Exception EMS hits the high note with Solid State Logic

Exception EMS hits the high note with Solid State Logic

UK electronics business Exception EMS has won the contract to supply printed circuit board modules to Solid State Logic's (SSL) flagship product – the AWS 900+ analogue mixing console (Figure 1).

 Figure 1 Angled desk

The deal is worth in the region of £1.5 million per annum to the Calne-based contract manufacturer, which has seen its portfolio of outsourced electronics solutions in the media and entertainments industry grow significantly in the last year.

SSL is the world's leading manufacturer of analogue and digital audio consoles and is regarded universally as providing the industry standard in the film, audio, video and broadcast industries. In 2005, the business was acquired by a joint venture company headed by Musician and Technologist Peter Gabriel and Entrepreneur David Engelke.

Previously, SSL worked with a number of different sub-contractors to manufacture specific product lines. However, the new management team has been keen to develop an ongoing relationship with a single supplier that could offer all the DFM, DFT, test and manufacturing functions under one roof.

With over 92 circuit boards and 15,000 components per system, the AWS 900+ is a highly complex product that requires extensive testing to ensure SSL's worldwide reputation is maintained.

SSL has adopted its outsourcing strategy as a key method of maintaining product quality while remaining competitive globally.

Steve Loach, Operations Director at Oxford-based SSL, said: “We needed to overhaul our supply chain to meet the demands of our growing console business. Exception EMS offered a turnkey solution from procurement through to testing of sub assemblies, giving us the opportunity to focus our activities on our core capabilities. Although the relationship is still in its infancy, we have already started to see the benefits”.

Mike Fairclough, Sales and Marketing Director at Exception EMS, said: “The relationship between our organisations is a very strong one. It's a true partnership, with the two teams working closely together and EMS tailoring its innovative manufacturing, testing and system design skills to SSL's needs.”

Fairclough concluded: “We have also developed a suite of pre-manufactured electronic modules for SSL to drop straight into a range of consoles, which has simplified SSL's entire assembly process. We have developed a just-in-time delivery programme for them, as low inventory is critical to SSL.”