{"id":19199,"date":"2025-11-11T11:00:18","date_gmt":"2025-11-11T02:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kohyoung.com\/en\/?post_type=news&#038;p=19199"},"modified":"2025-12-12T10:06:16","modified_gmt":"2025-12-12T01:06:16","slug":"how-process-control-not-promises-doubled-revenue-reduced-risk","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/kohyoung.com\/en\/news\/how-process-control-not-promises-doubled-revenue-reduced-risk\/","title":{"rendered":"How Process Control, Not Promises, Doubled Revenue &amp; Reduced Risk."},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p style=\"font-size:22px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300\"><em>By Brent A. Fischthal, Head of Global Marketing, Koh Young Technology<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li style=\"font-size:22px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300\">Company Overview<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li style=\"font-size:22px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300\">The Challenge: Meeting Tier 1 and OEM Requirements<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li style=\"font-size:22px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300\">The Solution: Strategic Partnership with Koh Young<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li style=\"font-size:22px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300\">Implementation and Deployment<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li style=\"font-size:22px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300\">Key Benefits Realized<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li style=\"font-size:22px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300\">Partnership Value Beyond Equipment<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li style=\"font-size:22px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300\">Business Results<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li style=\"font-size:22px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300\">Scale without Compromise<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:22px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300\">Custom Interconnect Ltd (CIL), a leading UK manufacturer specializing in\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/kohyoung.com\/en\/semiconductor-inspection-technology\/\">semiconductor packaging<\/a>\u00a0and complex PCBA assembly, has achieved remarkable growth through strategic investment in Koh Young\u2019s 3D AOI inspection systems. Since partnering with Koh Young, CIL has expanded from two offline inspection machines to a comprehensive fleet of six systems across two facilities, supporting the company\u2019s revenue growth from \u00a315 million to a targeted \u00a347 million\u2014with ambitions to reach \u00a3100 million within five years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Custom Interconnect Ltd (CIL) - How Process Control, Not Promises, Doubled Revenue and Reduced Risk\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/9dFfg3IcCrs?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"company-overview\"><strong>Company Overview<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:22px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300\">Custom Interconnect Ltd operates at the intersection of microelectronics and surface mount technology, offering a unique capability in the UK and European markets. Under the leadership of Managing Director John Boston, who brings 45 years of experience in semiconductor packaging and PCBA assembly, CIL serves demanding sectors including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul style=\"font-size:22px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Automotive power electronics and premium motorsport (Formula E)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Defense electronics and space applications<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Downhole oil and gas electronics (operating at 195\u00b0C, 20G for 4+ years)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>RF communications (from very low frequency to 122 GHz)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Medical electronics<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:22px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300\">As John Boston explains: \u201cThere is probably nothing here that an individual can buy in a shop or Amazon or anything like that. It\u2019s all what I would call professional equipment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/d19m5rauv1cd5h.cloudfront.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/10110139\/CIL.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-19201\" srcset=\"https:\/\/d19m5rauv1cd5h.cloudfront.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/10110139\/CIL.png 600w, https:\/\/d19m5rauv1cd5h.cloudfront.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/10110139\/CIL-300x158.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"the-challenge-meeting-tier-1-and-oem-requirements\"><strong>The Challenge: Meeting Tier 1 and OEM Requirements<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:22px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300\">CIL\u2019s customer base has undergone a dramatic transformation. About 80% of customers are now either OEMs or Tier 1 suppliers, up from predominantly Tier 2 and Tier 3 customers just a few years ago. This shift brought heightened quality and process control requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:22px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300\">\u201cThey don\u2019t require it, it is an absolute given that you have to demonstrate process control,\u201d Boston notes. \u201cSo, you\u2019ve got to put more inspection equipment in, more verification equipment in, more quality people doing the metrics. It\u2019s not just a thing saying we\u2019re really good quality. Prove it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:22px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300\">The technical complexity of CIL\u2019s work demands exceptional inspection capabilities:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul style=\"font-size:22px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>0201 components and wafer-level chip scale packages<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>BGA ball sizes down to 40-65 microns (vs. standard 500 microns)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Assemblies with 4,000-40,000 solder joint connections<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Boards containing 4,500-5,000 component placements<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"the-solution-strategic-partnership-with-koh-young\"><strong>The Solution: Strategic Partnership with Koh Young<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:22px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300\">Mark Woolven, Process Engineer with 17 years at CIL, led the equipment evaluation. \u201cOriginally we had a 2D AOI system and it did us well. But with the new&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/kohyoungamerica.com\/aoi-automated-optical-inspection\/\">3D AOI<\/a>&nbsp;systems coming online and the higher volumes, we wanted to automate things. We went out, did a lot of investigation, saw many different systems.