Top 15 Electronic Manufacturing Services (EMS) Companies In 2023
Introduction
Electronic manufacturing services (EMS) providers offer a range of production services for electronics original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). This encompasses PCB fabrication, component assembly, systems integration, testing, logistics and other aspects of bringing electronic products to market.
EMS partners can provide significant benefits through their expertise and infrastructure across the entire electronics manufacturing value chain. This enables OEMs to focus on core engineering and product innovation while leaving manufacturing execution and supply chain management to expert EMS firms.
This article examines the top 15 EMS companies worldwide that offer end-to-end manufacturing capabilities catering to diverse industry sectors. We analyze their areas of specialization, services offered, certifications and other factors to help identify the right outsourcing partner for your production needs.
Top 15 Electronic Manufacturing Services (EMS) Companies
1. Rayming Technology
Rayming is a leading global EMS company providing electronics manufacturing and supply chain solutions. Headquartered in China with facilities across Asia, Rayming offers integrated solutions spanning PCB fabrication, component assembly, product testing, logistics and more.
Rayming specializes in building complex, high-reliability products in automation, automotive electronics, industrial equipment and other segments. With optimized manufacturing technologies and processes, they enable customers to get to market faster with high-quality products.
2. Flex
Flex is among the largest global electronics manufacturing services companies with production facilities in over 30 countries. They provide integrated solutions tailored for scale, complexity and speed across geographies.
Flex offers core capabilities in PCB assembly, systems integration and test. Their expertise also extends into product design, engineering, prototyping and supply chain optimization. Flex serves customers across consumer electronics, automotive, healthcare, aerospace, cleantech and other industries.
3. Jabil Circuit
Jabil Circuit is a leading Fortune 500 EMS firm providing comprehensive manufacturing and product lifecycle management services globally. With a network of over 100 facilities worldwide, Jabil offers tailored solutions spanning design, PCB fabrication, assembly, testing and more.
Jabil serves customers across telecom, computing, storage, automotive, healthcare and other sectors. Their experience with product miniaturization, supply chain optimization and manufacturing technologies empowers customers to accelerate product development and time-to-market.
4. Sanmina Corporation
Sanmina Corporation is a leading EMS company providing high-value manufacturing solutions across the full product lifecycle. They offer core capabilities in PCB fabrication, precision component assembly, systems integration and test.
Headquartered in California with a global footprint, Sanmina serves OEMs in industries from communications infrastructure and cloud solutions to industrial and medical technologies. Their expertise in advanced manufacturing and supply chain optimization helps bring complex products to market quickly.
5. Celestica
Celestica is a multinational EMS firm headquartered in Toronto, Canada operating an extensive network of manufacturing sites and design centers across America, Europe and Asia. Celestica offers services from hardware platform design through high-volume manufacturing, order fulfillment and after-market support.
They specialize in delivering optimized solutions for aerospace and defense, industrial equipment, healthcare, smart energy, semiconductor capital equipment and other applications requiring high quality and reliability.
6. Benchmark Electronics
Benchmark Electronics is a leading EMS provider headquartered in Arizona, USA with an extensive global footprint and decades of experience serving customers worldwide. They provide integrated design, engineering, manufacturing, test and logistics solutions tailored to optimize product development and production.
Benchmark specializes in highly complex, low-to-medium volume electronics solutions meeting stringent quality and reliability requirements for industrial, aerospace/defense, medical technologies and semiconductor capital equipment.
7. Plexus
Plexus is an EMS leader providing product design, engineering, manufacturing and fulfillment services optimized for quality, efficiency and technology innovation. Headquartered in Wisconsin, USA, they possess a global network of design centers and manufacturing facilities.
Plexus serves mid-to-low-volume, high-mix products spanning the industrial/commercial equipment, medical, aerospace/defense, communications and networking/storage markets. Collaborative partnerships with customers facilitated by their Product Realization Value Stream services help accelerate time-to-market.
8. Key Tronic
Key Tronic is a leading EMS company headquartered in Washington, USA possessing manufacturing capabilities across the Americas and China. They provide integrated solutions from PCB fabrication, precision component assembly to systems integration, testing and logistics.
