SolTec Electronics™ – A Hard Part is Good to Find™

As a female owned technology company in an extremely male-dominated technology sector (less than 2% of semiconductor companies have a female CEO), which started-up in the midst of the worst recession the USA has seen since the great depression (2008), SolTec Electronics seemingly had the chips stacked against them. Despite those odds, SolTec has achieved rapid business growth, sailing past the $1 mill revenue mark in their second year in business (something that less than 3% of all women business owners & 6% of their male counterparts achieve and rarely that quickly). Dawn Gluskin has grown the company from 1 to 15 employees in less than 3 years. As a result of all this, SolTec Electronics has received some great press coverage. Thank you to everyone for their support and interest in hearing our story! Here is a listing of some of the recent press coverage that SolTec Electronics has received:

“Closing the Ambition Gap” by Nell Melino on Huffington Post (July, 2011)

“Woman to Watch” (p.13) by Jennifer Worski in Winc Magazine (July, 2011)

“Female Business Owner Thrives in Male Dominated Industry” by Bill Dueease on BlogTalk Radio. Podcast. (June, 2011)

“SolTec Electronics: Proudly Serving the Manufacturing and Aerospace Industries” (Pgs 33-44) by SpaceCoast Business Magazine (May 2011)

“SolTec Electronics Expands in Rockledege” by Dina Reider in Florida Economic Development Counsel (April, 2011)

“A start-up’s Financial Reckoning” by Adrianna Gardella in The New York Times (March, 2011)

“New GrowFL Companies” (March, 2011)

“SolTec Electronics Joins an Elite Group of Electronic Component Distributors” by Andrew Gall in SpaceCoast Business (March, 2011)

“SolTec Electronics Continues Explosive Growth Path & Doubles Warehouse and Office Space” by SpaceCoast Business Magazine (January, 2011)

“Good Times in Orlando. SMTA Recap” by Mike Buetow in Printed Circuit Design & Fab Magazine (December, 2010)

“Q&A with Dawn Gluskin” by SpaceCoast Business (November, 2010)

“Success Story: Dawn Gluskin of SolTec Electronics” by Lorin Beller Blake on Big Fish Nation (October, 2010)

“Dare and Distribution” by Jack Roth in First Monday Magazine (Cover Story – April, 2010)

“Dawn Gluskin, CEO of SolTec Electronics: Finalist in the Make Mine a Million $ Business Competition” by PRLog (February, 2010)

“Interview with SolTec Electronic’s CEO, Dawn Gluskin” by Cleanroom.net (December, 2009)

For more information on SolTec Electronics:

SolTec Electronics
www.soltecelectronics.com
Office: 321-735-6181 x101
Direct: 321-684-4419
Cell: 321-288-5689
Fax: 321-978-0228
DUNS 826749884
ISO 9001/ESD S20.20 Certified. Woman-Owned Small Business.

SolTec Electronics™ – A Hard Part is Good to Find™
SolTec Labs™ – Because Genuine is Hard to Find™

SolTec Electronics™ & SolTec Labs™ – Proudly Serving the Electronic Manufacturing and Aerospace Industries

Click below to flip through a digital copy of our 12 page brochure on obsolete part procurement and counterfeit detection and avoidance!

SolTec Electronics
www.soltecelectronics.com
Office: 321-735-6181
Fax: 321-978-0228
ISO 9001/ESD S20.20 Certified. Woman-Owned Small Business.

SolTec Electronics™ – A Hard Part is Good to Find™
SolTec Labs™ – Because Genuine is Hard to Find™

In the wake of the devastating quake in Japan, we are all very saddened by these tragic events and our hearts go out to the people of Japan with our most sincere condolences.

Although it is still unclear the total impact these events will have on the electronic supply chain, it is evident that we will likely all feel the effects in some way. Japan currently accounts for over 20% of global semiconductor production and there are already several reports of shortages and production halts. At SolTec Electronics, we are monitoring the situation very closely and are here to help our clients in any way.

We wanted to share with you all a few updates that we have received:

• Silicon wafer fabs, Shin-Etsu Semiconductor and SUMCO have received damage of their production lines & the power outage has forced the production to come to a stop. The traffic for areas east of Kantō has also been affected. As a result, the supply for silicon wafer will drop significantly, which will cause the global semiconductor players outside of Japan to compete for material.
• Texas Instruments’ manufacturing plant in Miho, Japan, which is responsible for 10% of TI’s outputs, has been significantly damaged, including work in progress. It will likely take until September to get these plants running back at full production. This will likely cause pushed out lead times for TI products, especially DLP and Analog.
• Samsung & Hynix have stopped providing spot pricing for now as they wait to assess the current situation
• Renesas has temporarily shut down production at 7 out of 22 plants
• DRAM production has been affected, especially for PC & system manufacturers
• Hitachi & Panasonic LCD fabs have both been impacted, at least temporarily

UPDATE:
• Murata has announced that three of their facilities have been affected by the quake. Affected product lines include: EMI Supression Filters, Coils, Piozelectric Products, Saw Filters, & Polymer capacitors. Murata has not yet commented on the estimated time line on the restoration process, but, at the very least, some production halt should be expected in the short term. We will continue to monitor & update as available.

