iRobot, RayVio and Superfeet Benefit from Digital Transformation with Rapid Prototyping, 3D Printing, and Managed Procurement and Supply Chain Services

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Jabil Circuit, Inc. (NYSE:JBL) is enhancing the value of its end-to-end manufacturing solutions through the introduction of new Innovation Acceleration Services that compress the entire product lifecycle — from gathering user insights and needs to shortening the path to commercialization. These services enable customers to respond faster to changing product and market demands while reducing risks and costs associated with design, supply chain, manufacturing and compliance challenges.

"Innovating at the speed of digital requires continual application of new technologies, automation, analytics and manufacturing know-how," says Bill Muir, chief operating officer at Jabil. "We're developing a complete ecosystem of digital connections to create new business opportunities, improve experiences and deliver added value, from start to finish."

To help customers compete more effectively in the digital economy, Jabil offers:

• Digital Prototype Lab (DPL) and associated services to deliver unmatched speed-to-innovation;
• Managed Supply Chain Services to improve supply chain visibility and mitigate risk;
• Managed Procurement Services to boost purchasing efficiencies and drive cost savings;
• 3D printing and additive manufacturing services to accelerate new product introductions for large-scale production.

Driving the digital journey

The Radius DPL is a full-service, rapid prototyping facility led by Radius, an innovation and development consulting firm acquired by Jabil in 2012. The DPL adds competitive value to customers with complete user insight, design, build, analysis and testing services offered under one roof. A cross-functional team drives unmatched concept and UX/UI development, speed-to-innovation, digital service delivery design and go-to-market capabilities. The DPL is fitted with state-of-the-art equipment, including 3D printing; CT scanning; 5-axis CNC machining; finish, paint and assembly; and clean room and testing facilities. Integrated Radius strategy, research, design, engineering and implementation services rapidly iterate, build and test innovative customer ideas, enabling proof-of-concept models to be produced in as little as five weeks when it typically requires 12 to 26 weeks.

Increasing supply chain/procurement visibility and value

Powered by Jabil's InControl™ Intelligent Digital Supply Chain and Procurement Intelligence Platform, new managed services take advantage of Jabil's industry and domain expertise, orchestrating over 700,000 parts across a global network of more than 17,000 suppliers sourced from more than 30 countries. With Jabil's Procurement Services, organizations gain access to proven purchasing strategies, advanced sourcing capabilities, as well as execution and purchasing support to achieve Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) leadership. The services are amplified by Jabil's global spend of more than $15 billion annually across a diverse set of products and applications in the industrial, energy, automotive, communication, consumer and healthcare industries.

In addition, the new Supply Chain Services enable customers to reduce supply chain risk and increase visibility while improving supply chain speed and agility. To optimize supply chain networks, Jabil assimilates structured and unstructured data to allow user-defined scenario planning and network optimization modeling. This provides insights and expedited responses to changes in demand patterns, supply sources, tax laws, currencies, etc. Additionally, Jabil's Managed Compliance and Conflict Minerals Service addresses regulations concerning conflict minerals with seamless access to supplier data, declarations and compliance reporting.

Changing the way products are made

Jabil is also paving a path to the future by defining best practices and consulting services to accelerate additive manufacturing for large-scale production. With 3D printing and additive manufacturing solutions, Jabil applies extensive experience with the latest 3D printing technologies, backed by a half-century of manufacturing expertise, to change how products are made. Capabilities include materials development and qualification, process development and validation as well as supply chain integration. By using 3D printing instead of traditional manufacturing methods, companies can expedite time-to-market by up to seven weeks. Moreover, customers have realized cost savings of more than 50 percent.

"We are excited to unveil these value-added digital services to help both new and existing customers complete their innovation cycles in a fraction of the time," says Muir. "Jabil is uniquely positioned to drive digital transformations, creating new avenues of business growth and enhanced revenue streams." Muir formally introduced the new services at Jabil's Analyst & Investor Meeting in St. Petersburg.

Supporting Quotes:

• Eric Hayes, VP of Marketing and Product, Superfeet

"Jabil's DPL, Radius team and 3D printing changed the R&D landscape at Superfeet by enabling us to customize in ways we've never done before. It took us two years using traditional R&D to create a custom insole that could be produced in 15 minutes. Jabil, in just four months, proved how we could use 3D printing to produce custom insoles more efficiently, and with an extremely high degree of replication — at a fraction of the development cost of other methods."

• Dr. Yitao Liao, Chief Innovation Officer, RayVio

"Radius helped us bring our technology vision to life — in six weeks — by delivering a tangible product to show our growing partner ecosystem. Using advanced technologies, Radius powered through 200 product iterations to produce prototypes in half the time it normally takes. Jabil's ability to offer all these integrated capabilities under one roof can greatly reduce time-to-market and the costs associated with introducing any new technology."

• Oscar Zamorano, SVP Operations & Supply Chain, iRobot Corporation

"With Jabil's InControl intelligent digital supply chain, we now have real-time access to vital data for more than 700 suppliers. Jabil gives us the intelligence we need to lower compliance risk, and the special expertise to reinforce our role as good corporate citizens."

• Simon Ellis, Program Vice President, Supply Chain Strategies, IDC

"Speed to market is critically important as long as companies can fuel innovation without compromising quality and accuracy. Jabil's new managed supply chain and procurement services add a layer of digital intelligence that can increase efficiency, expedite cycle times and reduce costs across complex global supply chains."

About Jabil

Jabil is a product solutions company providing comprehensive electronics design, production and product management services to global electronics and technology companies. Offering complete product supply chain management from facilities in 28 countries, Jabil provides comprehensive, individualized-focused solutions to customers in a broad range of industries. Jabil common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol, "JBL." Further information is available on Jabil's website: jabil.com.

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HetzelMeade Communications, Inc.
Sue Hetzel, 760-473-4729
sue@hetzelmeade.com

Source: Jabil Circuit, Inc.

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