SMCBA

What SMCBA does

SMCBA (Surface Mount & Circuit Board Association Limited) is an Australian private industry association established in 1997 and headquartered in Enfield, South Australia, structured as a company limited by guarantee. The organization operates as a Licensed IPC Training Centre, delivering internationally recognized IPC certification programs for the electronics manufacturing sector. Its core curriculum covers Certified IPC Specialist (CIS) and Certified IPC Trainer (CIT) credentials across standards including IPC-A-610 (Acceptability of Electronic Assemblies), IPC J-STD-001 (Requirements for Soldered Electrical and Electronic Assemblies), IPC/WHMA-A-620 (Cable and Wire Harness Assemblies), and IPC-7711/21 (Rework, Repair and Modification of Printed Board Assemblies). Complementary offerings include Printed Circuit Engineering Professional (PCEA) courses, IPC standards publication sales, soldering practice kits, member directories, and the 37th annual Electronics Design and Manufacture Conference (iEMi 2026) co-located with Electronex at Rydges Parramatta, Sydney. Space Addendum modules extend the certification portfolio into aerospace and defense applications.

The association generates revenue through four primary streams: annual membership fees (from $125/year), per-participant training course fees (CIS courses $1,150-$2,420; CIT courses $2,950-$3,770; recertification $1,180-$1,920; Space Addendum $500-$1,410), unit-priced IPC standards documents and merchandise ($20-$805), and conference/event revenue (delegates from $50, plus IPC hand soldering and wire harness competitions with international finals qualification). Training is delivered in-person at facilities in Adelaide (Training Centre Adelaide), Melbourne (IRT Monash), and Sydney (Rydges Parramatta), with online course options for selected programs. Members receive a 10% discount across all courses, standards, and publications, and certifications are valid for two years with recertification available.

SMCBA is led by Chief Executive Officer Anthony Tremellen and operates with a team of five employees. The association serves electronics manufacturing companies and aerospace/defense contractors as primary customer segments, with secondary segments including electronics design engineers and OEMs seeking qualified member suppliers. Primary geographic focus is Australia and New Zealand. Marketing channels comprise the SMCBA Industry eNews newsletter, LinkedIn company page, the annual conference and IPC competitions, member directories, and industry publications including What's New in Electronics and OnBoard. The underlying standards framework is delivered through a foundational partnership with IPC (Association Connecting Electronics Industries), the global electronics industry standards body.

Name

SMCBA

Legal name

Surface Mount & Circuit Board Association Limited

Website

https://smcba.asn.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SMCBA (Surface Mount & Circuit Board Association Limited) is an Australian private industry association and Licensed IPC Training Centre delivering IPC certification courses, annual conferences, member directories, and standards sales for electronics manufacturers and aerospace/defense contractors across Australia and New Zealand.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Enfield, South Australia

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Training and Certification Services: IPC certification courses for Certified IPC Specialist (CIS) and Certified IPC Trainer (CIT) levels across multiple standards including J-STD-001, IPC-A-610, IPC/WHMA-A-620, and IPC-7711/21. Revenue from course fees, with members receiving 10% discount.
2. Conference and Events: Annual conference revenue including 37th Electronics Design and Manufacture conference (2026), co-located with Electronex. Also includes IPC Hand Soldering and Wire Harness competitions.
3. Publication Sales: Sales of IPC standards documents (IPC-A-600M, IPC-A-610J, IPC/WHMA-A-620F, IPC-7093A, IPC-7095E, IPC-7711/21D, IPC J-STD-001J, IPC-HDBK-001H) and merchandise (SMCBA mugs, SMT solder practice kits).
4. Membership Fees: Annual membership providing 10% discount across all SMCBA products and access to valuable services and benefits.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SMCBA is a Licensed IPC Training Centre that delivers certified training programs for the electronics manufacturing industry, offering IPC-A-610, IPC J-STD-001, IPC/WHMA-A-620, and IPC-7711/21 courses at both Certified IPC Specialist (CIS) and Certified IPC Trainer (CIT) levels. The association also hosts the annual Electronics Design and Manufacture Conference, runs IPC hand soldering and wire harness competitions, sells IPC standards publications and training kits, and maintains member directories connecting suppliers, assembly services, and design firms across Australia and New Zealand.

