Electronics Standards and Certifications Leader Unveils New Vision and Mission for Supply Chain Harmonization and Advocacy, Releases Global Trade Flows Study
A new chapter begins for IPC as it officially becomes the Global Electronics Association, reflecting its role as the voice of the electronics industry. Guided by the vision of “Better electronics for a better world,” the Global Electronics Association (electronics.org) is dedicated to enhancing supply chain resilience and promoting accelerated growth through engagement with more than 3,000- member companies, thousands of partners, and dozens of governments across the globe.
“The Board’s support and approval of this transformation shows our collective recognition that the electronics industry has fundamentally changed. The Association has expanded well beyond its beginning in printed circuit boards – we’re enabling AI, autonomous vehicles, next-generation communications, and much more,” said Tom Edman, board chair of the Global Electronics Association and president and CEO of TTM Technologies. “As we chart our path forward with our new name, we will continue and elevate our efforts to build partnerships between governments and industries, foster new investment, drive innovation across the industry, and minimize disruptions in the electronics supply chain.”
As part of its new mission, the Association is increasing resources to strengthen advocacy, deepen industry insights, and enhance stakeholder communications — all aimed at advancing and elevating the electronics industry. To champion a resilient and growing supply chain, the Association represents the entire ecosystem of diverse subsectors that contribute to this complex industry.
“Electronics today are the backbone of all industries, which makes its supply chain crucial to economies, governments, and everyday life,” said Dr. John W. Mitchell, president and CEO of the Global Electronics Association. “Our new mission and vision position us to work more deeply with industry and our members globally to advocate for the importance of electronics in our continuously changing world.”
The Global Electronics Association will retain the IPC brand for the industry’s standards and certification programs, which are vital to ensure product reliability and consistency. The IPC Education Foundation is now known as the Electronics Foundation, continuing to focus on solving the talent challenges for the electronics industry.
Global Electronics Trade Flows
The Global Electronics Association also released a trade flows study of the global electronics industry, which now represents more than $1 in every $5 of global merchandise trade. Key findings include:
- Electronics supply chains are more globally integrated than any other industry, surpassing even the automotive sector in cross-border complexity.
- Trade inputs like semiconductors and connectors now exceed trade in finished products such as smartphones and laptops, with global electronics trade totaling $4.5 trillion in 2023, including $2.5 trillion in components alone.
- Top exporters such as China, Vietnam, and India are among the fastest-growing importers of electronic inputs, underscoring the deep interdependence embedded in global electronics production.
- This mutual reliance challenges the viability of reshoring and decoupling strategies, as rising export powers depend on components from across the world.
Mitchell concluded: “Our trade flows analysis reinforces that resilience, not self-sufficiency, is the foundation of competitiveness in the electronics age. No single company or country can stand alone. The complexities of the electronics ecosystem require collaboration and partnership with others. The Global Electronics Association is here to help create a vital and thriving global electronics supply chain through industry, government, and stakeholder collaboration.”
Global Operations Supporting Entire Value Chain
The electronics value chain supported by the Global Electronics Association – from design to final product – encompasses original equipment manufacturers, semiconductors, printed circuit boards, assembly and manufacturing services, harnesses, materials, and equipment suppliers.
