Focused on global markets Bitron

focuSed on global marketS

Italian EMS leader Bitron is getting closer to its customers by expanding its production facilities across the world

Globalization and shorter product life cycles require manufacturing companies to work even more closely with their global customers. Strategic alliances, new manufacturing plants in globally strategic locations and a worldwide marketing and sales organization are essential elements in the growth strategies of today’s European enterprises.

This is why Bitron, Italy’s leading manufacturer of mechatronic devices and systems, has been expanding its manufacturing facilities to cover its principal global markets throughout the past decade. Its electronic boards assembly operation in Poland was expanded in 2016 with the opening of a new dedicated electromechanical plant and the following year saw the start-up of a new R&D centre in Romania.

In 2017 a new dedicated electronics plant was opened at Bitron de Mexico, a plant that had been producing electronic devices at Queretaro since it was established three years earlier. And, on the

other side of the world, 2018 saw the further expansion of Bitron’s operations in Qingdao, China, where it has been established since 2004, with the opening of a further manufacturing plant.

Today, therefore, Bitron is a company with a truly global presence, comprising: 15 manufacturing plants and development centres, 16 sales & technical centres as well as an after-market centre. Yet it is still a privately held company that has established itself as a leader in the research, development and manufacturing of mechatronic devices and systems for the automotive, appliance, HVAC and energy industries.

Serving the electronics industry

With some 2459 highly skilled employees, Bitron manufactures and delivers fully assembled electronic circuit boards (PCBA) using state-of-the-art equipment and the latest technologies. Working with many different customers in different markets, Bitron has developed competences as an ODM, while also providing pure Electronic Manufacturing Services.

Bitron Electronics continues to be the core business of the Bitron Group. 36 per cent of its current turnover comes from electronics. For decades Bitron Group has developed PCBs and user interfaces for the Home Appliance as well as the automotive industry.

Bitron HVAC Division, the other major part of the Bitron group, is focused on developing and producing components and systems for OEMs in the HVAC market.

Recently Bitron also entered the Energy Industry through energy meters sold to a big player in the Italian market. expanding product portfolio

Bitron is a leading global supplier of mechatronics products for automotive interiors. These include HMI (human machine interface) products able to manage switching, tactile, visual, lighting and acoustic elements in applications such as air bag reminders, steering wheel controls and door & panels switch modules.

Bitron sensors for automotive applications include products for heating systems, oil pressure & temperature, fuel pressure & temperature and brake & accelerator pedals. There are also Electronic Control Units for auto heating, seat management, doors, windows & mirror management, fuel pump injection, fan control and head lamp cleaner timers.

Bitron also develops and produces power converters and commands for automotive applications in light commercial vehicles, electric vehicles and construction equipment.

Bitron’s portfolio of components and systems for domestic appliances includes user interface modules for the control of all types of appliances, with mechanical and tactile switches, selector knobs and displays using LED or LCD displays. Its leadership in mechatronic components has enabled it to develop more friendly user interface and power control boards for each customer’s product line. Services include use of TFT, LCD display, touch sensor buttons and switches interfaced with each customer bus system.

HVAC products from Bitron comprise electronic user interfaces for gas wall hung boilers as well as boiler main control units as well as components for heat pumps, water heaters and other applications.

BITRON products for energy applications include electric vehicle charging stations and single and three-phase smart meters while it also now produces controls used in medical devices for diagnostics, therapeutics, image acquisition and monitoring of vital signs.

Working with the latest technology

Bitron’s core technological competences include state-of-the-art automated production, traceability, testing and logistics management.

The company’s automatic lines feature high process verticalization enabling in-plant assembly of the complete finished product. Processes integrated into the automatic lines include laser and hot blade welding for plastics, laser marking, coating and resin dispensing, mechanical insertions.

Bitron recently developed a standard automatic line (MAC line, patent pending) that can be configured and set up for multiple products and finishing processes, to combine automatic workflow with high mix low volume production.

Bitron MES (manufacturing execution system) provides comprehensive solutions for traceability, production scheduling and quality KPI monitoring on a real time base. Standard reports are available, such as unique ID tracking or component batch utilization.

The company’s testing section manages in-circuit testing (ICT), functional verification testing (FVT) and special, customized tests. In addition to classic in-circuit parameters, it also tests LED function and colour, as well as mechanical switches and potentiometers, using mechanical actuators.

As a global EMS provider, Bitron’s supply chain management system has dedicated modules for demand planning analysis, components procurement and delivery tracking. Its ERP system can handle either manual order transmission or EDI implementations, according to customer requests. n