Circuits Assembly Online Magazine - Features

MUNICH – Seica SpA has opened a customer demo and support center in Munich, outfitted with the company's line of automated test and soldering equipment.

Customers can use the ATE equipment for benchmarks and evaluation purposes. Also offered is machine and software training.

The center is equipped with a Firefly selective soldering system, a Pilot flying probe tester, and a Strategy ICT/functional tester.

VANCOUVER, WA – Stilwell Baker's new 3,000 sq. ft. design center in Vancouver will be the firm’s core location for design for manufacturing and component engineering, the company said this week.

The facility incorporates state-of-the-art workstations in a secure network environment with an emphasis on responsiveness and integrated communications.

GOTEBORG, SWEDEN – Production logistics supplier FlexLink reported third-quarter sales were $54 million for the quarter, up 9% compared to the same period in 2007, while earnings were $5 million, with an EBITA margin of 9%.

Orders for the quarter rose 16% year-over-year to $51 million. Orders for the first nine months were $179 million, up 24% year-over-year, the firm’s highest ever for comparable periods.

Sales for the first nine months were $159 million, up 14% compared to last year, and earnings were $14 million, with an EBITA margin of 9%.

ELKHART, IN -- EMS sales at CTS Corp. fell 8% to $97.5 million year-over-year, reflecting slowing demand for computers and industrial products. September quarter operating earnings dropped 31% to $2.7 million, primarily on lower volumes.

The EMS division, one of the world's 40 largest, saw strength in defense and aerospace, medical and communications.

SAN JOSE – The Arbitration Panel from the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce has issued an interim order, finding for Tessera Inc. in its licensing dispute with Amkor Technology.

According to Tessera, the panel unanimously ruled in its favor, finding Tessera's patents to be valid and certain Amkor chip packages in violation of those patents. Tessera will be awarded damages of an as-yet undisclosed amount.

Amkor said in a press release it believes the final damages will be "well below" the $85 million to $115 million originally claimed by Tessera.

This may be because the panel also found that most of the disputed packages are not subject to the patent royalty provisions of the license. Damages for past royalties for infringing packages from March 2002 through March 2008 will be determined by the panel, while damages experts for each of the parties were ordered to calculate the amount of past royalties due to Tessera. A joint report from the two parties is due Nov. 17, whereupon the panel will set the final amount.

Amkor said it is moving on and the finding will not impact its finances. “While we denied having any liability in the case, we can now move forward without the uncertainty that accompanied these claims,” said James Kim, chief executive of Amkor. “Our cash position remains solid and the ruling is not expected to have a material impact on our liquidity or ongoing business.”

However, in a separate statement, Tessera's president and CEO Henry Nothhaft said, "We expect that the monetary award will be material." Both parties could be correct: Amkor is considerably larger than Tessera.

Separately, Amkor said it has won a Supreme Court of Delaware appeal in which the high court affirmed the trial court’s ruling in favor of Amkor in its litigation with Motorola over a licensing with Citizen and certain patents relating to plastic ball grid array packages. The Supreme Court affirmed that the assignment was effective and that Amkor successfully acquired Citizen’s rights in the license and patents.