• Latest
  • Trending
  • All
  • Capacitors
  • Resistors
  • Inductors
  • Filters
  • Fuses
  • Non-linear Passives
  • Applications
  • Integrated Passives
  • Oscillators
  • Passive Sensors
  • New Technologies
  • Aerospace & Defence
  • Automotive
  • Industrial
  • Market & Supply Chain
  • Medical
  • RF & Microwave
  • Telecommunication

Back to the Raw Material Supply, EPCI Interview with William A Millman

2.11.2016

Flex Suppressor Explained and its Applications

24.3.2023

Exploring the Benefits of High-Performance MLCC Capacitors for Aerospace and Defense

23.3.2023

Murata Establishes Joint Venture Company to Produce MLCC Raw Materials

23.3.2023

Examining the Influence of ESR and Ripple Current on Selecting the Suitable Capacitor

21.3.2023

SABIC Validates its 150°C Film Foil to Enable Adoption of Film Capacitors in SIC Power Modules

20.3.2023

Outlook of Passive Electronic Components Market for Oil & Gas Electronics in 2023

20.3.2023
  • Home
  • Privacy Policy
  • EPCI Membership & Advertisement
  • About
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTER
Passive Components Blog
  • Home
  • NewsFilter
    • All
    • Aerospace & Defence
    • Antenna
    • Applications
    • Automotive
    • Capacitors
    • Circuit Protection Devices
    • Filters
    • Fuses
    • Inductors
    • Industrial
    • Integrated Passives
    • Market & Supply Chain
    • Medical
    • New Materials & Supply
    • New Technologies
    • Non-linear Passives
    • Oscillators
    • Passive Sensors
    • Resistors
    • RF & Microwave
    • Telecommunication

    Flex Suppressor Explained and its Applications

    Exploring the Benefits of High-Performance MLCC Capacitors for Aerospace and Defense

    Murata Establishes Joint Venture Company to Produce MLCC Raw Materials

    Examining the Influence of ESR and Ripple Current on Selecting the Suitable Capacitor

    SABIC Validates its 150°C Film Foil to Enable Adoption of Film Capacitors in SIC Power Modules

    Outlook of Passive Electronic Components Market for Oil & Gas Electronics in 2023

    Flying Capacitors Explained

    TDK Introduces Compact High-Current Chokes for Automotive and Industrial Applications

    ECIA NA February 2023 Electronic Components Sales Confirms Growth Trend

    Trending Tags

    • Ripple Current
    • RF
    • Leakage Current
    • Tantalum vs Ceramic
    • Snubber
    • Low ESR
    • Feedthrough
    • Derating
    • Dielectric Constant
    • New Products
    • Market Reports
  • VideoFilter
    • All
    • Antenna videos
    • Capacitor videos
    • Filter videos
    • Fuse videos
    • Inductor videos
    • Non-linear passives videos
    • Oscillator videos
    • Passive sensors videos
    • Resistor videos
    • Sensors

    Investigating Modeling Techniques of Class II Ceramic Capacitors Losses for High Voltage and Current Applications

    Understanding Basics of Current Sense Resistors

    What Decoupling Capacitor Value To Use And Where To Place Them

    How to Measure Rated Current on Power Inductors

    LTspice Simulation of a Spark-Gap Circuit Protection Surge Arrester

    Approximate Inductor Design Using Two Alternative Cores

    1kW Phase Shift Full Bridge Converter Design and Simulation

    Multiphase Buck Trans-Inductor Voltage Regulator (TLVR) Explained

    Smart Power Distribution Unit Architecture and Inductor Losses

    Trending Tags

    • Capacitors explained
    • Inductors explained
    • Resistors explained
    • Filters explained
    • Application Video Guidelines
    • EMC
    • New Products
    • Ripple Current
    • Simulation
    • Tantalum vs Ceramic
  • Knowledge Blog
  • Suppliers
    • Preferred Suppliers
    • Who is Who
  • Events
  • Home
  • NewsFilter
    • All
    • Aerospace & Defence
    • Antenna
    • Applications
    • Automotive
    • Capacitors
    • Circuit Protection Devices
    • Filters
    • Fuses
    • Inductors
    • Industrial
    • Integrated Passives
    • Market & Supply Chain
    • Medical
    • New Materials & Supply
    • New Technologies
    • Non-linear Passives
    • Oscillators
    • Passive Sensors
    • Resistors
    • RF & Microwave
    • Telecommunication

    Flex Suppressor Explained and its Applications

    Exploring the Benefits of High-Performance MLCC Capacitors for Aerospace and Defense

    Murata Establishes Joint Venture Company to Produce MLCC Raw Materials

    Examining the Influence of ESR and Ripple Current on Selecting the Suitable Capacitor

