Press release

Presteigne, UK
23rd November 2004

LABTECH REAPS BENEFITS OF SIX SIGMA PROJECT

Labtech reaps benefits of Six Sigma project

A quality control and cost-cutting project involving an important manufacturing line at Labtech is already paying dividends.

The company has signed up to the Welsh Development Agency's Six Sigma Programme, a quality improvement technique adopted by most world class companies.

Devised by Motorola, Six Sigma is generally regarded as the most effective and rigorous means of minimising defects in products and maximising efficiencies in production processes.

The programme is designed to be self-funding and a process manager at Labtech is being trained to lead the project and become a ?black belt practitioner? who can pass on his skills to workmates. Black belt status is achieved on completion of the company-based improvement project, which is scheduled for early next year.

The project involves a major automatic gold finishing process line.

?It's potentially a very expensive and difficult line to run because it has 23 different process stages,? explained John Priday, Labtech's engineering and quality executive. ?We are looking to keep the line very well controlled so that waste is minimised.

?Not only is precious metal used on the line, but this particular process is at the end of the manufacturing cycle. If it fails, not only is the precious metal wasted but also the product is a write off, so the impact of getting it wrong is very high.

?We have already seen big benefits from the project in terms of quality and cost control. We are now meeting exacting standards for wire bonding that were not previously achievable and, because the process is now so well controlled, it has created new business opportunities for Labtech.

?By committing to the world-renowned Six Sigma programme we are demonstrating to our blue chip clients that we are taking quality and cost control very seriously.?

For more information, please contact:

Bob Lowther,
Labtech Sales and Marketing Director
Tel: +44 (0)1544 260093
Email: b.lowther@labtech.ltd.uk
Web: www.labtechcircuits.com

Products Available

• Metalbacked PCBs
• Precision s/sided & d/sided softboard PTFE PCBs
• Multilayer Circuit Boards (PCBs)
• DLVAs
• PIN diode switches
• Multioctave broadband amplifiers
• TDM modules
• Active & passive microwave components
• Microwave thin film circuit manufacture
• RF machining & box build assembly