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MYRTLE BEACH, SC -- AVX Corp. reported net income fell 8.7% to $17 million on a 1% drop in net sales to $325.9 million in the September quarter. Net income and sales were sequentially higher.

Chief executive and president John Gilbertson said, "The sales increases during the last three quarters indicate that end market growth is continuing, and this is a positive sign for AVX and the industry."

Income from operations improved sequentially to $19.2 million for the quarter, due to lower operating costs and greater production in low-cost regions.

"We have been able to improve profit margins during the past two quarters while reducing inventory levels," Gilbertson said. "We believe that inventory throughout the supply chain remains low, and improvements in end- market demand quickly flow through as increased demand for AVX products.

The passives components maker had a cash balance of $751.3 million at quarter's end.
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MILWAUKIE, OR -- ECD Inc., a maker of temperature profiling equipment, today named Kasion Automation Ltd., as its first ECD "Super M.O.L.E. Gold" qualified calibration center in China.

The move will save costs and reduce delivery times for calibration customers, ECD said.

Kasion is also an exclusive distributor of ECD products.
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BANNOCKBURN, IL – Jure Sola, chief executive and chairman of Sanmina-SCI, will keynote the Apex trade show in February.

Sola's Feb. 8 talk will cover competing in today’s global economy, the ongoing expansion of the EMS industry and how Sanmina-SCI plans to capture more customers.

Sola cofounded Sanmina in 1980. Following its merger with SCI, the company is one of the world’s three largest EMS companies.
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GREENVILLE, SC -- Passives maker Kemet Corp. today reported a September quarter net loss of $1.9 million on net sales of $116.6 million.

Before special charges, net income was $1.3 million.

Chief executive Per Loof said, "The improvement in our results was a combination of higher sales volumes and our recent cost reduction actions.

Adjusted average selling prices fell 3% to 4% sequentially. Capacity utilization remains at approximately 85%.

The company in September began shipping commercial volumes of tantalum polymer capacitors from its second facility in Suzhou, China.

As of Sept. 30, Kemet had $213.0 million in cash and securities and $100 million in debt.

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Chicago – Productronica, held Nov. 15-18 in Munich, Germany, will include a variety of information to assist in the transition to environmentally friendly practices and products. Attendees will get first-hand information on the status of lead-free technologies and the latest compliant processes.
 
During the first two days of the show, Productronica Forums will feature discussions and presentations on lead-free electronics, such as logistical challenges and market trends for component mounting. Over 2,000 sq. ft. will be dedicated to the Lead-Free Interactive Forum where companies will offer insights on how they are implementing the new guidelines. Each presentation will cover topics ranging from reflow-processes to quality assurance.
 
The show is also organizing a “Green Day” on November 17, which targets attendees from outside Europe and intends to raise awareness of the new specifications and challenges. The program includes lectures, a visit to the Lead-Free Interactive Forum and a discussion with representatives from leading EMS companies.  
 
Register at global-electronics.net/productronica.
LAS VEGAS -- Revenues from sales of consumer electronics are expected to increase 9% during the upcoming holiday shopping season, show the results of a new survey by the Consumer Electronics Association. Predicted at the top of wish lists: MP3 players.

The survey is based on 1,000 randomly selected U.S. adults interviewed by phone by CEA. Based on the survey, CEA forecasts that overall holiday spending will increase 14% per average household to $1,430, from $1,254 in 2004, factoring in gifts, decorations, food, travel and other assorted holiday expenses.

"Peace, happiness, health - and consumer electronics - are on the wish lists of Americans this holiday season, according to our forecast survey," CEA said. "Despite concern about the overall economy, consumers intend to purchase, as well as hope to receive, a plethora of consumer electronics gifts this holiday season. More, our survey indicates that retailers and consumers alike will be humming a happy tune entering the New Year, as results show the MP3 player is going to be one of the hottest sellers."

The survey tracks CE devices consumers intend to give as gifts, as well as those they hope to receive. The MP3 player topped both lists this year displacing the digital camera at the top of the gift list and the plasma TV at the top of the wish list from last year's survey. Consumer interest in buying a portable MP3 player has increased eight points from 2004, to 28%. Revenues from sales of MP3 players are up 105% so far this year, according to CEA.

For the second year in a row, CEA also surveyed CEA|CNET Tech First Panel participants for the holiday study in order to determine the holiday gifting intentions of technology early adopters. The study was administered via the Internet to an online sample of CNET users who were screened as people who adopt consumer electronics products in the early to mid-product life cycle stages.

The CEA|CNET Tech First Panel sheds light on the thoughts, behaviors and desires of the first consumers to buy technology products. Their interests and behaviors are often precursors to future mass market trends. The MP3 player topped their list for gift-giving, as well.

Fifty-seven percent said they are likely to purchase an MP3 player this season to give as a gift. Other top early adopter gift-giving items included a digital camera, internal PC upgrade, video game system and home networking devices. Following the MP3 player, the full wish list for the randomly selected survey respondents included, in order of preference: plasma television, digital camera, laptop PC, big screen TV, desktop PC, video game system, high-definition television, DVD recorder and home theater speakers or system.

The gift-giving list included: portable MP3 player, digital camera, video game system, cordless phone, home DVD player, portable headset CD, game peripherals, DVD recorder, cellphone and laptop PC.

When adult consumers were asked what they wanted most, CE products followed peace, happiness and good health; conversely, when asked what their kids wanted most, respondents listed CE products first with video games leading the inventory. Read more ...

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