    SABIC Validates its 150°C Film Foil to Enable Adoption of Film Capacitors in SIC Power Modules

    Outlook of Passive Electronic Components Market for Oil & Gas Electronics in 2023

    Flying Capacitors Explained

    TDK Introduces Compact High-Current Chokes for Automotive and Industrial Applications

    ECIA NA February 2023 Electronic Components Sales Confirms Growth Trend

    Trending Tags

    • Ripple Current
    • RF
    • Leakage Current
    • Tantalum vs Ceramic
    • Snubber
    • Low ESR
    • Feedthrough
    • Derating
    • Dielectric Constant
    • New Products
    • Market Reports
  • VideoFilter
    • All
    • Antenna videos
    • Capacitor videos
    • Filter videos
    • Fuse videos
    • Inductor videos
    • Non-linear passives videos
    • Oscillator videos
    • Passive sensors videos
    • Resistor videos
    • Sensors

    Investigating Modeling Techniques of Class II Ceramic Capacitors Losses for High Voltage and Current Applications

    Understanding Basics of Current Sense Resistors

    What Decoupling Capacitor Value To Use And Where To Place Them

    How to Measure Rated Current on Power Inductors

    LTspice Simulation of a Spark-Gap Circuit Protection Surge Arrester

    Approximate Inductor Design Using Two Alternative Cores

    1kW Phase Shift Full Bridge Converter Design and Simulation

    Multiphase Buck Trans-Inductor Voltage Regulator (TLVR) Explained

    Smart Power Distribution Unit Architecture and Inductor Losses

    Trending Tags

    • Capacitors explained
    • Inductors explained
    • Resistors explained
    • Filters explained
    • Application Video Guidelines
    • EMC
    • New Products
    • Ripple Current
    • Simulation
    • Tantalum vs Ceramic
  • Knowledge Blog
  • Suppliers
    • Preferred Suppliers
    • Who is Who
  • Events
No Result
View All Result
Passive Components Blog
No Result
View All Result

Back to the Raw Material Supply, EPCI Interview with William A Millman

2.11.2016
Reading Time: 8 mins read
0 0
0
SHARES
48
VIEWS

 

 

 

RelatedPosts

Flex Suppressor Explained and its Applications

Exploring the Benefits of High-Performance MLCC Capacitors for Aerospace and Defense

Murata Establishes Joint Venture Company to Produce MLCC Raw Materials

“The past interviews of the month covered so far some medical and space applications of passive components, as well as supercapacitor research inputs and some view from a global passive component manufacturer. But let’s move back to the roots in the next Interview of the Month. I have asked William A Millman to talk about the raw material supply and its challenges under the current cost down, conflict free and other legislation issues.” T.Zednicek EPCI

 

> Q1 EPCI: Hello Bill, can you please briefly introduce yourselves, your current position and your experience/relation to the passive component technologies ?

W.A.Millman:

Thank you Tom, I graduated from Plymouth University, UK with a degree Electrical and Electronic Engineering. Recently retired as the Director of Corporate Quality for AVX Corporation, headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina, USA. I have been Involved in all aspects of the capacitor industry for over 40 years including R&D, engineering, manufacturing, materials, process and new product development, quality and more recently in the development of models for responsible sourcing of ‘conflict-free’ tantalum minerals through innovative initiatives. Examples of this include the world leading ‘Closed Pipe’ model for ‘conflict-free’ responsible sourcing of tantalum materials to the electronics industry. Co-developer of the Solutions for Hope platform, which is presently piloting a Geological Passport system for mineral traceability from Rwanda and the DRC, as well as engaging in Colombia as we approach hopefully a post-conflict status.

> Q2 EPCI: The base material supply chain was out of prime interest of passive component users unless there were a years of “crises” such as a palladium price spikes or some issues such as tantalum ore from Congo conflict areas. Nevertheless in past years the number of requirements including “conflict-free” and ROHS are pushing manufacturers to take responsibility for a whole supply chain and its control. Can you please describe what impact such requirements are having on the raw material mining, processing and handling and what challenges the raw material supplier are currently facing ?

