As we dive into 2025 and settle back into the rhythm of work, it’s a great time to reflect on the past year and consider the opportunities that lie ahead. The first few weeks of the year are always a moment for recalibration, and as we look back at 2024, it’s clear that it was a year of significant growth and transformation for Mek. With 2025 now underway, we’re excited about what the future holds and the new challenges and triumphs it will bring.
2024 marked a critical step in Mek’s growth, with a clear focus on expanding into emerging markets like India—one of the fastest growing hubs for electronics production worldwide. As the industry continues to evolve, it’s evident that small to medium-sized specialist manufacturers, those with diverse product lines and high mix production, are leading the way. This aligns perfectly with Mek’s target market, giving us every reason to be optimistic about the year ahead.
We’ve also seen a noticeable shift in demand, particularly for more affordable AOI solutions. A rising number of companies—especially those who once outsourced their PCB production or are newly established startups—are now looking to bring their manufacturing in-house. In line with this trend, we’re preparing to launch a Return on Investment (ROI) calculator for AOI systems. This tool will help businesses quickly assess whether investing in AOI is the right choice for them, and estimate how soon they can expect to see returns. The tool will be live on our website in the next few weeks.
Looking ahead to 2025, we have a full range of new AOI system releases. Mek remains at the forefront of innovation in desktop inspection solutions for smaller production batches, and we are excited to unveil our 8th-generation AOI technology in the first quarter of the year. Additionally, we are expanding our AOI range with new 3D measurement capabilities, offering dedicated solutions for inspecting both SMT and THT components, as well as solder joints.
Mek’s journey into artificial intelligence (AI) began in 2017, and we are now leaders in the use of AI within AOI systems. One of our standout achievements is the fully automated programming of SMT solder joint inspection—a process historically seen as crucial, labour-intensive, error-prone, and time-consuming. With the increasing power of modern computers, we’ve reached a stage where we can fully automate the creation of inspection recipes simply by processing data files like ODB++ and Gerber+CAD. Our AI doesn’t just automate; it learns from the production process itself, adapting to values from assembled and reflowed PCBs. This allows the system to recognise defects based on hundreds of preset parameters, ensuring inspection results are consistently accurate—whether programmed by a beginner or an expert. This AI-powered automation significantly speeds up the process, reduces human error, and enhances both efficiency and accuracy across the board.
In spite of the challenges we faced in 2024—such as longer shipping times due to reliance on sea freight—we’ve adapted by increasingly turning to airfreight to keep things moving. Of course, this comes at a higher cost, but it ensures we continue to meet demand. Another obstacle has been the shortage of skilled workers near our US and European headquarters. To address this, we’ve begun casting a wider net, looking for talent beyond our traditional borders.
Looking forward to 2025, we’re confident that Mek will continue to build on its successes from the previous year. With global geopolitical conditions stabilising, the introduction of innovative new products, and the continued evolution of our AI-driven solutions, the year ahead holds immense potential. All the pieces are in place for 2025 to be the most successful year in Mek’s history.
Shoich Rashed
Sales Director