Looking ahead in 2026: Growth, Innovation and New Capabilities

As we step into 2026, we want to begin by saying a sincere thank you to all of our customers and partners for an incredible 2025. Your trust and collaboration continue to inspire us each and every day, and we’re excited to see the projects we’ll deliver together in the year ahead. From complex PCB & PCBA projects to full box‑build solutions, your challenges drive our combined innovation, and 2026 is shaping up to be our most transformative year yet.

• 2025: A Year of Listening and Evolution
• Fond Farewells
• Strengthening our Operational Leadership
• What's new for 2026? - Including Cyber Essentials +, Conformal Coating & Manufacturing Facility Refurbishment
• Where can you find us in 2026?

2025: A Year of Listening and Evolution

2025 marked an important period of evolution across Garner Osborne Circuits and the wider Agile Circuit Technology Group. It was a year defined not only by organisational change, but by a renewed commitment to listening and improving.

Throughout the year, we took the time to reflect on what our customers value most: consistency, communication, on-time delivery and uncompromising quality. We reviewed our internal processes, examined how our teams collaborate across sites and identified opportunities to strengthen the way we deliver work every single day.

We hope that this work has already shown you meaningful improvements across our operations. From refining planning workflows and enhancing cross‑functional communication, to investing in new capabilities and strengthening leadership across the Group, our focus has been clear:

To deliver consistently, predictably and adhere to the highest quality standards for every customer, on every project.

If you would like to discuss who we can bring these standards to your next project in 2026, you can connect with us here.

Fond Farewells

As we look ahead to 2026, we also want to recognise and celebrate some of the individuals who have shaped our journey, those who have contributed to our success, supported our customers and helped build the foundations for the next phase of our growth.

Steve Honeybun, CEM Operations Director

Steve retired on 21st December 2025 after an extraordinary career. Since joining Garner Osborne Circuits in 2013, Steve has been instrumental in growing our PCB Assembly division from strength to strength. With over 30 years in the industry, Steve is widely regarded as one of the UK’s leading experts in assembled PCBs, we're sure everyone will agree that he is a true captain of the PCBA world. We extend our heartfelt thanks for his immense contribution and wish him a very happy retirement.

John Riley, Bare Board Test Supervisor

We would also like to recognise John Riley, who celebrated an incredible 20 years of service at Garner Osborne before his retirement in December. John’s expertise, reliability and commitment have been invaluable to our customers and our team. We wish him all the very best for the future.

Strengthening our Operational Leadership

Following Steve’s retirement, we are delighted to announce the following promotions and new members of our team.

Peter Jones, Head of Operations

Peter has been a key figure in our operational success throughout 2025 whist carrying out his role as Operations Manager, and his leadership will be central to our continued growth. Pete has spent over 20 years in the PCB/A and automotive industries, already using this experience to make positive changes including production scheduling improvements, and centralised supply chain visibility.

Liz Johnstone, Manufacturing Planning Manager

Joining Peter’s team is Liz Johnstone, our new dedicated Manufacturing Planning Manager, bringing extensive experience in manufacturing management and planning. As a former colleague of Peter Jones and an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Procurement, we are recruiting an exceptional known talent in Liz, further strengthening our operational capability.

Agile Circuit Technology Group Leadership

You may have also seen that in 2025 we joined forces with Active-PCB Solutions as part of the newly formed Agile Circuit Technology Group of companies. This alliance allows us to share knowledge, resources and best practices while maintaining independence and proud UK heritage. For our customers, it means faster turnaround, greater flexibility and tailored solutions that work for every situation.  As part of this move, we appointed a new Senior Leadership Team, responsible for the operations of both Garner Osborne Circuits and Active-PCB Solutions. You can read about our Senior Leadership Team in more detail here.

What’s else is new for 2026?

Conformal Coating

First up, we’re excited to announce a major enhancement to our service portfolio. As part of the Agile Circuit Technology Group and in partnership with our sister company Active‑PCB Solutions Ltd, Garner Osborne can now offer customers in‑house Conformal Coating services.

With this investment, we're now offering some of the most advanced conformal coating equipment in the UK. This includes a 4-head machine which enables us to switch between coating materials without having to flush a single head machine each time, saving time and materials. 

Conformal coating plays a vital role in safeguarding PCB assemblies, but achieving consistent coverage across diverse builds demands a process that’s both controlled and adaptable. That's why we've implemented a sequence that blends automation, material flexibility, and inspection precision.

• Automated In-Line Conformal Coating line
• Protecto XP Selective Coater, the most advanced conformal coating equipment in the UK 
• In-Line Curing Oven
• Off-Line Curing Oven
• 3 Materials for Conformal Coating
• Acrylic (1B31), Urethane (1A33), Nano-Coating
• Semi-Automated Spray Booth
• UV Inspection/Rework Booths x2
• PSE LH7 Fully Automatic XL Cleaner

This new capability delivers significant benefits for our customers, including:

• Greater process control and consistency
• Shorter lead times by removing the need for subcontracting
• Improved traceability and quality assurance
• A seamless flow from assembly through to coating, inspection and test

Conformal coating is essential for assemblies operating in harsh or demanding environments, protecting against moisture, dust, chemicals and temperature variation. By integrating coating alongside our PCB assembly, testing and box‑build services, we can now deliver fully finished, production‑ready products from a single Group.

Whether you’re developing a new design, reviewing suppliers or simplifying your supply chain, our team would be delighted to support your next project.

A newly refurbished manufacturing facility in Newbury, UK

For those of you who visited us in 2025, you will have seen the excellent work our Facilities team are carrying out in refurbishing our entire facility. This work continues into 2026, with improvements to our machinery, production line and overall facilities where we'll be doubling the size of our SMT area.

Our team are excited to show you the progress that is being made, so to arrange a visit, please reach out to your account manager.

Strengthening trust with our certifications

As we continue to invest in our people, processes and capabilities, we’re also proud to reaffirm and expand the certifications that underpin our commitment to quality, security and UK manufacturing.
In 2025, we:

• Achieved Cyber Essentials Plus, demonstrating our commitment to robust cybersecurity and the protection of customer data.

• Maintained our key industry certifications, including JOSCAR, AS9100 and ISO 13485, ensuring we continue to meet the stringent requirements of aerospace, defence, medical and other regulated sectors.

• Reaffirmed our status as a Made in Britain member, reflecting our continued dedication to UK manufacturing excellence.

• Joined the Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce, strengthening our regional presence and industry connections.

These certifications reflect our ongoing focus on quality, compliance and continuous improvement, giving our customers confidence that every project is delivered to the highest standards.

Where else can you find us in 2026?

We’re looking forward to meeting our customers, partners and industry innovators throughout the year whilst we're on the road. You’ll find the Garner Osborne team at the following events in 2026, so please come over and chat to us about your requirements, ideas and innovations.

• 3rd – 5th February 2026
  
  

• 3rd - 4th June 2026

• 10th–11th June
  
  

Looking ahead

2026 is set to be a year of growth, capability expansion and deeper collaboration across the Agile Circuit Technology Group. With new leadership, new services and new opportunities to connect, we’re excited to continue delivering high‑quality PCB and PCBA solutions that support your innovation.

Thank you once again for your partnership throughout 2025. We look forward to building even more together in 2026.

If you have a project that you would like to discuss for 2026, you can connect with us here.