Product overview

SMCBA (Surface Mount & Circuit Board Association Ltd) is an Australian industry association and Licensed IPC Training Centre offering professional training and certification programs for the electronics manufacturing sector. The core portfolio consists of IPC certification programs (IPC-A-610 for electronic assemblies acceptability, IPC J-STD-001 for soldered assemblies, and IPC/WHMA-A-620 for cable/wire harness assemblies) available at Certified IPC Specialist (CIS) and Certified IPC Trainer (CIT) levels, with optional add-on modules such as the Space Addendum for space and military applications. Additional offerings include PCEA (Printed Circuit Engineering Professional) training courses, IPC standards publications and practice kits for sale, annual conferences (iEMi), and IPC-sponsored hand soldering and wire harness competitions. The association also maintains member directories for suppliers, electronics assembly services, and design services. SMCBA is not a technology product company but rather an industry training and certification body.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• IPC-A-610 Training and Certification Training and certification program for the IPC-A-610 Acceptability of Electronic Assemblies standard, the most widely used specification in the electronics industry for end-product acceptance criteria, offered at Certified IPC Specialist (CIS) and Certified IPC Trainer (CIT) levels for electronics manufacturing personnel.
• IPC J-STD-001 Training and Certification Training and certification for Requirements for Soldered Electrical and Electronic Assemblies, covering materials, methods, and acceptance criteria for high-quality soldered interconnections, available at CIS and CIT levels with re-certification options for professionals whose credentials are within the recertification window.
• IPC/WHMA-A-620 Training and Certification Training and certification for Requirements and Acceptance for Cable and Wire Harness Assemblies, the first industry consensus standard for cable and wire harness fabrication and installation, delivered at CIS and CIT levels with re-certification and combined course options.
• IPC-7711/21 Training Training program covering rework, repair, and modification of printed board assemblies, including tools and materials, common procedures, and coating removal, targeted at electronics manufacturing personnel requiring formal rework competency certification.
• PCEA Training Courses Printed Circuit Engineering Professional curriculum teaching the knowledge base and competency for printed circuit engineering layout, based on current technology trends, designed for PCB design engineers seeking professional certification.
• IPC J-STD-001 Space Addendum Additional certification module extending IPC J-STD-001 for space and military applications, covering requirements for low/zero atmosphere, extreme temperature variation, and high vibration environments, available as a CIS-level add-on for professionals with current J-STD-001 certification.
• SMCBA Conference (iEMi) Annual Electronics Design and Manufacture Conference (iEMi) bringing together industry leaders, engineers, and policymakers for engagement and collaboration in the Australian electronics manufacturing sector, now in its 37th year.
• IPC Hand Soldering Competition Australian national round of the IPC Hand Soldering Competition, providing soldering skill benchmarking with winners advancing to international finals competition.
• IPC Wire Harness Competition Australian national round of the IPC Wire Harness Competition for cable and wire harness fabrication skills, providing industry skill benchmarking and international final qualification.
• IPC Standards and Publications Sale of official IPC standards documents including IPC-A-600M, IPC-A-610J, IPC J-STD-001J, IPC/WHMA-A-620F, IPC-7711/21D, IPC-7093A, IPC-7095E, and IPC-HDBK-001H, available to members and non-members through the e-commerce shop.
• SMT Solder Practice Kit SMT solder practice kit designed for soldering training, including 1206 and 0603 components, Mini-USB connector, 0402 components, and PCBs forming a dimmable LED light panel, sold through the SMCBA shop.
• Member Directories Online directories of SMCBA member companies across Suppliers, Electronics Assembly, and Design Services categories, providing commercial visibility and supplier-vetting resources for the Australian and New Zealand electronics manufacturing industry.

Quantifiable outcome

• Thousands worldwide trained and certified in IPC standards through SMCBA programs
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• IPC (Association Connecting Electronics Industries)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSMCBA is a Licensed IPC Training Centre authorized to deliver IPC certification programs including J-STD-001, IPC-A-610, IPC/WHMA-A-620, and IPC-7711/21. IPC is the global standards development organization for electronics manufacturing.
• What's New in Electronics magazineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIndustry publication supporter providing media coverage for SMCBA activities and events.
• ElectronexcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerElectronex - Electronics Design & Assembly Expo co-locates with SMCBA Conference 2026 at Rydges Parramatta, Sydney. Electronex is Australia's leading dedicated expo for the electronics industry.
• OnBoard MagazineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIndustry publication supporter for SMCBA activities and member communications.
• Global ElectronicsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGlobal Electronics Member organization providing industry support and recognition for SMCBA.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• NEDA (National Electronic Distributors Association): US trade association representing electronic component distributors with similar member-directory, conference, and industry-advocacy functions. NEDA is an adjacent industry-association peer rather than a direct IPC training competitor.

Broad incumbents

• IPC (Association Connecting Electronics Industries): Global electronics-industry standards body that develops IPC standards and licenses training centres including SMCBA. IPC sits both as licensor and as a broader industry association offering conferences, standards, and member services across the entire value chain.

Direct peers

• SMTA (Surface Mount Technology Association): Global SMT-focused industry association delivering training, conferences, and certification-related programs for the electronics manufacturing community. SMTA is the closest direct peer to SMCBA across IPC-aligned training, conferences, and member services.
• EPTAC Corporation: Licensed IPC Master Training Center offering the same IPC certification programs (J-STD-001, IPC-A-610, IPC/WHMA-A-620, IPC-7711/21) at CIS and CIT levels. EPTAC is a direct competitor in IPC certification training, providing a US-headquartered comparison point.
• STI Electronics: US-based IPC training and electronics manufacturing services provider operating as a licensed training center for IPC certification programs. STI competes with SMCBA for IPC-certified training demand, particularly across rework/repair and soldering courses.
• ECIA (Electronic Components Industry Association): North American electronics-industry trade association serving component manufacturers, distributors, and manufacturers' representatives. ECIA mirrors SMCBA's association/membership function within the broader electronics industry value chain.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/smcba

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SMCBA