EMS@C-LEVEL
As Forbes, Entrepreneur, Fast Company and SCOOP writer, Philip Stoten, continues to talk to EMS (Electronic Manufacturing Services) executives he learns more about their individual and collective experiences and their expectations for their own businesses and for the entire electronic manufacturing industry.
EMS@C-LEVEL
Navigating Industry Change with Out of the Box Manufacturing's Allison Budvarson
As the landscape of electronics manufacturing undergoes rapid transformation, industry leaders are grappling with how to navigate uncertainty while capitalizing on emerging opportunities. At APEX 2025, Allison Budvarson, COO and co-founder of Out of the Box Manufacturing offered a open and honest look at these dynamics, revealing how her company maintains its core focus amid shifting market conditions.
The conversation tackles one of the most significant trends affecting American manufacturing today: reshoring. "There's an openness to have conversations where maybe customers weren't interested before," Allison notes, pointing to evolving perceptions about domestic manufacturing competitiveness. Yet this potential renaissance comes with substantial challenges—particularly around talent acquisition and production capacity. Rather than simply lamenting these obstacles, Allison articulates a forward-thinking vision that leverages artificial intelligence to transform how work gets done: "If we can eliminate some of the non-value-added processes by allowing AI to do that work and then focusing our personnel and training efforts on the high technology parts of what we do, we can be more successful."
What makes this discussion particularly valuable is its broader industry context. Through her involvement with the EMS Leadership Summit, Allison highlights the power of collaborative problem-solving among industry peers. From talent development strategies to AI implementation, these executives—though competitors in some respects—recognize that knowledge sharing elevates the entire sector. This philosophy resonates throughout the conversation, culminating in Allison's observation that "we do better to serve our customers broadly and to elevate the industry broadly if we all work together."
EMS@C-Level Live at APEX is sponsored by global inspection leaders Koh Young (https://www.kohyoung.com) and Creative Electron (https://creativeelectron.com)
EMS@C-Level is sponsored by global inspection leaders Koh Young (https://www.kohyoung.com) and Creative Electron (https://creativeelectron.com)
You can see video versions of all of the EMS@C-Level pods on our YouTube playlist.