NOTE Inaugurates New Defense EMS Plant in Sweden, Doubles Production Capacity

NOTE Doubles Capacity with New Torsby Plant

NOTE, a Nordic electronics manufacturing services (EMS) provider based in Sweden, has inaugurated a new production facility in Torsby, Sweden, significantly expanding its manufacturing capacity for defense, medical, and industrial electronics.

The new plant doubles NOTE’s Torsby production area and represents a major investment in European defense electronics manufacturing capabilities at a time when geopolitical tensions are driving demand for local, secure production.

Strategic Context: Europe’s Defense Manufacturing Buildup

The expansion reflects a broader European trend of investing in domestic electronics manufacturing for defense applications. Key drivers include:

• NATO defense spending increases — multiple European nations increasing budgets to 2.5%+ of GDP
• Supply chain sovereignty — reducing dependence on Asian manufacturing for military electronics
• ITAR restrictions — certain defense electronics require domestic production within allied nations
• Lead time concerns — military programs demanding shorter, more predictable delivery schedules

“The new plant in Torsby is a clear example of how NOTE is investing for the long term to meet our customers’ increasing demands for delivery reliability, capacity, technical excellence, and local production. This is an investment that strengthens our customers and Sweden’s industrial resilience,” said Johannes Lind-Widestam, President and CEO of NOTE.

Facility Capabilities

The new Torsby plant features:

• LEAN-based production design with high automation levels
• Capacity for larger, more complex assemblies — military electronics often involve oversized boards and multi-stage integration
• Environmental controls for electronics manufacturing in demanding environments
• Security infrastructure for handling classified or controlled defense designs

“The Torsby factory has extensive experience of electronics for demanding environments, which is central to defence and medical technology,” said Karin Nichols, CEO and site manager at Torsby.

The Reshoring Trend in Electronics Manufacturing

NOTE’s expansion parallels similar moves across the Western electronics supply chain:

• United States: The US Senate PCB reshoring legislation offers tax credits for domestic PCB production
• Japan: Government subsidies for semiconductor and packaging facilities
• Europe: EU Chips Act funding extends to downstream electronics manufacturing
• India: Intel’s glass substrate facility and other greenfield investments

For PCB manufacturers and EMS providers, this trend means growing demand for production capacity in allied nations, particularly for:

• Defense radar and communications electronics
• Medical implants and life-critical devices
• Aerospace avionics and satellite systems
• Critical infrastructure equipment

Implications for PCB Supply Chain

As EMS providers like NOTE expand capacity for defense applications, the downstream demand for PCBs with specific certifications increases:

1. Traceability requirements — full material and process traceability from bare board through assembly
2. ITAR/EAR compliance — PCBs for controlled defense items must be manufactured in approved facilities
3. Qualification testing — military-grade reliability testing (MIL-PRF-31032, MIL-PRF-55110)
4. Longer product lifecycles — defense programs require 15-30 year component availability guarantees

AtlasPCB supports defense-adjacent commercial applications with IPC Class 3 manufacturing, full lot traceability, and material certificates — meeting the quality expectations of the defense supply chain without the geographic restrictions of ITAR-controlled items.

Source

NOTE announcement via PCB Directory, June 2, 2026.

Building electronics for defense or high-reliability applications? AtlasPCB manufactures IPC Class 3 boards with full material traceability and reliability testing. Request a quote for military-grade PCB quality.

Image: Electronics manufacturing facility via Unsplash