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An interview with
Jean-Yves Salaun & Chris Whitmarsh

Keeping in touch is what it's all about. Earlier this month, Printed Circuit News Editor, John Ling, met up with Coates Circuit Products senior management; vision, pragmatism, and dynamism were clearly to the fore in the reponse as he pinned down Jean-Yves Salaun, General Manager, and Chris Whitmarsh, International Sales and Marketing Manger, at Midsomer Norton. He reports.....

A global message from Coates Circuit Products

I met with Jean-Yves Salaun & Chris Whitmarsh of Coates Circuit Products in the middle of October. Coates has been in the circuits business, man and boy, for 40 years, and it would seem that 'retirement¹ is still way, way off. As one of the major world suppliers in the resist and ink sector, you would have thought that Coates would have caught a distinct cold in the present climate. "Yes", said Jean-Yves, "We are down, but we saw it coming, thanks to the comprehensive distributor network that Coates has long since established around the world. Think of it more as a chill; curable, with some care".

"Once the distributors stopped buying, then you knew the slide had begun", said Chris, "So that allowed us to de-stock somewhat ahead of the game". Coates, it seems, has undertaken some prudent and sensible housekeeping, which will allow it to ride out this depression, and be well-placed to meet the demand when it re-emerges, they ventured, in the middle of next year.

"One buoyant aspect of this industry", said Jean-Yves, "Is the rumour mongering, which shows no signs of diminishing! From what was being said during this year, we were either up for sale, being sold, or bust! In fact we are none of those things. Coates, like all companies, has held discussions with others in this industry to see if there are any suitable business partnerships that would better serve its customers. It is also true that Coates remains now firmly in the Sun Chemical family, with full support and with a new Chief Executive at Sun who knows our industry", he added. Certainly those looking for the usual generously proportioned Coates booth at Productronica this year will find that the size of the stand has contracted by roughly the same percentage of the market! An entirely sensible approach, given the way things are. But, like the market, they are still there, and what is smaller now can become bigger again just as easily.

Coates has consolidated its position in North America, fine tuned its European operations for greater efficiency, and is expanding its base in the Far East to include local manufacture, as well as increasing its technical and sales support teams. R&D, a mainstay of any major player in this field, continues undiminished and undiluted, and Coates¹ commitment to the industry is as strong as ever.

One would have been disappointed if any other case were true.