However, Kyle's father, Christopher Borch, was clear that joining Micro-Mechanics should be his choice, not an obligation. "He wanted me to discover my own path first."
That path included stints at other tech firms before Borch joined Micro-Mechanics as what he jokingly calls an "engineering apprentice", a role that involved everything from machining parts to cleaning factory bathrooms.
"Starting at ground level was intentional," he adds. "I needed to understand every aspect of our operations, not just the boardroom perspective."
The turning point came in 2023 when frequent trips between California and Singapore convinced Borch that effective leadership required full immersion in Micro-Mechanics' Asian operations.
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"I was spending more time in airports than factories," he says. "To truly transform this business, I needed to be present where 70% of our manufacturing and our biggest growth opportunities were."
Borch's transition to his current position is also noteworthy for his relationship with his father. Having worked alongside his father for over a decade, Borch has had the unique opportunity to learn firsthand from a successful business leader in the semiconductor sector.
"The opportunity to work with my father was invaluable," reflects Borch. "I learned so much from him - not just business strategy but leadership. He always had this ability to make people feel like they were part of something bigger than themselves. That's a skill I continue to hone."
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For Borch, this mentorship has shaped his leadership philosophy. "My father always emphasised that business is about more than just making money - it's about creating something meaningful that lasts," Borch continues. "The company he built was not just about products but about the people and the culture. And that's the foundation I'm building on."
State-of-the-art factory
Borch's relocation coincided with the launch of his signature initiative - the "Five-Star Factory" programme. This comprehensive operational overhaul aims to elevate Micro Mechanics from a precision parts supplier to a strategic solutions provider for next-generation semiconductor manufacturing.
"The semiconductor industry is at an inflection point," says Borch. "With artificial intelligence driving demand for more advanced chips, our customers need partners who can solve yield and performance challenges at smaller and smaller nodes and beyond. We're retooling everything from equipment to employee training to meet that need."
The programme's five pillars - operational excellence, innovation excellence, high-performance teams, customer partnership, as well as workplace efficiency and safety - reflect Borch's engineering approach to leadership. Each factory in Micro Mechanics' global network will implement standardised metrics and best practices while maintaining local adaptability.
He says: "There was some co-creation with my dad and me. But a lot of the idea was mine, just piecing it together over the past 18 months and figuring out what we needed to do to support the businesses."
While each location had operated with some degree of independence, Borch now emphasises the importance of shared vision and common goals. He says: "We need to ensure that our global team operates as one entity, not five separate ones. The future of Micro-Mechanics depends on that unity."
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Cultural transformation
The most challenging aspect of Borch's initiative has been shifting long-established workplace mindsets. "Changing processes is relatively straightforward," he notes. Changing how people think about their work requires patience and persistence."
Rather than imposing change top-down, Borch has focused on empowering veteran employees. He has promoted several long-time team members to VP roles and created cross-functional innovation teams. "Our most valuable institutional knowledge resides with people who've been with us 20, 30 years. The key is helping them see change as an opportunity rather than a threat."
This approach reflects lessons from Borch's father, who founded Micro-Mechanics in 1983 with just $1,200 in a borrowed space within a Singapore hat-sewing factory. From that seed money, the company has since grown to achieve earnings of $6.03 million in 1HFY2025 ended Dec 31, 2024, a 46.6% rise from $4.11 million in 1HFY2024.
Revenue in the period similarly increased 10.8% y-o-y to $32.5 million, thanks to healthy performance in its consumable tools and wafer fabrication equipment parts segments.
"My dad's philosophy was always 'people make everything happen'," Borch recalls. "That's even more true today, as the technical challenges become more complex."
He adds that there are mild cultural differences between US and Asia-based workers.
"I would say that the American way is maybe more entrepreneurial and willing to take risks, whereas, in Asia, people are much more inclined to follow instructions and are less likely to ask questions. Both of these have their own strengths and challenges," says Borch.
Beyond internal transformation, the young deputy CEO must also deal with the semiconductor industry's geopolitical tensions.
Thankfully, Micro-Mechanics' decentralised manufacturing footprint, with facilities serving regional customers, has proven prescient in an era of trade wars and export controls.
Borch says: "[Our setup] probably could be a net positive because countries are going to realise that they have to do more manufacturing locally. But it remains to be seen how our customers will respond because they'll be the ones who are more impacted than we are."
He adds: "We're fortunate that our model was designed for local support from the beginning. Our Malaysian factory serves Malaysia, our Chinese operations support China, our Philippine operations supports the Philippines, Singapore serves Singapore and the rest of Southeast Asia, while the US factory supports the WFE in North America and Singapore. This buffers us from many of the cross-border tensions."
Still, he has had to make tough decisions about technology partnerships and supply chain redundancies. "We're maintaining dual sourcing for critical components and qualifying alternative materials," he says. "In this environment, resilience is as important as innovation."
The day-to-day
Borch's technical background shapes his leadership style in tangible ways. He spends at least two hours a day on the factory floor and insists that his leadership team maintains similar hands-on engagement.
"You can't solve yield issues or process bottlenecks from a conference room," he states flatly.
This engineering mindset also informs Micro-Mechanics' R&D strategy. The company has doubled its research spending since 2020, focusing on advanced packaging solutions and materials science.
"The physics of semiconductor manufacturing are pushing against fundamental limits," Borch says. "Breakthroughs will come from unconventional approaches - that's where we're placing our bets."
When out of the office, Borch spends his leisure time in Singapore very differently than he does in the US. An avid outdoorsman, he misses California's mountains and trails.
He says he has adapted by starting his days at 5:00am, with swim training, a routine that serves as exercise and mental preparation. Borch muses: "Something about being in the water before sunrise clarifies your thinking."
"I miss the mountains and surprisingly cold weather. I grew up thinking in California, it'd be great to live somewhere where it's tropical all year round. Living in Singapore, I've actually come to appreciate the cooler weather. The humidity here is something else."
Despite his commitment to work, family remains central.
He balances his time by travelling to California quarterly and maintaining weekly video calls with his parents and three siblings. "My dad built this company to support our family and also to serve our employees and customers," he says. "That dual responsibility to both stakeholders and family legacy is something I try to think about daily."
Gearing up
As Borch looks toward the future, the potential for growth in the semiconductor industry is both exciting and daunting. With the industry's rapid expansion, Micro-Mechanics seems well-positioned to capitalise on emerging trends, particularly in advanced manufacturing processes for semiconductors.
Borch's emphasis on technological innovation and operational excellence is central to the company's long-term strategy.
"We are in the midst of a major transformation in the semiconductor industry," says Borch. "The next decade will be a defining period, and we're positioning ourselves to lead the way in advanced manufacturing. Our Five-Star Factory initiative is just one example of how we're preparing for the future."
For Borch, however, the path ahead is not solely defined by business objectives but also by a journey of personal growth and leadership.
"Every day presents new challenges and learning opportunities," he concludes. "We are solving complex problems, which makes this role exciting. But it's not just about the business. It's about the people I work with and the impact we can have together."