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/kohyoungamerica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Mark-Woolven-Process-Engineer.jpg.webp\" alt=\"Smiling person wearing checkered shirt indoors\" class=\"wp-image-994204\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:22px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300\">The decision to partner with Koh Young was based on multiple factors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul style=\"font-size:22px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>True 3D Measurement Technology<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:22px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300\">Paul Freeman, Head of PCBA Engineering, who has worked with Koh Young for 15 years across multiple companies, emphasizes the distinction: \u201cFor me, it\u2019s key that it\u2019s the only 3D measurement system out there. Historically, a lot of other suppliers will give you a 2D system with a camera bolted on, say it\u2019s 3D. These are true 3D measurement systems. It\u2019s 3D from the ground up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul style=\"font-size:22px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>ROI and Futureproofing<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:22px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300\">\u201cThey were really good about the return on our investment and where we\u2019d be in the future,\u201d Woolven recalls. \u201cWe had some really good demonstrations on products that we were currently running and the step change from where we were with the 2D to the 3D and how we could remove a lot of the human error from our old manual validation of the actual programs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul style=\"font-size:22px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Support and Reliability<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:22px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300\">Boston articulates CIL\u2019s stringent supplier requirements: \u201cOne of the things I say to all equipment suppliers is that getting in here is quite tough. If a piece of equipment breaks or goes down for whatever reason, we\u2019re probably going to lose fifteen to twenty thousand pounds a day on that one piece of equipment every single day. When we buy a bit of equipment, it\u2019s not just its capability, it\u2019s the backup and support that goes with it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/kohyoungamerica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Paul-Freeman-Head-of-PCBA-Engineering-solo.jpg.webp\" alt=\"Smiling man in suit indoors\" class=\"wp-image-994205\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"implementation-and-deployment\"><strong>Implementation and Deployment<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:22px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300\">CIL has strategically deployed Koh Young inspection systems across their operations:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul style=\"font-size:22px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Two offline systems at the main Andover facility for high-mix, low-volume contract manufacturing<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>One new inline system installed at the main facility<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Three inline systems at their second facility<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>One additional system on order<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:22px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300\">As Woolven explains: \u201cAs an EMS, the jobs are constantly starting and stopping, so we\u2019ve kept them as batch systems. And then we\u2019ve brought in our new facility up the road. We now have three inline Koh Young inspection machines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/kohyoungamerica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/CIL-1.jpg.webp\" alt=\"Custom Interconnect company building exterior view\" class=\"wp-image-994206\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"key-benefits-realized\"><strong>Key Benefits Realized<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n<ul style=\"font-size:22px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Real-Time Process Control<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:22px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300\">Freeman describes the transformative impact of inline inspection: \u201cInitially we had them offline. That\u2019s very reactive, sort of after the event. What we want to do is bring them inline, and as soon as we see an issue, it allows the operator at SMT to react to the process further upstream.\u201d The measurement-based approach provides clarity: \u201cBecause it\u2019s measurement and we\u2019re able to measure to IPC, it\u2019s clear cut. You know, is it a pass, is it a fail? So, it\u2019s a very useful measurement system, not only for us internally but for our customers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul style=\"font-size:22px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>IPC Standards Compliance<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:22px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300\">Symon Franklin, Production and IPC standards committee chair, highlights the built-in standards capability: \u201cWe\u2019ve moved from a 2D AOI system to the Koh Young equipment, and we\u2019ve found it to be world-class, really easy to program, and really straightforward to interpret the results. There\u2019s settings within the machines that we can actually straight away just say this must conform to IPC class two or class three, and the settings are all there already.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/kohyoungamerica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Symon-Franklin-Production-Engineer.jpg.webp\" alt=\"Person leaning on a concrete pillar outdoors\" class=\"wp-image-994207\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul style=\"font-size:22px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Advanced Software and Data Management<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:22px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300\">The KSMART software suite has transformed CIL\u2019s programming and quality management approach. Woolven reports: \u201cMost of the programming is now done away from the line, probably about 80 to 90% of it. Once the machine\u2019s up and running, the statistics are all sent to the server. Any of us can access it from our desks and see what exactly is going on the line, how many boards have passed per batch, if they are failing, are they false failures, are they real failures, what can we actually do about them? And it highlights that very, very quickly.