Circuits Assembly Online Magazine - Features

TAIPEI -- Taiwanese original design manufacturers will contribute about $400 million in revenues to Flextronics International in fiscal 2006, the company's chief executive said yesterday, according to published reports.

Speaking in Taipei yesterday, Flextronics chief executive Michael Marks said sales centralization of brand products coupled with declining average selling prices of ODM products is opening the door for partnerships, DigiTimes reported.

Flextronics, the world's largest EMS company, gained about $100 million in revenues from Taiwanese ODMs in 2005, Marks said.

DigiTimes also reported that a Flextronics spokeswoman denied local reports that Flextronics would partner on IT products with Asustek Computer.

According to DigiTimes, Marks said that Flextronics is concentrating on improving profitability, not revenue growth.

SINGAPORE --

Flextronics Semiconductor will use a QFN package from Advanced Interconnect Technologies for devices for next-generation consumer electronics, AIT said today.

"AIT's QFN package enables us to leverage power, footprint and performance that renders improved reliability while catering to the fast growing consumer electronics market," said Arnold Virrey, packaging manager at Flextronics.

AIT will also provide turnkey assembly, final test and tape and reel services for Flextronics.

The QFN package is said to provide superior thermal performance to leaded packages because of its exposed leadframe pad, which provides a direct path for removing heat from the package. QFN packages do not have gullwing leads which can act as antennae and create "noise" in high frequency applications.

FRANKLIN, MA – Speedline Technologies has announced a free Web seminar on fine-pitch printing, to be held July 21, at 11 a.m. (EST).

Topics will include:
   • Squeegee selection;
   • Solder paste evaluation ;
   • Lead-free solder paste printing;
   • Stencil design, including pin-in-paste;
   • Aperture design;
   • Board support;
   • Fast cycle time printing;
   • Post-print inspection (2-D and 3-D).

For more info and to register, visit speedlinetech.com/seminars.

The company will continue to offer free Webinars this fall, including a Lead-Free Overview, on Aug. 18, and Lead-Free Wave Soldering, on Sept. 15.

Oulunsalo, Finland -- Juha Hulkko has been appointed chief executive of Elektrobit Group, a Finland-based specialist in the design, life-cycle testing and production automation of electronics products.

A founder of Elektrobit Group and a major shareholder, Hulkko has acted as Chairman since 2002.

Former CEO Juha Sipilä will take over the role of Chairman.

The executive board has been further restructured, with Jukka Harju appointed as COO. He will continue his duties in mergers and acquisitions, and oversee the executive vice presidents responsible for Strategic Business Units and Logistics and Information Management. Johann Haas has been appointed executive VP, Automotive Unit. All other support functions except Human Resources will be directed by CFO Seppo Laine.

PALO ALTO, CA -- Electronics assemblers that fail to move quickly to implement a strategies for lead-free manufacturing will suffer in the bottom line, an analyst warned today.

"SMT manufacturers that are inactive with their strategies for lead-free implementation will lose market share," said Keith Robinson, industry manager for Frost & Sullivan's surface mount technology group.

AUSTIN, TX -- A May 1 fire at ASE's Chung-Li, Taiwan facility that destroyed part of the company's assembly and test capacity and decimated its flip-chip substrate production line will heap further pressure on an already tenuous supply of laminate substrates for semiconductor packaging.

Increased demand for laminate substrates this year, coupled with the ASE fire, is expected to push prices higher for wirebond PBGA and flip-chip substrates, says a new report from research firm TechSearch International. Unless capacity is expanded over existing plans, the situation could be similar for 2006, TechSearch said in a press release.