EL PASO, TX – Powell-Mucha Consulting, Inc. and SMTA have announced a series of online presentations on building a competitive EMS brand. The first, Understanding Competitive Advantage in EMS Services, is scheduled for April 25 from 1-2 pm EST. The presentation will cover classic models of competitive advantage and how they relate to EMS strategies; typical services offered within the industry; a methodology for analyzing your company’s strengths and weaknesses prior to marketing strategy development, and key considerations in developing a unique value proposition. For information and registration visit: http://smta.org/education/presentations/presentations.cfm#competitive. The cost is $75 for SMTA members and $150 for nonmembers. Mucha, a regular columnist for Circuits Assembly, is a former EMS executive. In 2001 she founded Powell-Mucha Consulting Inc., an EMS consultancy specializing in market positioning, strategic planning assistance and training.

BANNOCKBURN, IL – The IPC Solder Products Value Council has released a white paper addressing current global supply and demand of tin and silver. The cost of tin and silver has reached 19-year highs, says the council, and global demand for tin will exceed production by 30,700 metric tons, according to The International Tin Research Institute.  The primary reason behind this shortage is a 30% reduction in tin exports from Indonesia, according to the white paper. In the past six months, the price of tin has increased more than 40%, and lead-free solder paste contains more than 85% tin. Over a 15-month period, the cost increase of tin and silver combined in solder paste is $6.58 ($12.28 -$5.70) for tin, and $4.53 ($12.22-$7.69) for silver, a total of $11.11 in higher costs per kg of solder paste, reports the council. This represents a cost increase equivalent to between 20 to 30% of the global average sales price for solder paste sold for electronics assembly.  The council recommends electronics assemblers closely communicate with soldering material suppliers regarding supply and availability during this period of volatility in the market price of metals.

HELSINKI – Elcoteq cut its forecasts for 2007 because of intensifying competition in Europe, warning it would make no money from operations this year. The EMS firm, one of the eight largest in the world, reported a first-quarter operating loss of 23 million euros ($31 million). In a statement, the company said it would report breakeven operating results in 2007, not including one-time charges, on a slight uptick in revenues. It had previously guided for sales growth of around 10% and increased profits. Elcoteq said it would take a first-quarter writedown of 30 million euros in one-time charges as part of a cost-reduction program. It also upped restructuring costs guidance to 35 million euros, from an earlier estimate of 20 million euros.

SAN JOSE – Stanford professor of engineering Roger Howe will keynote the 5th Annual MEMS Packaging symposium, the MicroElectronics Packaging and Test Engineering Council announced. On May 16, Howe will discuss recent developments in the field. Howe, who has decades of experience with MEMS, also chaired the MEMS Technical Committee of IEEE Electron Devices Society from 1998 – 2001. The conference takes place May 16-17 in San Jose. Other presentations include MEMS-based market evolution; emerging trends; packaging technologies, and consumer and industrial applications. Graduate students, professors and university researchers will also present their latest work on MEMS packaging and related topics. To register or learn more about the symposium, contact Bette Cooper, bcooper@meptec.org or visit www.meptec.org.