MILPITAS, CA -- Following Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR) reaffirming support for the Section 48D Advanced Manufacturing Investment Credit (AMIC), SEMI today released a statement from its President and CEO Ajit Manocha commending the action on behalf of the semiconductor supply chain.

A picture containing text, clipartDescription automatically generated“The joint statement from senators Crapo and Wyden in support of the Section 48D tax credit highlights the crucial role it plays in strengthening U.S. semiconductor manufacturing, creating jobs, and advancing national security,” said SEMI President and CEO Ajit Manocha. “Last month we shared on Capitol Hill how the looming AMIC expiration adds uncertainty for our member companies in the semiconductor supply chain, some of whom are actively planning to expand operations to meet rising chip demand, and we applaud the senators’ leadership for this pivotal tool in attracting semiconductor ecosystem investment.”

SEMI brought together senior tax executives from its member companies for meetings on July 22, 2026, on Capitol Hill focused on preserving and strengthening the Section 48D tax credit for investments in building up the U.S. semiconductor ecosystem. As part of the SEMI Tax Day event, industry representatives urged swift passage of a multi-year extension of the tax credit before it lapses at the end of the year.

Background on Section 48D Tax Credit

• Enacted under the CHIPS and Science Act, the Section 48D credit provides a refundable 35% tax credit for qualified investment in semiconductor and semiconductor manufacturing equipment facilities.
• The tax credit has helped catalyze hundreds of billions of dollars in announced U.S. semiconductor investment across 28 states.
• Under current law, facilities must begin construction by December 31, 2026, to qualify, which is out of step with the multi-year timelines required to site, permit, finance, and build a semiconductor facility.
• Major semiconductor producing economies worldwide are competing aggressively for semiconductor investments with similar tax incentives.

SEMI Request on Section 48D Tax Credit

• SEMI's request is a multi-year extension of Section 48D ahead of the construction deadline.
• SEMI also urges Congress to strengthen the credit by expanding eligibility to cover more of the full semiconductor supply chain, including materials, specialty chemicals and gases, and design activities.

View the SEMI 2026 U.S. Policy Strategy to learn more about SEMI’s top policy priorities. For updates on SEMI’s public policy efforts and developments, visit SEMI Global Advocacy.

Atlanta – Following the five-year high registered by the June Industry Pulse survey, the July index fell by 12.5 points to 141.6.

“The good news is that the actual July results beat the expectations from the June survey by 4.4 points,” Chief Analyst Dale Ford remarked. “A drop in July sentiment is not surprising given understandable summer softness. The July score is still eight points above the average index of the prior 12 months and 28 points above August 2025, the lowest point in the prior 12 months.

“It is important to note that the average component index averages have trended solidly upward since passing the 100-point index growth threshold in May 2025,” Dale continued. “An average index above 133 points over the past 13 months demonstrates strong ongoing confidence in the market.”

ECIA’s Industry Pulse: Electronic Component Trends and Sentiment provides highly valuable and detailed visibility on industry expectations in the near-term through the monthly and quarterly surveys. This “immediate” perspective is helpful to participants up and down the electronics components supply chain.

The complete ECIA Industry Pulse: Electronic Component Trends and Sentiment Report is delivered to all ECIA members as well as others who participate in the survey. All participants in the electronics component supply chain are invited and encouraged to participate in the report so they can see the highly valuable insights provided by the Industry Pulse: Electronic Component Trends and Sentiment report. The return on a small investment of time is enormous! Members must log in first to see the full report.

Once logged in, members can view the full report here.

The monthly and quarterly Industry Pulse: Electronic Component Trends and Sentiment reports present data in detailed tables and figures with multiple perspectives and cover current sales expectations, sales outlook, product cancellations, product decommits and product lead times. The data is presented at a detailed level for six major electronic component categories, six semiconductor subcategories and eight end markets. Also, survey results are segmented by aggregated responses from manufacturers, distributors, and manufacturer representatives.

Non-members can now purchase the Industry Pulse: Electronic Component Trends and Sentiment Report.

As modern printed circuit board (PCB) designs continue to push the limits of density, speed, and miniaturization, manufacturing test engineers face a growing challenge: achieving sufficient test coverage despite increasingly limited physical access to the board.

To help engineers address these challenges, Datest, a leading provider of advanced test engineering, inspection, and failure analysis services, will host an educational webinar presented by Will Webb, Technical Director at Siemens EDA (formerly Aster Technologies), focused on practical strategies for aligning design constraints with manufacturing test planning.

The webinar, “Data-Driven PCB Test Planning: Aligning Design Constraints with Test Strategy Choices,” will examine how engineering teams can evaluate test coverage earlier in the design cycle, before physical constraints limit manufacturing test options.

