Tom Solon, P.E., Director of Sales, RH Murphy Co.

2025 was a good year for RH Murphy Company and we look forward with guarded optimism to 2026. New automation equipment and staff are being added to support growth and customer needs.

Demand for JEDEC matrix trays, waffle pack chip trays, test carriers and custom ESD trays grow steadily along with the connectivity and intelligence in consumer and industrial products. More than 40 years of experience, combined with up-to-the-minute technology, gives us a competitive advantage that we use for the benefit of our customers, old and new.

2025 saw new projects at RH Murphy Company, with many coming from outside the USA. In comparison to 2024, there was less work in the consumer and automotive sectors, possibly due to economic pressures and uncertainty. Aerospace and medical sectors were strong. There was a lot of concern among our domestic customers about tariffs, but we were able to minimize their impact.

We have seen increases in raw material prices and have been notified of more to come, all attributed to tariffs. These get passed along and amplified as they make their way to the end customer. The tariffs on metals resulted in higher tooling costs whether fabricated domestically or imported.

We saw an increase in inquires from India, which is on a steep learning curve as electronics manufacturing is relocated from China. The interest coming from India is not only for product but also for technical support as they ramp up their capabilities and capacity.

We experienced unusually large increases in the cost of international shipping in 2025 and customs delays were more frequent on both exports and imports. Rapidly changing document requirements left some shipments in limbo when changes were made by the US government while shipments were in transit.

Upon arrival, the items were held up without clear instructions for what was needed. As a US manufacturer serving a global market, we hope that 2026 will bring policies and practices that are respectful of international commerce. Many exciting possibilities lie ahead!