Interviewee: Khushal Panchal,Chief Operating Officer,PCB Power
- PCB Power has been serving the Indian electronics ecosystem for over three decades. What was the founding conviction, and has it held up over time ?
PCB Power was founded on a simple conviction: Indian engineers and manufacturers deserved a reliable, high-quality PCB partner within India, regardless of order quantity. At the time, customers depended heavily on imports or suppliers that could not consistently meet quality, delivery and service expectations. We wanted to be more than a vendor; we wanted to become a dependable service partner that understood the practical pressures of product development and production. That conviction has held firm and grown stronger over time. Across three decades, our focus on quality, delivery reliability, responsiveness and customer support has remained non-negotiable. Whether the customer is a startup ordering its first prototype, a research institution developing a new product, or a large OEM managing complex requirements, we aim to provide the same standard of attention and service. This consistency has helped us build long-term trust across India’s electronics ecosystem.
- The PCB industry is evolving rapidly with advancements in electronics and manufacturing. How is PCB Power adapting to these changing industry demands?
Customer requirements are becoming more advanced, with growing demand for multilayer, flex and high-frequency PCBs across electric vehicles, defence, IoT, industrial electronics and other technology-led sectors. We continue to invest in production capacity, SMT lines, testing equipment, skilled teams and advanced machinery so that our capabilities evolve with these applications. Adaptation also means improving the customer experience, not only expanding the factory floor. Our digital platform enables customers to receive online quotes, manage BOMs through PowerBoM, place orders and track progress with greater transparency and convenience. We are also strengthening Design for Manufacturability checks so potential design, documentation or component-related issues can be identified before production begins. This reduces rework, avoids preventable delays and helps customers achieve more reliable outcomes. Our goal is to combine capable manufacturing, digital convenience and engineering support within one integrated experience.
- What do you see as the biggest opportunities and challenges currently shaping the PCB and electronics manufacturing sector?
India has a major opportunity as electronics demand grows across electric mobility, defence, smart infrastructure, industrial systems and consumer products. The shift towards domestic manufacturing can create significant growth for PCB companies that can deliver the required quality, technology, responsiveness and scale. It can also encourage stronger local supply chains and reduce dependence on imported boards for critical applications. However, the sector still faces challenges, including raw material availability, shortages of skilled technical talent, technology investment requirements and the difficulty of maintaining consistent quality as volumes increase. Addressing these issues will require sustained commitment from manufacturers, training institutions and supportive, stable government policies. In this environment, the strongest differentiators will be proven quality, dependable delivery, process discipline and the ability to support customers consistently through changing requirements. PCB Power has spent three decades building that foundation and continues to strengthen it through technology, infrastructure, people and continuous process improvements.
- With PLI schemes, semiconductor missions, and global companies de-risking from overseas imports, there is a lot of tailwind. How do you separate real opportunity from noise, and where is PCB Power placing its bets?
We see genuine opportunity in the current policy and market environment, but our strategy is based on long-term demand rather than short-term incentives or headlines. We are focusing on sectors where growth is structural and likely to remain durable, particularly electric vehicle electronics, defence indigenisation, industrial automation and industrial products. Government initiatives such as PLI schemes and semiconductor missions can strengthen domestic manufacturing and encourage investment, but our business is not dependent on their continuation. Our competitiveness must come from quality, speed, service, technical capability and customer trust. We are also investing heavily in scalable digital infrastructure. Online quoting, PowerBoM and our customer portal allow us to serve customers efficiently while improving transparency, communication and turnaround time. These capabilities are deliberate long-term investments designed to support sustainable growth, operational efficiency and a better customer experience beyond any single policy cycle.
- Looking ahead, what is your long-term vision for PCB Power and its contribution to the broader electronics ecosystem?
Our long-term vision is for PCB Power to become India’s most trusted, full-spectrum electronics manufacturing partner. We want to support customers from bare PCB fabrication through component sourcing, assembly, testing and production readiness, while offering dependable support at every stage of the product journey. Equally important, we want to make quality manufacturing accessible to companies of every size. Through our digital platform and no-minimum-order-quantity approach, a first-time hardware founder or small engineering team should be able to access the same quality, speed, transparency and reliability expected by a large OEM. At a broader level, India’s electronics ambitions depend on a strong domestic PCB ecosystem and capable local manufacturing partners. PCB Power aims to contribute as a dependable manufacturing institution that supports innovation, strengthens local supply chains, enables product companies to scale and grows alongside India’s hardware and electronics industry. Our ambition is not only to manufacture boards, but also to help customers convert ideas into reliable, production-ready electronic products.
