Circuits Assembly Online Magazine - Features

HALF MOON BAY, CA -- Attendees on the second day of the SEMI Strategic Materials conference learned how Japanese materials suppliers joined together to cut costs, and were given an optimistic outlook on the convergence of front-end and back-end processes in chip making.

Yoshifumi Kawamoto, director general manager, R&D department, CASMAT, outlined the formation of the R&D consortium established in 2003 by Japanese materials suppliers. Member companies include JSR, Sumitomo Chemical, Sekisui Chemical, Tokyo Ohka Kogyo, Nitto Denko, Hitachi Chemical, Toray Industries and others.

BEIJING -- China imported more than $19 billion worth of technology last year, up 37.5% over the previous year and setting a new record.

More than 43%, or $8.27 billion, of the total import value of technology came from foreign enterprises operating in China. That’s up 23.6% from 2004.

Trenton, NJ – Tyco International Ltd. has confirmed its plan to split into three public companies. Electronics and healthcare units will be spun off from the remaining operations (which include security and fire-protection services) during the first quarter of 2007. Tyco expects about $1 billion in costs for tax liabilities and the refinancing of debt.

“We believe separation is a logical next step in Tyco's solution,” said Ed Breen, chairman and chief executive, during a conference call with analysts and investors. “The biggest issue to me actually was growth. That's really the thing we looked at.”

ANGLETON, TX -- Benchmark Electronics, a leading EMS firm, said today that it expects to meet or exceed fourth quarter 2005 analysts' consensus of $604 million revenues and earnings per share of $0.52.

MELVILLE, NY -- Nu Horizons Electronics, a distributor of electronics components, reported net sales rose to $147.5 million from $116.2 million for the quarter ended Nov. 30, 2005. Net income was $1.5 million vs. $585,000 last year.

Sequentially, net sales rose 15% to $19.3 million, and net income almost doubled to $1.5 million.

Year-to-date, net sales were up12.3% to $397.2 million, from $353.6 million last year. Net income was down $100,000, to $2.8 million.

In a press statement, chairman and chief executive Arthur Nadata said, "The third quarter was a very exciting and busy period for us. New additions to our line card, combined with the expansion of certain partnerships, enabled our sales force to penetrate into new markets and provide enhanced system solutions for customers."

Nu Horizons added 100 sales and engineering staff during the quarter, he said.