Irvine, CA -- The electronics group of Henkel and the Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores Monterrey (Monterrey Technology Institute) will partner to conduct research on lead-free solders, provide local customer support and offer educational opportunities.

Henkel customers will have access to the latest materials research to help them prepare for the demands imposed by the changes in technology. Henkel and Tec de Monterrey technical teams will study and characterize the compatibility behavior of tin-lead and lead-free solder pastes with several component and PCB surface finishes. The results will be made available to Henkel customers.  

The relationship enables Henkel to provide its Mexican customer base with local failure analysis, evaluation capabilities and the support of an application engineer who will reside on-site at Monterrey Tech.

Monterrey Tech will give the technical team from Henkel full access to the University’s advanced SMT assembly line, its failure and analsyis laboratories and support from the institution’s educators and graduate students.  

Henkel will support the University with hands-on training, including lead-free technical workshops.

TEMPE, AZ -- EMS provider Three Five Systems' interim chief financial officer has resigned due to health reasons, the company said today.

James E. Jurgens will continue to serve as a consultant to the company on a reduced basis.

The company announced that it has retained the services of Bridge Associates to assist it in the restructuring of its operations. Carl H. Young, III, managing director and founding member of Bridge Associates, will act as chief restructuring officer.

MONTE CARLO -- Dell today made a series of announcements concerning its continuing environmental efforts. The company stated that it exceeded a 2004 product recovery goal and outlined aggressive environment goals for the current year. The company is also refreshing its corporate desktop line and making an advance toward the RoHS directive.

Dell exceeded product recovery goals set for its last fiscal year and announced expanded global environmental goals for recycling, environmental design and energy efficiency, including a 50% product recovery increase. The goals and progress on environment and social initiatives are available at www.dell.com/environment.

Last year, the company committed to increase product recovery from customers by 50% (as measured by weight recovered). Strong growth of ARS in the U.S. helped the company recover more than 24 million pounds of used product from customers, a 234% increase over fiscal year 2004 results.  Worldwide, Dell recovered nearly 66 million pounds of product during the period. Dell remains committed to increasing product recovery rates, as reflected by its goal of another 50% product recovery increase during 2006. 

The company’s OptiPlex GX520 and GX620 desktop systems introduced today also take steps toward compliance with the RoHS directive by featuring lead-free power supplies, motherboards and chassis. 

The systems also give customers flexibility to deploy systems based on specific needs. Customers can choose from seven chassis between the two products, including mini-tower, desktop, small and ultra-small form factors that offer expandability options. The systems share a single software image across all chassis. The small form factor chassis can be installed behind an flat-panel monitor for an all-in-one, “zero-footprint” system.

In addition to the standard limited warranty that accompanies each system, Custom Factory Integration (CFI), Deployment Services and Asset Recovery Services (ARS) help increase the value of the technology purchase.

As systems are being built, Dell’s build-to-order process enables customized image management to occur in the factory environment. Through CFI, Dell can load customer-defined images, software, asset information and integrate hardware components as part of manufacturing. Once set up, Dell can replicate the CFI process one system at a time or thousands at a time.

Customers can benefit from having a Dell technician install their new systems. Dell installation services range from simple system set-up to complex deployments that coordinate roll-outs to multiple sites and meet tight customer deadlines.  

ARS take the hassle out of retiring old computer equipment. ARS will recycle the system responsibly or when feasible, recondition and offer its market value to the customer if resold.

MORTON, IL -- Preco Electronics Inc. has completed the sale of its manufacturing operation to Vansco Electronics, a Canadian EMS firm.

The Preco plant designs and manufactures electronics systems and components for heavy equipment.

The acquisiton gives Winnipeg, Canada-based Vansco a U.S. footprint, and the company is looking for more acquisitons of electronic controls makers.