1CLICKSMT is a machine manufacturing and distribution company that provides customers with one-stop SMT solutions and competitively priced quality products from China. The company provides a complete list of products including a turnkey SMT line solution formed by stencil printer, pick-and-place, reflow oven, PCB handling, AOI and SPI as well as a turnkey throughhole production line formed by auto insertion, wave soldering, selective soldering and bottom-side AOI. It also provides a turnkey conformal coating line formed by selective conformal coating, dispensing, curing oven, UV oven and more. 1CLICKSMT also provides smart factory solutions with machines such as X-ray components counter, intelligent reel stock or shelf, AGV for intelligent transportation, etc. Finally, it offers accessories including ESD products, pallets, glue, cleaning chemical and more. We recently spoke with CEO Leo Peng to find out more about the company and how it has grown over the past 8 years.

Q: CONGRATULATIONS, MR. PENG, ON EIGHT YEARS IN BUSINESS. IN TODAY’S FAST-PACED ENVIRONMENT, THAT IS QUITE AN ACCOMPLISHMENT! HOW HAS THE COMPANY CHANGED OVER THE PAST 8 YEARS?

A: I would like to look at this from two sides: internally and externally. Comparing 1CLICKSMT to where we were eight years ago internally, I am proud to say that we our employee number is 10 times larger and our sales yield is 15 times larger. We have a more experienced engineering team & stable management team. Looking outside of 1CLICKSMT, we have a much stronger relationship with our vendors that we did eight years ago. Additionally, our global sales channel that much more mature. More than 70 percent of our distributors have been with us for at least the past five years.

Q: DO YOU ANTICIPATE THAT 1CLICKSMT WILL CONTINUE CHANGING/ADAPTING IN THE FUTURE?

A: Yes, absolutely. With our industry, you can always see new things coming. 1CLICKSMT is a reactionary company, we are quick to adopt forward-reaching technologies, and we learn fast. This is a big part of the reason that we are – and remain – a leading, one-stop solution provider. 

Q: WE’VE READ THAT THE COMPANY’S MISSION IS TO DISTRIBUTE QUALITY CHINESE PRODUCTS INTERNATIONALLY WHILE HELPING CUSTOMERS MINIMIZE COSTS WITHOUT SACRIFICING VALUE AND QUALITY. HOW DO YOU ACCOMPLISH SUCH A TALL TASK?

A: Mainly from our industry experience. Twenty years ago, I was a mechanical engineer. This background gave me two valuable viewpoints for my business: don’t waste customers’ money to over-configure a machine, and don’t always choose a machine from the biggest vendor because it can be difficult to customize to meet customer requirements. We also ask if there is any added value we can provide for a machine, such as quality control, shipping, installation or after-sale service. By balancing the right machine with right add value service, we provide a competitive machine offer.

Q: ON YOUR WEBSITE, YOU LIST YOUR SECRETS TO SUCCESS AS MACHINE RANGE, QUALITY CHECK, MACHINE RECORD DATABASE, MACHINE DOCUMENTATION, MARKET UNDERSTANDING, AND INSTALLATION/AFTER-SALE SERVICE. HOW DO THESE WORK TOGETHER TO PLACE 1CLICKSMT AHEAD OF ALL COMPETITION?

A: 1CLICKSMT differs from other China distribution companies in many important ways. We have many more engineers than salespeople. Also, 80-90 percent of our business comes from our distributors, while the remaining 10-20 percent comes from end users. This allow us to be more focused on supply chain selection and filtration. We are a service company; we never push for sales. First time customers become repeat customers because they see that we provide quality products at fair prices with the goal of helping them succeed. On the other hand, most of our competitors in China do not have an engineering team. Instead, they only do some simple translation jobs to push sales and have very limited experience with the machine they are selling. This is the biggest difference between us and our competition. We care about our customers and want them to grow and succeed.

Q: WE SEE THAT 1CLICKSMT HAS THREE DIVISIONS: 1CLICKSMT ASIA, VENNTEK HANDELSGRUPPE GMBH & CO KG, AND 1CLICKSMT NORTH AMERICA. CAN YOU BRIEFLY EXPLAIN THE ROLE OF EACH DIVISION. 

A: 1CLICKSMT Asia is based in China, and is our headquarters with demo center and manufacturing factory for selective soldering machines and PCB handling machines. VennTek is based in Aachen, German. It features a full demo SMT line and throughhole line and also is fully stocked with spare parts. 1CLICKSMT North America is still in the process of getting up and running. We have sent first container of machines and parts there to build up the basic stock.

Q: WHY IS IT BENEFICIAL TO HAVE THREE REGIONAL DIVISIONS? 

A: It is beneficial because it places us closer to the customer, which is the main target. We want to stock all parts at these three locations to provide our customers with the quickest support. We feel that this is the best way to enhance our customers’ growth strategies. 

Q: HOW HAS THE GLOBAL COVID PANDEMIC AFFECTED 1CLICKSMT? HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO CONTINUE GROWING DESPITE IT?

A: In 2020, our sales yield decreased 15 percent from that in 2019. This was because our main markets in Europe and North American were shut down due to COVID. However, from the first quarter of 2021, we have seen growth and are confident that we will come back at more than 30 percent. Meanwhile, during the COVID pandemic, our development department has been busy. We have a new selective soldering machine coming that we think will change customers’ perspective about selective being an “expensive machine with low production.” Additionally, we have been working closely with a UK-based company on an AOI system that we expect to have 50+ sales for in the China market this year.

Q: WHAT WOULD YOU MOST LIKE THE INDUSTRY TO KNOW ABOUT 1CLICKSMT?

A: Just that 1CLICKSMT is a well-known selective soldering machine manufacturer and a trustworthy one stop solution provider.