“Component shortages, caused by the Japanese earthquake, are not likely to appear until the end of March or the start of April, but the shortages and their price impact are likely to linger until Q3,” according to a report from US analysts iSuppli.

If any of the above components are needed for your Q2 and Q3 production, it is a good idea to look ahead and do some “emergency” material analysis and planning to ensure that these material shortages and temporary production halts have a minimal impact on your own production line. We offer our services to you as an extension of your team and have powerful processes and software in place to help you procure even the most difficult components. If we can help in any way, please do not hesitate to contact us.

As we come across additional updates, we will post them here. We also welcome you all to use the comment feature on to share an additional updates you have come across and/or to share any other feedback. We look forward to serving you soon.

Our deepest & most sincere condolences go out to the people of Japan in the wake of the recent tragic events there. We have donated to the Red Cross to help with relief efforts & encourage others to do the same, if at all possible.

SolTec Electronics
321-735-6181 Phone
321-978-0228 Fax
www.soltecelectronics.com
An ISO 9001 & ESD S20.20 Certified Vendor
Your Trusted Supply Chain Partner – We Help Keep Production Lines up with a Zero Counterfeit Tolerance!

© 2011 SOLTEC ™ Electronics, LLC (a Florida Limited Liability Company). ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This material may not be reproduced in any form whatsoever without express written consent of SOLTEC. SOLTEC monitors and vigorously enforces their rights to SOLTEC-owned intellectual property, including but not limited to the contents of this article.

We know that quality is a huge concern for everybody involved in the electrical manufacturing sectors. Counterfeit components cost time, money, customers, reputation, and even legal troubles. We hear about these problems from our clients all the time and it only seems to be getting worse! That is why SolTec Electronics offers our lab services (IC Decapsulation and Pin Correlation Testing) at no cost to any client that procures parts through SolTec!! That’s right – procure through us with complete confidence that you will be getting the authentic parts you ordered! And, we have the lowest fees in the industry for clients who want us to test parts that they procured through any other sources. Don’t let bad parts get onto your boards! Buy from SolTec & let us test and verify them for you at no extra charge! (**Free IC Decapsulation & Electrical Correlation are performed when requested by client, on all “high-risk” parts, and/or when our QC departments deems it necessary as part of our stringent inspection and verification process).

Decapsulation, Electrical Testing & Visual Inspection Services – Keeping Counterfeits out of the Supply Chain!

Decapsulation
Opening up of an IC package by our 10+ year experienced technician to expose the die for metallurgical die inspection & verification. Our technician is looking to validate the manufacturer & part number & look for any signs of sub-standard or counterfeit product, including detached bond wires and suspicious die markings.

Sample: (Below) – Several different IC package types and sizes. We can decap any type of chip with precision and even maintain device functionality!


Sample: (Above) – Example of a metallurgical die analysis. Our client sent us a suspicious “Maxim” part that they procured through another vendor, which also failed SolTec’s visual inspection & was suspected of black-topping. Our decapsulation has confirmed that the part is actually manufactured by “IR” (You can see the IR log up in the top center) & not Maxim. Luckily, our client never populated their boards with this impostor part. Another potential disaster averted & another very happy client!

Electrical Correlation Testing
We perform basic electrical testing to confirm that random or full sampling of parts in a lot are functioning with the same electrical outputs, pin by pin. Combined with decapsulation, this is a highly effective method of detecting sub-par components.

Sample: Below, this client sent some parts they procured from another distributor & were suspicious of. Upon analysis, we did confirm that they had sub-standard parts mixed in with good parts. Our testing services kept the bad parts off their boards!
Top two photos: Die of a known good part, after decapsulation & Curve Trace of same known good device.




Above – Bottom Two Photos: Die Image of substandard part, after decap. Bottom Right: Curve trace of same substandard part.

Testimonial: “Please let your team know that they did a great job for us. Mettler-Toledo Thornton will now be able to ship product to our customers. Your ability to locate parts that no other vendor could find, followed by a detailed visual inspection, chemical permanency test, and curve trace analysis assured we would receive authenticate parts in a timely manner. I highly recommend and look forward to working with SolTec Electronics for future buys.“ –M.L. – Senior Buyer, Mettler Toledo

Visual Inspection:
We use stereoscopic imaging to make sure that no flaw goes undetected. This combined with chemical permanency surface testing helps detect non-conformances with the part. If anything suspicious is observed, they then undergo more advanced testing including decap & electrical correlation test.


