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Heller Industries is the leading provider of thermal systems in the electronics assembly and semiconductor industries, manufacturing a wide range of equipment, primarily for standard reflow applications in electronics assembly. The company has realized significant business growth in Mexico in recent years and is now preparing for SMTA Guadalajara. Paul Lancaster, vice president of sales and marketing, spoke about the Mexican market, growing a local support infrastructure, and partnering with Seho.
Nolan Johnson: Paul, what are some of the emerging opportunities or markets open to Heller?
Lancaster: We do a wide variety of thermal products, primarily geared for electronics and semiconductor applications. For example, we make vertical curing ovens for areas where space is limited. We have vessel-based systems used in other applications in the semiconductor space, such as pressure curing or pressure reflow, and we also have automation solutions, whether we're curing through a magazine, recycling carriers, or substrate holders.
Johnson: Given your perspective on circuit boards as well as semiconductor, are there shared trends? Are these sectors converging or diverging?
Lancaster: They're converging. They're highly synergistic; we see one as a leading indicator of the other. There’s a fairly significant upturn across the entire business, driven in particular by the buildout of AI infrastructure and data centers.
The increase in wafer starts and new wafer capacity are positive signals of expansion, and capital equipment is also expanding into the fabs. Those are all leading indicators of what happens further on down the process. Once we pass the back of the line for semi, next is production increases in electronics assembly, where we're making the circuit boards, placing components, and reflowing them. That’s when it all converges.
Johnson: We’re still midway through the CHIPS Act. Is semiconductor buildout a priority, or has it been overshadowed by AI buildouts?
To continue reading this article, which appeared in the September 2026 SMT007 Magazine, click here.