\u201d<strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul style=\"font-size:22px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Complete Traceability<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:22px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300\">The system provides comprehensive traceability for quality assurance and recall management: \u201cWe can go back with the serial number of the board, it could have been six months, it could be a year, and we can go back and see what that job looked like when it went through the machine. Was the fault diagnosis highlighted, was it part of this, was this good? In which case you can look further down the line at follow-on processes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul style=\"font-size:22px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Flexibility for High-Mix Manufacturing<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:22px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300\"><br>Jason Reid, Operations Manager, emphasizes the adaptability requirement: \u201cOur view is that the machines that we\u2019ve got should be able to do the very basic to the very complex and push the boundaries for us. When we\u2019ve done some boards that are over four and a half to five thousand different components in multiple positions, then you need the equipment that can not only populate that but also inspect it and verify you\u2019ve done the right thing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"partnership-value-beyond-equipment\"><strong>Partnership Value Beyond Equipment<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:22px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300\">Franklin articulates the partnership philosophy: \u201cBuilding the partnerships with various companies is very important and it\u2019s something that CIL have always looked to do. So actually building up those relationships with our suppliers so they know that we will come and speak to them, but we know that we will get a high level of support from those as well, which is very important because we\u2019re trying to minimize downtime and keep the systems up and running.\u201d<strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:22px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300\">Reid highlights the role of Koh Young\u2019s UK distributor, Altus: \u201cAltus will always help us to look at what\u2019s next, look at what we can do with our current equipment, what do we need to learn, what do we need to be thinking of? Because there\u2019s things that we\u2019ll look at that we\u2019ve probably not even tried yet, and that\u2019s what they\u2019re there for. They\u2019re there to support us to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"business-results\"><strong>Business Results<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:22px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300\">The impact on CIL\u2019s business has been dramatic. Boston shares the growth trajectory: \u201cGo back 2021, middle of COVID. We were doing 15 million turnover. Just gone, we did 37 million, we are targeting 47 million this year. Can we see 100 million potentially in the next five years? And the answer to that is 100% yes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:22px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300\">Key Growth Metrics:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul style=\"font-size:22px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>2021: \u00a315 million revenue<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2024: \u00a337 million revenue (147% increase)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2025 Target: \u00a347 million revenue<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2030 Vision: \u00a3100 million revenue<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:22px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300\">This growth has been supported by continued investment in Koh Young technology and expansion of manufacturing capacity, including the recent purchase of additional facility space.<strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"scale-without-compromise\"><strong>Scale without Compromise<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:22px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300\">Custom Interconnect Ltd.\u2019s partnership with Koh Young demonstrates how advanced&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/kohyoungamerica.com\/aoi-automated-optical-inspection\/\">3D AO<\/a>I technology, combined with comprehensive software solutions and strong technical support, can enable a contract manufacturer to scale rapidly while meeting the stringent requirements of Tier 1 and OEM customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:22px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300\">The combination of true 3D measurement capability, IPC standards integration, comprehensive data management through\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/kohyoung.com\/en\/ksmart-solutions\/\">KSMART<\/a>, and reliable ongoing support has positioned CIL as a unique capability provider in the UK and European markets that is able to handle everything from silicon wafer processing through final product assembly with world-class quality assurance. As Boston concludes: \u201cOnce we\u2019ve decided on equipment like Koh Young, generally we stick with them.\u201d This long-term commitment reflects the strategic value of the partnership in supporting CIL\u2019s ambitious growth plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:22px;font-style:normal;font-weight:300\">For more information visit&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cil-uk.co.uk\/\">https:\/\/www.cil-uk.co.uk\/<\/a>&nbsp;or<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kohyoung.com\/\">&nbsp;www.kohyoung.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Brent A. Fischthal, Head of Global Marketing, Koh Young Technology Custom Interconnect Ltd (CIL), a leading UK manufacturer specializing in\u00a0semiconductor packaging\u00a0and complex PCBA assembly, has achieved remarkable growth through strategic investment in Koh Young\u2019s 3D AOI inspection systems. Since partnering with Koh Young, CIL has expanded from two offline inspection machines to a comprehensive [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":19201,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"tags":[],"news-category":[234,259],"class_list":["post-19199","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","news-category-article","news-category-case-study"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kohyoung.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/19199","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kohyoung.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kohyoung.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/news"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kohyoung.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kohyoung.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19199"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/kohyoung.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/19199\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19237,"href":"https:\/\/kohyoung.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/19199\/revisions\/19237"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kohyoung.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19201"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kohyoung.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19199"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kohyoung.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19199"},{"taxonomy":"news-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kohyoung.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-category?post=19199"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}