Neways Leverages Electronics Assembly Expertise in Photonics Domain

As a sign of a maturing industry, EMS specialist Neways is branching out into the assembly of integrated photonics.

Neways is expanding into the budding integrated photonics industry. The company is leveraging its decades-long experience in electronics manufacturing services (EMS) and high-precision manufacturing to address the growing demand for photonic integration in low- to medium-volume, high-performance applications.

Founded over 50 years ago, Neways employs around 2,900 people worldwide and reports an annual revenue of approximately 620 million euros. The firm stands out from its peers by a high ‘engineer density’ – 20% of its workforce are engineers, compared to about 5% at most competitors. This reflects the niche that Neways has carved out for itself in the EMS realm: the specialty market for complex products that aren’t mass-produced. Famously, Neways is involved with the electronics of the F-35 fighter pilot helmet – a 1+-million-euro piece of equipment that obviously isn’t produced by the millions.

Neways’ core expertise is increasingly needed in integrated photonics. As a nascent industry, universities, research institutes and a growing number of companies are working on new applications. As these mature, the transition from prototype to manufacturable product emerges as a new challenge. This is where Neways sees new opportunities for itself. “We like to think of ourselves as a technology partner. As such, we’re well-positioned to help bridge the gap between R&D and real-world applications,” says Michiel van der Maat, Chief Commercial Officer at Neways.

Both technical and commercial choices arise at this crucial stage of product development. “We can help with standardisation, design for manufacturing, cost considerations and choosing the right materials, for example. We believe we can be the link in the industry that’s still missing,” says Freek Deelen, Corporate Head of Strategy & Communications at Neways.

The firm’s expertise in the electronics realm largely carries over into the assembly and packaging of integrated photonics, Deelen assures, although assembly of the latter typically requires an even higher degree of precision. Neways has already started investing in adding this skill set to its repertoire. In addition to overlapping proficiencies, the partial acquisition of Dutch chip packaging specialist Sencio last year has been a catalyst for Neways’ new ambitions as well.

The firm’s expansion into integrated photonics is fully self-financed, underlining its confidence in the long-term potential of the technology. Van der Maat: “There’s no doubt in my mind that integrated photonics will be vital in sensing, communications and data applications in a range of markets, including automotive, defence, healthcare and industrial automation.”

In line with embracing a new business, Neways has thrown its support behind Photondelta, the Dutch growth accelerator that has been cultivating the Dutch and European integrated photonics ecosystem by internationalisation, innovation, talent, and funding. This has helped to create the conditions for the integrated photonics industry to grow, allowing it to evolve to a point where the entry of an established firm like Neways makes sense. It’s a sign of a maturing industry that’s edging toward production, which brings with it a whole new set of challenges that need to be tackled for integrated photonics to reach its full potential.