This week, a few of us from Force Technologies attended the IIOM AGM in Milton Keynes. It was an opportunity for us to catch up with old friends and colleagues in the familiar surroundings of the Milton Keynes Marriot. As one of the founding members of the IIOM, we were especially proud to have been part of the whole journey.
What is the IIOM?
The International Institute of Obsolescence Management (IIOM International) is a not-for-profit organisation that exists to advance the science and practice of Obsolescence Management. The Institute is dedicated to improving the knowledge and best practice of Obsolescence practitioners through education, networking, and process development.
As one of the leading solution houses for hard-to-find and EOL semiconductors, Force Technologies benefits from attending events like this. It allows us to stay up to date with industry news and find out what the future might look like.
Tuesday saw the day kick off with the AGM, attended by the membership. This was followed by a series of talks from a variety of stakeholders, lasting until the end of the day.
Highlights included:
3D Xray Technology – Andy Barnes from Adaptix Ltd – Andy demonstrated how their state-of-the-art X-ray machine could help the chip industry to identify counterfeit products and improve inspection techniques whilst reducing costs.
An Update on Right to Repair by Dan Grundy from Jaguar Land Rover – Andy showed us the impact of new rules around vehicle obsolescence are going to change the way we buy cars in the future. As opposed to worrying about the style of the car, we will be purchasing software surrounded by a box on wheels.
How to enhance your career plans with MIIOM and FIIOM by Luciano Lustosa – Luciano has flown into Luton from Lyon to tell us about the qualifications available to improve your career prospects through the IIOM.
There was an active discussion on Open Market Procurement, Obsolescence and Counterfeit avoidance hosted by Dan Grundy – The most contentious area being identifying counterfeit chips. With feedback delivered by delegates from across the spectrum.
The Outlook for the Semi Conductor Industry in 2023 and Beyond was given by Malcolm Penn of Future Horizons – For us and the other delegates, this talk was the icing on the cake of a successful conference. Malcolm laid bare the realities of the next year for the industry and how global influences were going to affect the market.
Force Technologies would like to thank the organisers for an excellent conference that went smoothly and provided us with a tonne of useful information and allowed us to renew old contacts.
We are looking forward to attending the next event and finding out how delegates progressed as a result of this conference.