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July 2025 Updates for Design Engineers


Read the latest semiconductor and electronics news and updates. 

 

In this edition:



McKinsey Electronics at IDEF 2025 in Istanbul



McKinsey Electronics has concluded a strong showing at IDEF 2025 in Istanbul, reinforcing its position as a trusted component distributor for Türkiye, the Middle East, and Africa. From July 22 to 27, the team engaged with OEMs, aerospace and aviation contractors, and system integrators across the region, presenting key technologies from its extensive line card, including full-on engineering support from its team of regional FAEs.


The booth in Hall 5 attracted attention for its hands-on demos, with manufacturers like BPM Microsystems, T-Global, and Swissbit providing live kits and product samples to showcase secure device programming, advanced thermal interface solutions, and industrial-grade storage and security modules designed for mission-critical environments in space and industry.


A core part of McKinsey Electronics’ message centered on its regional Field Application Engineer (FAE) support, enabling faster design cycles, BOM optimization and tailored compliance advice for their partners. Attendees from Türkiye, the GCC and Africa explored how McKinsey Electronics’ technical model helps bridge the gap between global innovation and local deployment.

With new relationships established and dozens of follow-up requests already underway, McKinsey Electronics continues its momentum as a strategic enabler for electronics design and supply across the Turkish, Middle Eastern and African markets.


Turkiye-Pakistan Talk Defense & Energy Cooperation



Türkiye’s foreign and defense ministers held talks in Islamabad with Pakistani counterparts, focusing on defense-industrial collaboration and energy cooperation. The dialogue underscored the two countries’ traditionally close ties, with Ankara reiterating its solidarity with Pakistan following the military flare-up with India in May.


Agenda signals

Defense industry: potential co-development, tech transfer, MRO and lifecycle support for air, naval and land systems.


Energy: joint projects in upstream/downstream, LNG sourcing, grid resilience and renewables.


Strategic alignment: deeper staff-level coordination, training and interoperability between armed forces.


Both sides framed the meetings as part of a longer arc of strategic partnership that blends security cooperation with pragmatic economic projects, particularly in areas where Turkish OEMs and Pakistani state-linked entities can accelerate timelines through joint production and localized integration. Further working groups are expected to translate the discussions into concrete program roadmaps and procurement frameworks.


Supporting regional collaboration, McKinsey Electronics delivers advanced electronic components and localized engineering expertise across Türkiye, the Middle East and Africa. Our field application engineers assist OEMs with design optimization, regulatory compliance and accelerated prototyping. From semiconductors to test and measurement solutions, we ensure reliable sourcing for complex, high-performance systems across critical industries.



TSMC Considers Advanced Fab in UAE Amid US Oversight



Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) is evaluating plans to establish a cutting-edge semiconductor fabrication plant in the United Arab Emirates, a move that could reshape the industry’s geographic footprint but hinges heavily on the approval of the United States government. Sources familiar with the matter indicate that early-stage discussions have taken place with officials from U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, given Washington’s jurisdiction over the advanced equipment and technologies that TSMC would need to deploy.


At the core of the deliberation is the U.S. Export Administration Regulations (EAR), which restrict the sale or transfer of advanced chipmaking tools, such as EUV lithography systems, advanced etchers and EDA software, when they incorporate American intellectual property. Since TSMC’s most advanced nodes rely on U.S.-origin tools and technologies, any UAE expansion involving sub-14nm manufacturing would require a special export license or strategic alignment with U.S. foreign policy objectives.


Washington’s approval would not only shape the project’s feasibility but also signal a broader U.S. shift toward friend-shoring advanced semiconductor capacity to politically aligned nations. For the UAE, a successful deal would represent a milestone in its economic diversification agenda, transforming it from a chip consumer into a strategic production hub in a region currently underserved by leading-edge fabrication.


Supporting this strategic realignment, Dubai-based McKinsey Electronics is equipped to facilitate ecosystem readiness around any future TSMC presence in the Gulf. With localized teams, deep relationships across MENA electronics value chains and a track record in supplying high-spec semiconductors, passives, optics and test equipment, we help bridge the technical and supply chain gaps between global fabs and emerging regional stakeholders. Our support extends to fabless companies, OSATs and universities, ensuring fast design enablement, component sourcing and compliance across the UAE’s semiconductor ambitions.



China's Kinlead Launches $60M Packaging Plant in Egypt's Suez Zone



Chinese company Kinlead has begun construction of a $60 million flexible packaging materials facility in West Qantara, within Egypt’s Suez Canal Economic Zone. The plant will focus on producing BOPP (biaxially oriented polypropylene) films and industrial adhesive tapes, critical for packaging in electronics, semiconductors and broader industrial applications.

Set to serve both regional and international markets, the facility is positioned to make Egypt a competitive hub for high-performance packaging materials used in sensitive electronic component handling, labeling, insulation and moisture protection. The move supports Egypt’s broader industrial strategy of attracting foreign manufacturing investment and expanding export-ready production capacity in advanced materials.


As a regional distributor of semiconductor and electronic components, McKinsey Electronics helps OEMs and assembly houses integrate Kinlead’s solutions into their workflows. We provide technical advisory for packaging selection, ensure compliance with component protection standards and connect Kinlead's materials with downstream electronics manufacturers across the region.


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