W.A.Millman:

One advantage of being involved in industry over four decades is that you see the ‘big picture’ at times! I have seen over this extended time customers concerns around standardisation, quality, reliability, environment, health and safety, basic workers rights develop into international standards adopted and recognised globally. We now see the natural progression here where human rights, child protection, protection from abuse, safety and security come to the fore. This highlights that our purchasing decisions and choices can and do have a direct bearing on these outcomes. So these pressures are coming from us as customers and is part of a global continuous improvement drive. The ‘Know Your Customer’ concept is now being applied where it is essential that you know your supply chain and are a responsible partner. Many may see this as just another cost burden but more enlightened companies also see this as an opportunity to better understand, manage and secure their supplies, while also acting responsibly. Many of the ‘crises’ in the past were as a result of industry not knowing their own supply chain. The US legislation contained within the Dodd-Frank Act and the SEC1502 provision required US companies to report their sourcing of the 3T’s + Gold – that is Tin, Tantalum, Tungsten plus Gold, as widely used electronic materials and were chosen as raw mineral sourcing included the DRC, where a long protracted civil war was active. The mineral trading here and in surrounding countries were alleged to be involved in funding of the warring parties, although of course the root causes of the conflict were far more complex than simply fighting over valuable minerals. The impact of this legislation was immense. When an industry as huge and influential as electronics turns its collective eyes to problem then things change and radically. Transparency was key and as a result non-value added operations, operators – or so called ‘middle men’ – had no home in these responsible supply chains. So actually the complexity, number of tiers, chains in the link of custody reduced considerably. Reporting systems and minerals traceability schemes were developed and implemented, largely as entities such as the EICC (Electronic Industry Citizen Coalition) acting as industry representatives assisted standardisation along the supply chains. In-region initiatives such as the one I was deeply involved with, Solutions for Hope, where sourcing from conflict-free mine sites engaged directly with miners and their communities, through to end customers, were essential to prevent the then call for a defacto embargo on the DRC and the whole of central Africa as a source of these minerals. This would have had huge serious social economic negative impacts on those already living lives of hardship and deprivation. Through such schemes and fewer non value added participants in the supply chain, more wealth from mineral trading is kept in country, lifting the livelihoods of the mining community and encouraging investment in mining practices and infrastructure. So actually, all of this scrutiny is resulting in an improving situation on the ground, a more secure supply chain, investment and development as well as improvement in security and safety! I can hear the unasked question – and the extra costs? Actually this has been cost neutral to the industry and will help alleviate future surprises around so-called shortages.

> Q3 EPCI: We have heart many times of shortage of some element and the rest of years until the sources are completely depleted, … nevertheless most of the time such predictions have not happened as new natural source or alternative solutions have been found. Do you see currently some shortage / material / processing issues that could influence negatively or positively the passive components supply ?

W.A.Millman:

Yes, in the past decade we have seen a commodity super bubble develop and burst! Again one small advantage of being around so long is that I have seen these develop before as well as seen and experienced the after effects. While it would be easy to sit back and relax as we see a wide range of metals fall in price – including the 3T’s + Gold – now is not the time to assume all metal supply issues are over. Indeed, often lack of demand as seen as a result of a speculative price bubble bursting is depletion of inventories, reduced investment in geological prospecting, mining, expertise is lost and workers leave the industry. This is the paradox – while industry is fast moving, very cyclical and new ‘wonder’ metals allow of unheard of performance that we all demand immediately, mineral extraction, processing and refining takes long term, capital intensive, skilled experienced players.
So while it is tempting to look at some exoctic REE (Rare Earth Element) as the likley new shortage, it may be that without responsible engagement continuing in the everyday metals we are consuming today, then these will become the next issue! This just reinforces my earlier point that it is just good business practice to get involved deep into your supply chains. I had a old maxim in quality that I apply here as well – No surprises!

> Q4 EPCI: The electronic industry is mainly driven today by high volume consumer applications and individual consumption that is typical by extreme requirements on supply chain flexibility. It can be seen that for example a mobile phone design can change every three month but time to volume in millions of components may have a supply limitation within a six month … but it may be hard to double production of mines in month time. How the raw material supply are addressing such big challenge and gap between the end business high volume flexibility needs and physical limitation of scale up/down on mine sites ?

W.A.Millman:

Thank you Tom for this question. Yes, this is the paradox. How to provide secure, safe, sustainable delivery of critical components, in time, when demand can change dramatically, while exploration, mining, processing and refining to engineered materials can take months, even years. This is one of today’s biggest challenges. It requires a truly strategic approach along the supply chain and as we see more companies becoming aware of their responsibilities, they also gain better appreciation of this issue. I have seen smelters who provide multi-year contracts with mining communities that provides support pricing during low demand periods, component companies invest in larger inventories of metals and forward looking initiatives to try and smooth out the ‘boom or bust’ cycles we have all suffered from. One remarkable progress I have experienced and often goes unreported is recycling. Industry, as a matter of course looks to reduce, reuse and recycle, but the recent metals price spikes has help drive a consolidation in this area. That is users recycling metals back into their direct suppliers input chain – so a closed loop – again removing inefficient, non added value players. The develop of recycling and reprocessing is also a way forward to the global issue of e-waste. It is well reported that often such e-waste is illegally transported to developing countries, where communities are having their health destroyed through bad practices around recovering precious metals and materials. This is another area where enlightened thinking can close loop this scrap recovery to reduce the need for primary mined materials.

