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February 9, 2026

VIEWPOINT 2026: John VanNewkirk, CEO, CheckSum

Efficiency Will Be the Only Sustainable Advantage

John VanNewkirk

As we head into 2026, electronics manufacturers face a tightening vise: customers expect more value, yet costs continue to rise. Tariffs remain unpredictable, global transport costs have not returned to pre-pandemic levels, and skilled labor is increasingly scarce and expensive. At the same time, product complexity is growing and SMT lines continue to accelerate. The result is a widening gap between what the market demands and what traditional production models can deliver.

Nowhere is this tension more visible than in test. For decades, test strategy was shaped by risk avoidance—add more steps, add more stations, add more handling. But in today's cost environment, that approach quietly inflates operating expenses and slows throughput.

Manufacturers are beginning to recognize that test is no longer just a safeguard; it's one of the largest untapped levers for structural efficiency. CheckSum provides a unique portfolio of parallel test technologies that provide new options for manufacturers to reduce labor and equipment costs by hundreds of thousands of dollars per project. CheckSum expects another record year as more manufacturers look to drive efficiency with parallel test.

In 2026, the leaders will be the companies that rethink test as a strategic engine for cost control and competitiveness.

John VanNewkirk, CEO
CheckSum
http://www.checksum.com

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