Above Top: This part looked okay to the naked eye. Above Bottom: A microscopic view shows evidence of this part being previously soldered or reworked. It was being sold as new, but has obviously been used. Another part caught and prevented from being a potential problem for our customer.

Price Schedule
When you procure the parts through SolTec Electronics
Complete Visual Inspection = FREE
Decapsulation = FREE
Electrical Test (Correlation Test/Curve Trace Analysis) = FREE for small sampling / $50/hr* for large sampling
Detailed Report – FREE – Sample Report
We are committed to shipping 100% conforming parts to our valued clients. When you purchase parts through SolTec, you can rest easy knowing your parts will be carefully screened & verified. Don’t risk putting bad parts on your boards by procuring from distributors without proper QC measures in place!

When you procure the parts anywhere besides SolTec Electronics:
Decapsulation = $50 per part
Electrical Test (Curve Trace Analysis) = $50 per hour*
Visual Inspection = $50 per hour*
Detailed Report – FREE – Sample Report
**Number of hours dependent on several factors: quantity, type of part, package type, number of pins, etc. Ask for quote!

Should you have any technical questions or if you are ready to have some parts tested, please feel free to contact us at 321-735-6181 or email our sales team. We look forward to serving you!

© 2011 SOLTEC ™ Electronics, LLC (a Florida Limited Liability Company). ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This material may not be reproduced in any form whatsoever without express written consent of SOLTEC. SOLTEC monitors and vigorously enforces their rights to SOLTEC-owned intellectual property, including but not limited to the contents of this article.

At the end of the day, it has always been our commitment to quality and close personal relationships with our clients that has set us apart. While many other companies might try to present themselves in a certain way, SolTec Electronics™ will continue to actually walk the talk and provide the stellar service, quality, and capabilities that our clients have grown to expect and have already been experiencing for years now!

Real Anti-Counterfeit Capabilities
SolTec Electronics™ is a front-runner in the anti-counterfeit crusade. We just don’t use this statement as a cool buzz-word in marketing campaigns; we actually have the equipment, capabilities, experience, history, policies, procedures, resources, and credentialed staff in place to back it up!! SolTec Electronics™ has been recognized by Space Florida & the Florida Economic Growth Program for amazing/continued growth potential and the ability to serve Florida’s future aerospace programs. (There is a BIG announcement coming up on this soon once the details are complete – stay tuned for the press release!) SolTec’s CEO, Dawn Gluskin, also has multiple publications on the subject as well as a widely read blog www.sotlecblog.com. She sits on the G-19 committee with some of the biggest names in electronics, whom are currently drafting the new aerospace standards for avoiding and detecting counterfeit components.

Site Visits
SolTec Electronics™ has an open invite & strongly encourages our clientele to drop in for a site visit at any time!! We’d love to show you our ESD.2020 & ISO 9001 compliant warehouse, equipment, lab, processes, and procedures. Be careful buying from other companies that present themselves as having these capabilities, but might, in fact, be checking in parts in their garage or basement. Anybody can put up stock photos and false statements on their web-site, but that does not make them true and it does not mean it is safe to buy from them! If your parts are mission or life critical, at the very least, certifications should be proven, but a site visit is strongly recommended to make sure everything is up to par.

Warranty Periods
Another good “reality check” is to ask about warranty periods. Many of these questionable small companies will leave you high and dry after a short 30 day warranty period is up. It’s a red flag when somebody cannot offer more than 30 days – it shows that they are not confident in their suppliers or their abilities. SolTec Electronics™ has an RMA rate of less than 1% and has never ever turned down a customer with a legitimate claim due to expired warranty – not one single time!! We believe that things need to be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, but at the end of the day, a bad part is a bad part even at 60 days, 120 days, or even longer. Watch out because many others hold fast to RMA denials at day 31 as common practice – no matter what.

Community Involvement
What else sets us apart? SolTec Electronics™ caring goes beyond industry alone as we have taken initiatives within our community and with our staff – the first and only company in our industry to publicly do so! We unrolled the SolTec CARES™ program last year (Community Action Resource Encouraging Service) which has donated time and money to such great local causes as Habitat for Humanity, which builds houses for underprivileged, the Space Coast Early Intervention Center, which helps special needs children build important skills, and the Marine Resource Council, which preserves Brevard County’s marine life and coastline. It is also an amazing opportunity for our staff to learn important leadership skills and benefit from the benevolent feelings of giving back. We’ve given to the Earth Day Network, Sea Turtle Preservation Society, and Wheels on Meals, just to name a few! We are also excited to add the United Way Brevard Workplace Giving campaigns to our roster where the company will make matching donations to any employee who elects to have money automatically deducted from their paychecks & given to the cause. We have pledged to expand the SolTec CARES™ program in 2011 to donate over 200 hours of community service. To date, SolTec has donated well over $10,000 in time and money to important community causes, as a small company. As we continue to grow exponentially, we are excited at the opportunity to give back even more!

