Why Use Electronic Manufacturing Services for High-Mix OEMs
Today’s OEMs face rising demand for smaller batches, frequent change‑overs and specialist electronics. This guide explains how electronic manufacturing services (EMS) deliver value, why high‑mix, low‑volume (HMLV) manufacturing is now central, and how Arrival Electronics Limited in the UK provides an EMS solution tailored for OEMs.
What are electronic manufacturing services?
Electronic manufacturing services (EMS) refers to outsourcing of electronic component assembly, printed circuit board (PCB) assembly, box build, testing, procurement of components, and sometimes design support for OEMs. An EMS provider handles manufacturing operations so the OEM can focus on design, R&D, and go‑to‑market.
An EMS provider like Arrival Electronics Limited offers:
procurement of components and parts, ensuring compliance and traceability
PCB assembly (SMT, through‑hole) and box build
testing, inspection and quality assurance
small batch or variable batch production (especially for high‑mix, low‑volume)
supply‑chain support, logistics and potentially after‑sales or repair services
By using EMS, OEMs reduce capital expenditure on manufacturing facilities, benefit from specialist manufacturing expertise, and gain flexibility when product volumes are modest or variable.
Why high‑mix, low‑volume manufacturing matters for OEMs
Defining HMLV (High-Mix, Low-Volume)
High-Mix, Low-Volume (HMLV) Manufacturing: High-mix, low-volume manufacturing refers to production environments where many different products are made in smaller quantities. These runs often require frequent changeovers and short production cycles.
Product Variety: HMLV production supports a high variety of products, allowing OEMs to offer multiple configurations or customized options. In contrast, mass production typically focuses on a single product with limited variations.
Batch Size: HMLV manufacturing produces smaller batch sizes tailored to demand or niche markets. Mass production, on the other hand, relies on large, uniform batches to achieve economies of scale.
Changeover Frequency: High-mix, low-volume production requires frequent changeovers between products to maintain flexibility. Mass production has infrequent changeovers, as equipment and processes are optimized for one product type.
Tooling & Equipment Flexibility: HMLV systems use adaptable tooling and equipment to handle different product types efficiently. Mass production uses specialized fixed tooling, which limits flexibility but increases output efficiency.
Volume-Based Economies: HMLV relies less on volume-based cost savings due to smaller batch sizes. Mass production achieves strong cost efficiencies through high-volume output.
Lead-Time Responsiveness: HMLV can respond faster to changes in demand or product requirements. Mass production is slower to adapt because of rigid production schedules and high setup requirements.
Why OEMs are moving to HMLV
There are several drivers:
Demand for increasingly customised or niche electronics products.
Shorter product lifecycles and rapid iterations mean large volume runs risk obsolescence.
Supply‑chain volatility and need for flexibility mean smaller batches reduce risk.
Industry forecasts suggest electronic manufacturing service providers supporting HMLV are in greater demand. For example, the EMS market size stood at approx. USD 647.18 billion in 2025.
Challenges in HMLV and how EMS providers address them
Key challenges:
Complexity of supply chain with many part numbers and variable demand.
Frequent changeovers increase downtime, set‑up cost per unit is higher.
Maintaining quality and traceability across many variants.
Inventory management and procurement risks for low‑volume items.
An experienced EMS provider like Arrival Electronics Limited offers expertise in:
Flexible production systems and tooling for quick changeovers
Skilled workforce experienced with varied product types
Traceability and quality systems tailored for high‑mix production
Supply‑chain management capable of handling many component variants
How Arrival Electronics Limited supports OEMs with EMS in the UK
Local UK focus and OEM partnership
Based in the UK, Arrival Electronics Limited offers UK‑based electronic manufacturing services for OEMs seeking proximity, responsiveness, and on‑shore support. Local manufacturing reduces lead times for UK/European clients, simplifies logistics, and enables better collaboration with design‑engineering teams.
Service offering
PCB assembly (SMT, through‑hole) and box build for small to medium volumes
Prototype runs, pilot production and high‑mix low‑volume series
Full component procurement, traceability and QA systems
Testing, functional test, inspection, and compliance assurance
Logistics, packaging, and UK / European distribution support
Why OEMs should choose Arrival Electronics Limited
Proven experience with HMLV: the company’s processes are designed to handle frequent changeovers, many variants, and small series runs.
UK facility: closer collaboration, easier visits, reduced shipping delays.
Flexible production: able to scale up or down as product demands evolve.
Quality and compliance: full traceability, inspection, and testing to meet industry standards.
How to evaluate an EMS partner, OEM checklist
Here is a simple OEM checklist when selecting an EMS provider:
Capability alignment – Do they support your mix of products, volume, and variants?
Traceability & quality systems – Are inspection, test, certification handled?
Supply‑chain management – Can they source varied components reliably for small batches?
Flexibility & changeover readiness – How quickly can they switch between product variants?
Location & logistics – What are lead‑times, shipping costs, local support?
Sustainability & compliance – Do they meet current environmental or regulatory requirements?
Communication & collaboration – Are design, production and procurement teams aligned with yours?
By using this checklist, OEMs can make an informed decision and ensure their EMS partner fits both immediate and future needs.
FAQs (based on PAA and long‑tail searches)
Q1: What are electronic manufacturing services (EMS)?
Answer: EMS refers to third‑party manufacturing of electronic assemblies and products, including PCB assembly, box build, procurement, testing and logistics. OEMs outsource these services to focus on design, marketing and core capabilities.
Q2: How do electronic manufacturing services differ from original equipment manufacturing?
Answer: OEMs design, brand and market the product; EMS providers specialise in manufacturing, assembly, procurement and often testing functions. The EMS enables OEMs to reduce manufacturing investment and focus on core strengths.
Q3: What types of EMS exist for OEMs?
Answer: Typical types include PCB assembly services, box build and system integration, prototyping & pilot production, high‑mix low‑volume runs, full turnkey manufacturing (design + manufacture + test), and after‑sales repair or refit services.
Q4: When is it better to outsource electronics manufacturing to an EMS provider?
Answer: It is beneficial when the OEM lacks capacity, wants to reduce upfront investment, has small or variable volumes (HMLV), needs flexible manufacturing, or wants to accelerate time‑to‑market by leveraging EMS expertise.
Q5: What does high‑mix, low‑volume electronics manufacturing mean?
Answer: It means manufacturing a variety of products in relatively small batch sizes, often with frequent changeovers and different configurations, rather than large volumes of a single product. This model suits niche markets, customised equipment or rapid product variation.
Conclusion
For OEMs seeking a partner with the experience, flexibility and manufacturing systems to deliver high‑mix, low‑volume electronics production, Arrival Electronics Limited offers UK‑based electronic manufacturing services tailored to modern requirements.
From prototypes through small series, varied variants and specialised assemblies, this partner assists OEMs with procurement, assembly, testing and logistics so they can focus on innovation and market growth. Contact Arrival Electronics Limited today to discuss how their EMS capabilities can support your next product launch or variant run.
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