Key Tronic specializes in producing keyboards, joysticks and other input devices, medical equipment, industrial controls, power supplies and LED lighting products. Their capabilities in full product realization accelerate speed to market while maintaining quality and reliability.
9. SIIX
SIIX is a Japanese EMS firm providing services across the entire product lifecycle from engineering and manufacturing to distribution and after-sales support. They have production facilities across Japan, China, ASEAN, Europe and Mexico along with design centers worldwide.
SIIX serves automotive systems, infrastructure, communications, energy, consumer and other sectors requiring tailored solutions for design, procurement, manufacturing and quality assurance. Their expertise helps bring reliable, high-performance electronic systems to global markets.
10. Creation Technologies
Headquartered in Canada, Creation Technologies is a leading global EMS firm providing integrated solutions from product concept through volume production and aftermarket services. They possess manufacturing sites across North America and China.
With capabilities spanning PCB fabrication, precision assembly, systems integration and test, Creation serves mission-critical electronics across aerospace, defense, telecom, medical, networking and industrial equipment sectors. Their solutions focus on quality, rapid time-to-market and continuous improvement.
11. SigmaTron
SigmaTron provides full spectrum EMS solutions including PCB assemblies, systems integration, test development, supply chain services and aftermarket support. Headquartered in Illinois, USA, they have production facilities in the USA, Mexico, China and Vietnam.
SigmaTron specializes in delivering high-quality manufacturing services for industrial equipment, gaming, semiconductor, fitness, telecom infrastructure and medical electronics. Their expertise in the entire product realization cycle enables fulfilling customer needs effectively.
12. IEC Electronics
IEC Electronics is a leading EMS provider headquartered in New York, USA with manufacturing capabilities across the United States and Mexico. They provide a range of manufacturing and engineering solutions tailored for technically complex, low-to-medium volume products.
Serving customers across defense, aerospace, medical device and industrial/commercial markets, IEC offers core capabilities in printed circuit board and cable assembly, systems integration and test solutions engineered to optimize product development and lifecycle support.
13. Enics
Headquartered in Switzerland, Enics is a major EMS firm with manufacturing sites across Europe and Asia including Finland, Estonia, Russia, China and Malaysia. Enics offers comprehensive solutions covering industrial design, engineering, testing, automation and other aspects of electronics production.
Enics serves mission-critical industries including communications, automotive, homeland security/defense, medical, industrial automation and power generation. Their expertise helps clients enhance product reliability, quality and performance while optimizing cost.
14. Kitron
Kitron is a Norway-based EMS firm with manufacturing operations across Scandinavia, Germany, Lithuania, China and the United States. They offer services spanning industrial design, PCB and electronics manufacturing, final product assembly, testing and logistics.
Kitron serves diverse sectors ranging from defense, energy, medical devices, industrial equipment to offshore/marine, communications and data/telecom. Leveraging core capabilities from early prototypes through ramp-up to high-volume production, they enable customers to bring quality products to market faster.
15. Cal-Comp
Headquartered in Thailand, Cal-Comp is a leading global EMS provider with manufacturing facilities across Asia offering end-to-end solutions from product design through volume manufacturing and after-sales support.
Cal-Comp serves diverse segments including consumer electronics, telecom infrastructure, automotive, alternative energy, medical and other industries. Their expertise enables seamless transitioning of products from NPI through ramp-up to volume production while meeting stringent quality and reliability standards.
Key Considerations for Selecting an EMS Partner
Choosing the right EMS provider depends on assessing some critical parameters:
Services Offered
- Do they provide all the services you need - design, PCB fabrication, component procurement, assembly, test, logistics etc.?
- Will you need joint development and engineering collaboration for product optimization?
- Supply chain transparency and inventory management capabilities?
Quality Focus
- Quality certifications - ISO 9001, IATF 16949, AS 9100, ISO 13485 etc.
- Adoption of automation, smart factory technologies, Industry 4.0 practices?
- Quality processes and inspection capabilities?
