Circuits Assembly Online Magazine - Features

MANKATO, MN -- EMS firm Winland Electronics has formally promoted Thomas de Petra to chief executive and president.

He had been interim CEO and president since the retirement of longtime CEO Lorin Krueger last January. de Petra has also been Winland's chairman since 2006 and a director since 1994.

TOKYO -- Matsushita reported record profits of 281.9 billion yen ($2.7 billion) for its fiscal year ended in March, up about 30% from last year, on a 0.4% uptick in sales, to 9.07 trillion yen ($86.9 billion).

Operating profit rose 13% to 519.5 billion yen ($4.98 billion).

MAJORCA, SPAIN – Sales of consumer electronics at retail stores will rise 8% this year, down from 14% in each of the past two years, says a leading analyst.

Jürgen Boyny, a consumer electronics analyst for market research institute GfK, said mobile phones will make up about 25% of consumer electronics sales this year, he said, followed by flat-panel TVs (19%), PCs (17%) and digital cameras (6%).

GREENVILLE, SC – Component maker Kemet Corp. reported its executive vice president and chief financial officer David Gable is resigning.

Gable leaves the company to pursue other avenues, Kemet said.

The company announced a restructuring plan in January that will dissolve 120 jobs in the U.S. and 250 jobs in Mexico, with some work moving to China. The company said the job cuts would save about $16 million annually, with a one-time cost of about $7 million.

Gable will remain with the company during the search for a successor.

EL SEGUNDO, CA – The DRAM market finally is showing some signs of improvement, prompting iSuppli Corp. to upgrade its rating of near-term conditions for suppliers.

iSuppli is raising its DRAM rating to ‘neutral,’ up from its ‘negative’ assessment issued in November.

BANNOCKBURN, IL – March PCB shipments among North American fabricators rose 9.5% year-over-year, while bookings jumped 11.2%. Rigid shipments were up 9.5%, and flex shipments were up 9.7%, said IPC.