Employee Benefits
SolTec is equally invested in their employees. We provide training, business coaching, one-on-one sessions with the CEO, quarterly reviews, and an open door policy to help each and every employee grow personally and professionally, as well as to meet and exceed their goals. We provide full benefits and a competitive paid holidays and vacations package to all employees because we strongly believe in self-care – one of the best packages around for a small company! A few other small perks are every single employee is eligible for some sort of bonus or commission based on performance – we promote and encourage a team atmosphere and reward hard work! We do lots of other fun outings and team-building activities at local theme parks, restaurants, and other attractions on a regular basis. We even offer a weekly group workout to employees on company time!

The Real Thing!
We are truly a company that cares about our clients, vendors, employees, industry, and community. And, we don’t just say it because it makes for good marketing material! It has been at the heart of our mission statement and company values since day one. We walk the talk and work hard to continually grow, improve, and stay on top of the latest technology so that we can keep providing the best service and capabilities to our clients.

Trademark and Intellectual Property
While we are flattered that others have taken notice of our achievements, we still take our intellectual property and trademark very seriously at SolTec Electronics™. If you have witnessed any violation of IP law or have been contacted by anybody misrepresenting themselves, we ask you to please contact us at 321-735-6181. We also encourage all, especially in this volatile marketplace, to practice due diligence and really do their homework before dealing with any companies out there. Please feel free to check out www.soltecblog.com for some more great insights on this subject.

© 2011 SOLTEC ™ Electronics, LLC (a Florida Limited Liability Company). ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This material may not be reproduced in any form whatsoever without express written consent of SOLTEC. SOLTEC monitors and vigorously enforces their rights to SOLTEC-owned intellectual property, including but not limited to the contents of this article.

SolTec Electronics is an industry leader in solving obsolescence and lead-time issues for EMS and OEM clients around the globe.

In the News – February, 2011:
SolTec Electronics CEO, Dawn Gluskin, recently had an article published in U.S. Tech Magazine titled “Combatting the Counterfeit Component Epidemic.” We invite you to read the article and to share with us your own experiences with working with independent distributors and the quality of parts received. We’re curious to know what your company is currently doing to help reduce and eventually eliminate this problem? SolTec Electronics is one of the few independent distributors to offer in-house decapsulation and testing services as a value-added service to protect their clients from receiving sub-par materials from the supply chain. Our CEO, Dawn Gluskin also sits on the G19 Committee, which is drafting the new SAE aerospace standard for detecting counterfeit components. We work hard to protect our clients!

Additional Office and Warehouse Space
To support our rapid growth (400% increase in 2010 revenues and 300% increase in employee size), SolTec Electronics has just recently signed an agreement to double warehouse and office space on Florida’s Space Coast. This will give us the opportunity to expand our lab and testing capabilities even more, as well as to continue to build out our inventory as we purchase excess inventory for stock. If you have excess for sale, please email to excess@soltecelectronics.com

ISO 9001:ESD 2020
Since day one, SolTec Electronic’s business model has been based on customer satisfaction and quality control. We have been ISO 9001 and ESD 20.20 compliant for many months now. However, we are excited to announce that our audit is coming up in a few days and we are confident we will soon make it official by receiving our certification! We will send out copies of our certificate to all, upon receipt.

Obsolescence and Lead-Time Issues:
Are you currently struggling with sourcing long lead-time or obsolete components?! Let our highly trained sales and purchasing reps help! We scour the earth to find even the toughest components and/or potential crosses that we even supply spec and life cycle information on! We then we bring them into our lab for decapsulation and testing services so you don’t need to worry about line-down or sub-par materials. Reply to this email, or send your requirements to sales@soltecelectronics.com

Thanks for taking a few moments to read our newsletter. Our goal is to continually improve in customer service and quality. we want to be the first and last distributor you turn to for all your hard-to-find needs. We look forward to hearing from you as to how we can serve you even better!

Get Social With Us!
www.twitter.com/soltecelec
www.facebook.com/soltecelectronics
www.linkedin.com/company/soltec-electronics
BLOG: www.soltecblog.com

SolTec Electronics
www.soltecelectronics.com
321-735-6181

© 2011 SOLTEC ™ Electronics, LLC (a Florida Limited Liability Company). ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This material may not be reproduced in any form whatsoever without express written consent of SOLTEC. SOLTEC monitors and vigorously enforces their rights to SOLTEC-owned intellectual property, including but not limited to the contents of this article.