The news today that TTM will acquire Meadville brought back lots of memories for this aging reporter.

I will never forget touring Meadville’s PWB plant outside Shanghai, way back in 2000. Gene Weiner and I were walking down a hallway, when who should appear but Meadville chairman Tom Tang, ready and willing to comment on how Gene and I were messing up his pristine floors (we weren’t). Besides being quick-witted, Tom is an exceptionally bright guy (he’s a University of California alum), and TTM would be wise to ensure he remains part of the management team.

(As an aside, it’s always interesting to note the differences between Hong Kong and Taiwanese shops. The former have wide hallways and windows designed for viewing into the factory, while the latter are by design more space-constrained.)