Celestica Inc., a Canadian electronics manufacturing services provider, has opened a new microelectronics lab at its headquarters in Toronto, the company announced today.
Serving the likes of IBM Corp. and Cisco Systems Inc., the company helps build the electronic parts that go into products like smartphones or telecommunications switching gear. At one time, BlackBerry was one of Celestica’s biggest customers as well, until it switched over to suppliers in Asia in late 2012.
However, with its newest lab, Celestica will be targeting large original equipment manufacturers, as well as startups and small to mid-sized businesses (SMBs). The idea is to allow these businesses to be able to quickly build out their microelectronics products, from the prototype stage to when the product is ready for mass production.
Businesses using the lab will have access to a 1,100-square foot lab, complete with an environment controlled for temperature, humidity, and airborne particles. It also gives businesses miniaturization solutions with bare die packaging technologies, allowing them to cut down on costs, to boost signal integrity, and to make their high-reliability applications perform better.
“Microelectronics is in demand for high-reliability markets such as healthcare, aerospace, defense, communications and renewable energy. As optics and photonics technologies permeate these high-reliability sectors, it is becoming increasingly more important to miniaturize and cost reduce,” said Shawn Blakney, senior director of technology and innovation at Celestica, in a statement.
“Smaller electronics provide the flexibility for lighter, portable and potentially more affordable devices, a trend that is already proven in the consumer market,” he added. “As we look to the future, microelectronics will play an increasing role in technology, and with this new capability, we can help our customers to keep up with the pace of change and stay competitive in their markets.”
The new lab will be added alongside Celestica’s materials laboratory, as well as its surface mount technology manufacturing.