown steadily throughout the last 12 months and now stands at over 200 and still increasing.
 
We are now producing an electronic Quarterly Journal with technical papers, news and views of our industry and I would like to encourage all to contribute.

The Institute offers a truly national coverage and representation and seeks members from the PCB design community in addition to PCB fabricators and suppliers. Events in 2009 were planned to reflect our greater national coverage, with evening symposiums at Darlington, Arundel, and Rotherham. Our Annual Symposium was held at Bletchley Park this year as part of our 35th Anniversary celebrations and our annual one-week residential Foundation Course at Loughborough University maintained its reputation as the premier education course for our Industry with 20 delegates in its 27th year.

Finally, as part of our 35th anniversary year, our revised website www.InstCT.org  has just been re-launched, supported by 11 of the UK’s premier technology companies.