Microelectronics Marketing Research Council
Bringing Value to Your IMAPS Membership
By James W. Lawson, C-MAC Industries, Inc.
IMAPS Organizational Director
Chair, MMRC Steering Committee
What are the common threads in any IMAPS member Company
or Organization? This is a question I have often thought about over the
past twenty years of my own IMAPS involvement. The answer is quite simple…we
all share in technology, manufacturing of, using, or providing this
technology, and finally we all must market or sell the product or service.
In years past, IMAPS has expended enormous efforts in
providing a forum that allows its members to share with one another,
information about technology. It has been successful in that effort beyond
the expectations of founders' dreams some 30 years ago. Today, we add to
that forum of technology, the other critical element of the equation: how
and where to market and sell the products or services to the single most
important player involved, the customer.
MMRC is that forum for you to gain invaluable insight
into emerging and growing markets for your business. I cannot think of any
Organizational Member Company of IMAPS that would not have or not be
involved in some way in MARKETING.
The Winter Meeting of the MMRC in San Diego was entitled
"The Changing Business of Electronics - You Snooze, You Lose."
For those who attended, you were presented with four themes addressing
market drivers, market issues, market opportunities and financial impacts
of them all. Did you Snooze? Did you Lose?
The MMRC has two distinct products that I believe
provide the membership of IMAPS with real value-add. The first is the
Bi-annual meeting, one in Winter and one in Summer. With the help of an
industry consultant, these programs have focused on real Marketing trends
and issues facing our business today and in the future. This past meeting
provided the cream of the crop from the World of Communication Satellites,
the Latest Communication Devices, the Impact of COTS on Market Trends and
the Investment Community's Views of it all. It just does not get any
better than this, folks, and it was all focused on our industry.
The second product we provide is the Annual Market
Survey. For the past 10 years, the Survey has been the only source of data
on the health of the Microelectronics Market. As with all things, the
Survey is undergoing some changes to meet the dynamics of the customer
base. Traditionally a thick film, thin film and MCM Survey, look for the
venue to expand to include IMAPS's portfolio of technologies in the near
future.
At the outset of the Winter Meeting, I asked the
attendees to write down their responses to two simple questions: 1.) Why
are you here today at the MMRC meeting? and 2.) What would you like to see
from the MMRC in the future? Here are some of the comments we received:
I am here "because of the excellent program which
is very relevant to my work," "to learn more about applications
or emerging applications for high density microelectronic packaging, where
are the best markets for our product and where is the market going," "networking,
quality of the program, wireless focus," "to take part in a
forum that promotes exchange of ideas, market information and to get a
feel for market conditions."
In the future, I would like the MMRC to "provide a
real marketing function, to compile and publish accurate market segment
forecasts based upon actual final product sales information…I want it
to promote our technology and make users aware of its advantages and I
want to continue 2 workshops per year with programs like the last couple
keeping the market focus," "I would like a roadmap with material
needs of current and future technology."
The feedback we received from this past meeting
indicates that we are meeting the needs of the attendees with respect to
the program quality and substance. If you missed the Winter Meeting,
please mark your calendar now with the Summer program in Nashville, June
14 - 16.
MMRC now also is the home for any IMAPS Industry
Initiatives with the first being the Ceramic Initiative. This activity has
participated in authoring the Ceramic Roadmap and has been successful in
incorporating this effort into the IPC Interconnection Roadmap.
Additionally, the Initiative has generated a Design Rule Survey, received
input from over 40 participants and will be analyzing and publishing the
results in the coming months in an effort to assist the design communities
with decisions involving the use of ceramic solutions.
Finally, the MMRC has established a Budgeting
Subcommittee charged with the formation and submission of our own budget
as part of the overall budget of IMAPS. Key budget items under discussion
include expansion of the Market Survey, publication of the Ceramic
Initiative Design Survey, the Bi-annual Programs, and the MMRC/Corporate
dues structure, all targeted to bring value to the IMAPS Membership.
