What happened to Stevenage Circuits?

21st October 2024

Harry Fowle

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Stevenage Circuits Ltd. (SCL), now Merlin Stevenage, was a UK-based printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturer founded in Stevenage, Hertfordshire. The company had over 45 years of expertise in the design and production of PCBs for industries like aerospace & defence, telecommunications, medical, and automotive.

In particular, SCL specialised in multilayer PCBs, high-density interconnect (HDI) PCBs, flexible and rigid-flex boards, and offered fast-turnaround prototyping. Its capabilities also extended to producing multilayer boards with up to 48 layers, making it a significant UK-based player in complex, high-reliability PCB applications.

However, at the turn of the 2020s, the company would undergo a series of key events that would fundamentally change the company in the coming years.

Acquisition by Trackwise Designs

In March 2020, SCL was acquired by Trackwise Designs for £2.5 million. This acquisition aimed to expand Trackwise’s production capacity and capabilities, especially its Improved Harness Technology (IHT), which enabled the manufacturing of unlimited-length flexible PCBs for applications in aerospace, automotive, medical devices, and more. The acquisition bolstered Trackwise’s position in the market by providing additional technical, sales, and operational expertise from the experienced SCL team.

Trackwise’s sale of Stevenage Circuits

Despite the initial strategic advantages, Trackwise faced financial difficulties, particularly after a failed bid to secure a major automotive contract. As part of its restructuring process, Trackwise put Stevenage Circuits up for sale in 2023 to focus on its core IHT business. Luckily, Stevenage Circuits continued to operate independently during this time, unaffected by Trackwise’s financial woes, remaining relatively steady amidst the uncertainty.

Transition to Merlin Stevenage

Following the troubles under Trackwise, Stevenage Circuits would then be bought out as a part of the Marlin PCB Group, becoming Merlin Circuit Technology Stevenage (Merlin Stevenage).

This process involved the Merlin PCB Group buying out Stevenage Circuit’s assets and transferring manufacturing activities to one of its own factories. However, the fundamental part of the transition was the Merlin PCB Group’s commitment to retaining the staff of Stevenage Circuits.

The Merlin PCB Group has since continued to build on SCL’s legacy, focusing on high-quality, innovative circuit board solutions for various industries.