Circuits Assembly Online Magazine - Current Issue

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Boston - Teradyne today dispelled a report that it plans to close its backplane manufacturing operations.

In a statement to Circuits Assembly, Tom Pursch, vice president of Teradyne Connection Systems and manager of its printed circuit board business, said: "Teradyne is committed to our printed circuit board business. Credit Suisse First Boston's reporting of a 'hint of a possibility' that we may exit this business is just plain wrong. Our strategy to lower our costs, reduce idle capacity and focus on the high-end domestic market is working."

On Thursday, Forbes reported a leading investment bank suggested the maker of semiconductor and assembly test gear and PCBs might be looking to exit the PCB business.

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El Segundo, CA - Worldwide contract manufacturing revenues will reach nearly $300 billion by 2008, says a research firm.

Sales of EMS and ODM services are on track to hit $298.4 billion, a compound annual growth rate of 13.7% through 2008, iSuppli Corp. said yesterday.

Last year, sales of EMS and ODM firms were $190 billion, up 20.1% year-on-year. The surge was a marked improvement over 2003, in which revenues climbed 5.4%.

SAN JOSE -- North American-based manufacturers of semiconductor equipment posted $1.01 billion in orders in January and a book-to-bill ratio of 0.80, according to SEMI.

The data reflect a three-month average and are 18% below the revised December level of $1.24 billion and 18% below last year.

A book-to-bill of 0.80 means that $80 worth of orders were received for every $100 of product billed for the month.

The January three-month average of worldwide billings was $1.27 billion, down 4% from December but 23% higher than last year.

"The three-month average bookings figure for new semiconductor equipment is now at the lowest level since November 2003," said Stanley T. Myers, president and CEO of SEMI. "Total bookings declined sharply in January and are now about 37% below the cyclic peak observed in June 2004."