If you were not previously aware of the activities of
MMRC, consider yourself informed. If you are involved with your company's
sales and marketing efforts or if you are interested in market trends that
will drive your R&D efforts to new levels of technological solutions
for your customer, you've come to the right place; the MMRC brings value
to your membership in IMAPS. Join us in Nashville, I look forward to
seeing YOU there!
ABOUT MMRC
In 1987, representatives from IMAPS - International Microelectronics and
Packaging Society and the IPC met together to form MMRC - a unique program
for manufacturers and users of multichip modules and hybrid circuits, as
well as suppliers to those industries. MMRC is aimed towards the industry
marketing professional. It provides a forum through which members can
organize and support programs to analyze the technology and competitive
elements impacting the microelectronics marketplace.
MMRC MEETINGS
MMRC has presented more than 200 market research papers since its
inception. From technical trends to market forecasts, MMRC assists its
members in assessing the strategic focus and direction of the MCM/Hybrid
industry. Specifically, this research focuses on six areas: markets
(statistical data, trends, growth areas), technology trends, economics
(cost, yield, productivity issues), geographic trends, application
technology, and attitudes and beliefs.
FORUM FOR A QUALITY MARKET
The Council offers semi-annual meetings in June and January, at which
experts from the microelectronics industry, as well as qualified market
research professionals, present original papers to provide participants
with a broad knowledge of the technology and market issues facing the
industry.
Hot topics and papers presented during 1997:
Wall Street
- The Wireless Investor Outlook; Bill Hammett, Lichfield Associates
- Emerging Telecom Services & Their Impact on the Technology
Marketplace; Barry Newman, Salomon Brothers
- Mergers & Acquisitions Trends in the Electronics Industry; Greg
Rossmann, Broadview Associates
- Wireless Industry - Investment Target for Future Component
Technologies; Pete Peterson, Volpe Brown Whelan & Company, LLC
Communications Satellites
- Global Overview of Commercial Satellite Programs; Krysten Jenci, US
Dept of Commerce
- Future Markets & Future Growth of Space and Ground Equipment;
Clayton Kunz, Frost & Sullivan
- Globalstar™: We'll Have the Whole World Talking; Paul Olsen,
Qualcomm
Roadmapping
- The National Technology Roadmap for Electronic Interconnections;
Dieter Bergman, IPC
- Thoughts on a Ceramic Roadmap Initiative; John Paxson, Coors
Ceramics Company
THE MMRC ANNUAL REPORT
In addition to MMRC semi-annual meetings, MMRC conducts the Annual
Microelectronics Audit, which focuses on segments of the microelectronics
industry, using various mechanisms for analysis and dissemination of data.
This report is just another way MMRC helps corporate marketing
professionals make informed decisions.
SERVING YOU AND YOUR COMPANY
MMRC membership offers you and your company leverage in the
microelectronics marketplace, by providing you with indispensable market
research, information, and special reports you need to effectively
participate in this highly competitive industry.
* Access to exclusive market research data, specifically
focused on the MCM/Hybrid market, through the MMRC Annual Audit report.
* The opportunity to discuss trends and challenges with
fellow microelectronics professionals and innovators in the industry.
* Access to premier MMRC reports and papers presented by
microelectronics leaders and market research professionals.
* Leading-edge marketing information, essential to strategic
planning.
* Innovative ideas for managing your business and preparing
for the future.
* Industry forecasts to put you ahead of the technology
curve.
JOIN MMRC TODAY
Corporate Membership:
An official representative (transferable) receives all market
research materials and is eligible to attend the conferences. In addition,
all employees at that location are eligible to attend the biannual
conferences and receive market research information.
$1000 non-members (IMAPS Corporate Membership included in cost)
$700 IMAPS/IPC members.
Individual Membership:
One individual is eligible to attend the biannual marketing
conferences. This membership is non-transferable. Individual members must
attend the conferences to receive the market research materials.
$450 Annually.
Additional Facility Membership:
This membership is available for companies where another location is already an MMRC member.
$250 Annually.
For more information on joining the MMRC contact Doug Paul at
703-758-1060 or E-Mail:
dpaul@imaps.org
