Although Exception’s roots in electronics manufacturing can be traced back several decades, it was not until 2005 that the current business was born.

Having been bought out as part of the financial restructuring of its American parent, DDI, the specialist electronics contract manufacturer has invested many millions of pounds in skills and equipment to drive the business’s growth. It is now regarded as one of Europe’s premier division manufacturers of printed circuit boards and associated products.

With a healthy order book, containing some of the biggest blue chip names in industry, a revitalised senior management team and an expanding turnover of over £60m, Exception is now showing healthy profits. The company is living proof that a clear strategy, strong leadership and commitment from the factory floor make all the difference in building a successful business.

In the months following the buy-out, the company invested several million pounds in new testing, manufacturing and laser equipment at its facilities in Tewkesbury and Calne, while also embarking on a recruitment drive to attract the best people to Exception. 

Exception operates from three locations in the UK; one at Tewkesbury and two in Calne.  It also operates an offshore manufacturing management hub in Penang, Malaysia, which was formed 12 months ago to support customers’ needs for sophisticated medium volume products to be built in low-cost economies. 

This is a natural progression for Exception, whose offshoring business is already a leader in sourcing, hubbing and globally distributing PCBs from qualified Far Eastern sources in China, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand and Taiwan. The seven-person team in Penang works hand-in-hand with the UK team, identifying and auditing new PCB and PCA suppliers, project managing approved partners and developing low-cost logistical channels globally. 

Exception has clearly drawn its battle lines for the next five years, investing in its quickturn/high tech PCB plant at Tewkesbury, its ‘gateway’ EMS facility at Calne and its UK-based offshore business, also in Calne, which has just doubled the size of its hubbing operations with the additional of a 20,000 sq ft facility.

With a stable and highly skilled workforce of approximately 450 across four sites, Exception has achieved success where other businesses have failed.