> Q5 EPCI: One of the trend seen at passive component manufacturers have been “a strategic vertical integration” when a passive component manufacturers are becoming also material processors and even taking some shares in mining companies. It is of course driven by the need to secure its own supply, nevertheless on the other hand – how is this changing the raw material supply environment in a global scope. Is it inducing more instability and limiting flexibility to supply wider range of applications and thus increase stability, increase the volume and lower the cost…. Is this vertical integration trend likely to continue per your view or the future is more towards an independent ore suppliers ?

W.A.Millman:

Yes, one approach has been to consolidate the supply chain within one company’s activities. This is a natural part of the process of consolidation of the industry – the strong players get stronger through this process and the weaker players get absorbed or fall out of the supply chain. This has its own challenges. While having your own smelter in your company you are also competing with others who have access to multiple suppliers and their combined resources. So to be successful here you have to have world class capability along all parts of the supply chain – the weakest link in the chain will determine your overall strength! A mix of vertical integration and alternate models of sources with companies that strengthen their chains through long term contracts, exchange of trends in demand, outlook, planning, intelligence sharing is likley to provide the right mix of security on one hand as against flexibility and responsiveness on the other. The great opportunity is that the transparency required for legislative purposes – the EU is actively engaged in development of its own ‘Dodd-Frank’ disclosures requirements – also allows easier understanding, access and information around sources of minerals and the players in the supply chain. This provides easier appreciation and involvement from a business perspective and each company is better able to develop its own strategy for what it considers strategic metals and minerals.

> Q6 EPCI: Is there any change in local government support / investment policies that may impact the ore supply ?

W.A.Millman:

Most laymen think of mining as large industrial mining pits, either open cast or underground, with large trucks moving huge amounts of mineral rich earth around them. The reality is that the world of mineral supply is made up of a mix of industrial and artisanal mining. Often the balance between these two become skewed as speculative prices drives investment from one to the other and visa versa. Developing countries with huge natural mineral sovereign wealth have limited ability to fully exploit the full value – often called the Resource Curse – leads developing countries government’s drive to appear to add value by adopting refineries and smelters in-region. Actually, one of the largest value added propositions is to access the minerals and export them! But to add more value these governments require mining expertise, long term investment, security, safety and investor protection under law. So the whole situation comes back to better governance, leading to greater investment, better security, improving incomes, sustainability. So yes, there is a virtuous circle where engaged responsible sourcing with developing countries governments can led to the outcomes we would all wish for.

Thank you Bill for your time and willingness to share your opinions with us.

 


About William A Millman

W.A.Millman is a founder and director of Mines, Minerals, Metals & Markets Ltd UK based supply chain consultancy company and Member of the Advisory Board for AB Minerals Corp.

Related Posts

Market & Supply Chain

Murata Establishes Joint Venture Company to Produce MLCC Raw Materials

23.3.2023
42
Market & Supply Chain

Outlook of Passive Electronic Components Market for Oil & Gas Electronics in 2023

20.3.2023
55
Market & Supply Chain

ECIA NA February 2023 Electronic Components Sales Confirms Growth Trend

16.3.2023
100

Upcoming Events

Mar 29
15:00 - 16:00 EEST

Supercapacitors vs. Batteries in Engine Starting

Mar 29
17:00 - 18:00 CEST

Practical LLC Transformer Design Methodology

Apr 3
April 3 @ 12:00 - April 4 @ 14:00 CEST

Microelectronic Packaging Failure Modes and Analysis

View Calendar

Popular Posts

  • Capacitor Selection for Coupling and Decoupling Applications

    28 shares
    Share 28 Tweet 0
  • Ripple Current and its Effects on the Performance of Capacitors

    3 shares
    Share 3 Tweet 0
  • What is a Dielectric Constant of Plastic Materials ?

    4 shares
    Share 4 Tweet 0
  • How to Choose the Right Inductor for DC-DC Buck Applications

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Understanding High-Precision Resistor Temperature Coefficient of Resistance

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • MLCC and Ceramic Capacitors

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Why Low ESR Matters in Capacitor Design

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Failure Analysis of Capacitors and Inductors

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Newsletter Subscription

 

PCNS Call for Papers !

Archive

2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017

Symposium

Passive Components Networking Symposium

Passives e-Learning

Knowledge Blog

  • Home
  • Privacy Policy
  • EPCI Membership & Advertisement
  • About

© EPCI - Premium Passive Components Educational and Information Site

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Video
  • Knowledge Blog
  • Preferred Suppliers
  • Events

© EPCI - Premium Passive Components Educational and Information Site

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.