Today’s electronics designs frequently incorporate micro-BGAs, high-speed interfaces, dense routing, and shrinking board real estate, all of which make traditional manufacturing test access increasingly difficult. As a result, organizations are placing greater emphasis on Design for Test (DFT) methodologies that integrate design and manufacturing considerations much earlier in product development.

During the webinar, they will discuss how engineers can use data-driven methodologies to compare alternative manufacturing test strategies, evaluate the contribution of boundary scan technologies, identify coverage gaps, and prioritize testing based on historical quality data and defect risk.

Rather than treating manufacturing tests as a downstream activity, the session highlights how early collaboration between design and test engineering can improve overall coverage while reducing the likelihood of costly redesigns or production escapes.

Topics will include:

• Evaluating manufacturing test coverage before PCB fabrication
• Comparing alternative test strategies through “what-if” analysis
• Maximizing boundary scan and clustering capabilities
• Identifying manufacturing test coverage gaps
• Prioritizing test development using historical DPMO and quality metrics
• Strengthening collaboration between design and manufacturing engineering teams

“As PCB complexity continues to increase, effective manufacturing test planning must begin long before a board reaches the production floor,” said Rob Boguski of Datest. “This webinar is designed to give engineers practical insight into how data-driven planning can help maximize test coverage while reducing manufacturing risk.”

The webinar is intended for design engineers, manufacturing test engineers, DFT engineers, quality engineers, and electronics manufacturing professionals responsible for improving product quality and manufacturing efficiency.

Webinar Details

Title: Data-Driven PCB Test Planning: Aligning Design Constraints with Test Strategy Choices

Presenter: Will Webb, Technical Director, Siemens EDA

Date: Thursday, August 20 (Pending Final Approval)

Time: 10:00 AM PT / 12:00 PM CT / 1:00 PM ET

Registration Link: https://meet.zoho.com/ilzj-ezf-auh

Dallas, TX – StenTech Inc., North America's leading provider of SMT printing solutions and precision manufacturing technologies, today announced a series of strategic investments that further expand its North American manufacturing platform, increasing production capacity, advancing technology, and strengthening support for customers across Canada, the United States, and Mexico.

Together, these investments enhance StenTech's ability to deliver greater capacity, shorter lead times, expanded engineering support, and innovative precision manufacturing solutions to customers throughout North America.

Recent Capacity Expansion Initiatives Include

Significant investment in new fiber laser stencil manufacturing systems, expanding production capacity across North America while improving manufacturing flexibility, customer responsiveness, and turnaround times.

Expanded BluPrint™ PVD coating capacity through the installation of new processing equipment, increasing production capacity and extending regional access to StenTech's exclusive BluPrint™ stencil coating technology.

Expanded PCB assembly tooling and precision machining capabilities through the acquisition of Pentagon EMS, complemented by substantial investments in new CNC machining centers, facility modernization, and advanced manufacturing equipment.

Continued investment in automation and advanced manufacturing technologies within StenTech's Precision Parts Division, improving throughput, manufacturing consistency, surface finish quality, and production efficiency.

These initiatives complement ongoing modernization efforts across StenTech's operations, ensuring customers continue to benefit from scalable production capacity, advanced technology, and responsive local support throughout North America.

Building North America's Premier Precision Manufacturing Platform

Over the past year, StenTech has continued its evolution into one of North America's most comprehensive precision manufacturing organizations. Building on its leadership in SMT stencil manufacturing, the company has expanded its capabilities to include PCB assembly tooling, precision machining, laser cutting, chemical etching, electroforming, and engineered precision metal components. This allows customers to source a broader range of high-precision manufacturing solutions from a single trusted partner.

StenTech is also investing in automation, digital infrastructure, cybersecurity, enterprise systems, and AI-enabled technologies to streamline operations, enhance responsiveness, and deliver an even better customer experience.

Investing in Customer Success

"Our customers rely on us to deliver precision, responsiveness, and reliability every day," said Brent Nolan, President & COO of StenTech. "These investments reflect our long-term commitment to strengthening our manufacturing platform. By expanding capacity, advancing technology, and modernizing our operations, we're ensuring our customers have access to the engineering expertise, production capabilities, and innovative solutions they need to remain competitive today and well into the future."

Positioned for Continued Growth

Today, StenTech operates more than 21 manufacturing and service locations across North America, supported by one of the industry's most comprehensive precision manufacturing networks. These ongoing investments reinforce the company's commitment to serving customers in the electronics, aerospace, defense, medical, semiconductor, telecommunications, and industrial manufacturing sectors with solutions that improve quality, increase production efficiency, shorten lead times, and accelerate time to market.

As StenTech continues to expand its manufacturing capabilities throughout North America, the company remains focused on providing customers with the technology, capacity, and engineering expertise needed to meet increasingly complex manufacturing requirements.