Manufacturing Technology and Capabilities
- Skills in all necessary assembly technologies - SMT, through-hole, press-fit, box-build etc?
- Technical expertise relevant to your product - low volume/high-mix, miniaturization, dense PCBs etc.?
- Production capacity scalable to your forecast volumes?
Program Management and Communication
- Structure for program governance through production ramp-up, milestones, continuous improvement?
- Engineering collaboration for design optimization?
- Supply chain visibility and responsiveness?
Company Profile and Customer References
- Experience serving customers in your particular industry?
- Proven track record on delivering quality, reliability and value?
- Geographic locations matching your logistics and infrastructure needs?
- Long-term financial health and capacity investments?
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What are the key benefits of partnering with an EMS provider?
Benefits of using an EMS provider include:
- Access to advanced manufacturing infrastructure without major capital expenses
- Leveraging of EMS expertise in supply chain, logistics, sourcing, quality, Lean/Six Sigma etc.
- Focus engineering resources on core product development
- Faster time-to-market with parallelized engineering and manufacturing
- Flexibility in adapting to demand fluctuations
- Lower production costs through aggregated volumes
- Reduce risk of production disruptions through expanded capacity
Q: What capabilities should be evaluated when selecting an EMS partner?
When choosing an EMS provider, key capabilities to examine include:
- Range of services - Full turnkey vs limited services offered
- Quality systems and focus - investments in automation, smart factory technologies
- Manufacturing expertise - Skills in relevant assembly processes, expertise in similar products
- Supply chain capabilities - Sourcing leverage, logistics infrastructure, inventory management
- Program management and continuous improvement focus
- New product introduction and ramp-up experience
- Overall production capacity scalable for future growth
- Geographic footprint aligning with target markets
- Financial strength and investments in capabilities/capacity
Q: What are the steps in transitioning production to an EMS provider?
Main steps for transitioning electronics manufacturing to EMS:
- Select partner through due diligence on capabilities, expertise, customer references etc.
- Scope manufacturing handoff - product families, volumes, timeline etc.
- Determine services to be transitioned - specify contracted services, responsibilities etc.
- Share product data - BOM, test procedures, drawings, quality standards etc.
- Enable site visits, process audits by EMS at existing production line
- Develop transition plan and program governance structure with regular reviews
- Start transition build, monitor quality and process metrics vs baseline
- Ramp up volume on EMS line while phasing down in-house line
- Maintain engineering support for optimization during ramp-up
- Transition ancillary services like procurement, warehousing etc. in phases
Q: What practices ensure manufacturing quality when outsourcing production to an EMS provider?
Strategies to ensure quality when outsourcing electronics manufacturing include:
- Selecting EMS partner with stringent quality systems and culture
- Maintaining control of critical processes internally if needed
- Defining product acceptance criteria clearly in manufacturing agreements
- Monitoring process capability and yields through production ramp-up
- Conducting periodic audits of EMS facilities, processes and product samples
- Reviewing defect pareto and driving continuous improvement initiatives
- Collaborative engineering partnership for design and process optimization
- IT systems integration for production monitoring, quality and test data exchange
- Aligning procurement and inventory management processes
- Oversight of change management as production scales
Q: What are the steps in new product introduction (NPI) using an EMS provider?
The typical NPI steps with an EMS partner include:
- Design reviews and risk assessment for manufacturability
- DFM analysis and feedback for optimization
- Early involvement of EMS in prototype builds during development
- Process capability studies based on pilot builds
- Iterative design refinement based on prototypes and testing
- Finalization of supply chain requirements and procurement
- Validation builds and inspection sign-off before ramp-up
- Controlled production ramp-up with continuous monitoring
- Reliability testing for product qualification
- Post-launch evaluation and optimization
Conclusion
Partnering with the right EMS provider enables OEMs to leverage manufacturing expertise, achieve faster time-to-market and scale efficiently. This article compiled details on leading EMS firms worldwide along with an evaluation framework for capabilities, technical expertise, quality, value and other criteria to match service providers with customer needs. Selecting the optimal outsourcing partner through this careful due diligence helps OEMs maximize product quality and program success across the entire electronics product lifecycle.