Circuits Assembly Online Magazine - Features

AYESHIRE, UK - TT Electronics, a provider of resistors, sensors and EMS services, reported preliminary sales from continuing operations of £597.4 million, up 13% from £527.5 million in 2003.

Profits, before goodwill amortization and taxes and not including one-time charges, were £30.1 million, up from £20.0 million.

Demand for automotive products grew 10%, while telecom and computers grew 35%, TT Electronics said.

Sales from electronics increased 16% to £403.6 million. Electronics showed an operating profit of £26 million before goodwill amortization, versus £16.9 million last year.

During 2004, the company acquired Optek Technology, substantially expanding its sensor business, and Dage Ltd., giving it an electronics manufacturing base in China. Dage Ltd. was acquired for cash considerations of £8.0 million. In the year ended April 30, Dage Ltd. had profit before tax of £1.2 million on sales of £19.3 million.

John Newman, executive chairman, said in a statement: "Our future strategy lies in both passive and active components and we continue to develop new technologies such as our advanced inductive sensors and high intensity visible light emitting diodes which are attracting significant interest. Our recent expansion into China is an important strategic development enabling us to continue to meet the requirements of our customers, particularly in the automotive industry."

In 2005, TT Electronics expects stable demand in North America and continued growth in China.

The company is embarking on new programs to develop a range of surface-mount optoelectronic devices and LEDs.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Sony Corp.'s new chief executive is expected to launch a major push toward outsourcing electronics manufacturing to Tier 1 providers, a group of analysts say.

The Japanese electronics giant already outsources production of cell phones (to Flextronics), PS2 video game consoles (to Hon Hai) and laptop PCs (Asustek Computer). However, the company performs most of its own manufacturing -- and even produces its own screen printers, placement machines and AOI.

But earlier this month Sony named Howard Stringer as its new CEO, signaling changes may be coming. As an outsider, Stringer may be more likely to push for outsourcing than his predecessors at Sony, a company notorious for a "do-it-ourselves" approach.

ATLANTA — UP Media Group Inc. today announced that the 14th annual PCB Design Conference West 2005 provided over 55 industry-leading exhibitors with a targeted audience of approximately 1,400 attendees.

The audience included corporate executives, purchasing/procurement executives, design engineers and managers, process engineers, PCB layout designers and others, who came to the March 7-11 event, held at the Santa Clara (CA) Convention Center.

PCB Design Conference West is North America's largest annual design-oriented conference and exhibition for printed circuit board engineering, design and manufacture. This year's Silicon Valley-based venue provided attendees with an excellent setting for instruction, networking and face-to-face marketing opportunities.

The show received positive feedback from attendees and exhibitors.

"We are still on a high from PCB West 2005. It was a great two-day exhibition for us," said Randy Eager, CEO and cofounder of DesignAdvance Systems Inc. "We demonstrated our new user-assisted component placement product, and we were thrilled to generate a great deal of attendee interest and to capture many highly qualified leads."

"It was exciting to bring PCB West back to the Santa Clara Convention Center again after two years in San Jose," said UP Media Group President Pete Waddell. "Our attendees find the Santa Clara facility to be a convenient, central Silicon Valley location, and they like the free parking. This year's conference program was first-rate—over 35 technical courses focusing on today's toughest design challenges. And our two-day exhibition was equally successful, resulting in an excellent re-sign rate for PCB West 2006."

In addition to the exhibition and conference, several special events were well attended and received praise from those who participated. These include the PCB Technology Forum and Welcome Luncheon, the keynote address by Bartlett Manufacturing president Doug Bartlett on "The Future of the North American PCB Industry," the Opening Night Reception and Grand Giveaway of exhibitor-sponsored prizes valued at $200 or more, the French Quarter Masquerade Party, the PCB Top Gun competition and the PCB Design Peer Awards competition.

Several exhibitors announced or demonstrated new products and services at PCB West 2005. Those products and services are detailed in a press release posted in the "What's New" section on the www.pcbwest.com home page.

Dates for the 15th annual PCB West 2006 have been announced: March 27-31 at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. For more information, visit www.pcbwest.com.

UPMG's next trade show is the 10th annual PCB Design Conference East 2005, which will be held October 10-14 at the Expo Center of New Hampshire in Manchester, NH. For more information, visit www.pcbeast.com.

SAN JOSE — Despite persistent excess inventory concerns, the worldwide semiconductor industry grew 23.4% in 2004, to $219.9 billion, according to research firm Gartner Inc.

"The commodity memory business — dominated by DRAM and NAND flash — was the one device sector immune from soft supply conditions in 2004," said Jeremey Donovan, vice president for Gartner's worldwide semiconductor group. "In terms of vertical markets, wireless and digital consumer electronics were star performers once again."

Intel remained the No. 1 vendor based on worldwide semiconductor revenue for the 13th consecutive year. Intel continued a highly visible push into new markets, most notably into digital cellular and wireless LAN ICs.

OYSTER BAY, NY -- And you thought your city has the worst drivers.

Ten percent of all traffic fatalities in the U.S. are pedestrians. In Europe, the figure is 20%, and in Japan, 30%. Legislation soon to be enacted in Europe and Japan will require that measures to protect pedestrians be introduced to automobiles starting late in 2005.

According to a new study from research firm ABI Research, the maturing of object detection algorithms in driver safety systems -- technologies such as Lane Departure Warning, ACC and Pre-Crash -- may provide the biggest push to this market's growth.
First generation pedestrian safety systems will be "reactive" types, says senior analyst Robert LaGuerra. These systems typically have sensors mounted in the bumper and "react" when there is an impact.

SAN JOSE -- North American-based manufacturers of semiconductor equipment posted $1.03 billion in orders in February, according to SEMI. The 90-day moving book-to-bill ratio was 0.78.

A book-to-bill of 0.78 means that $78 worth of orders were received for every $100 of product billed for the month.

The three-month average of worldwide bookings in February was $1.03 billion. Bookings were up 4% over revised January of $990 million and 22% below February.

The three-month average of worldwide billings in February was $1.32 billion. Billings were 5% above the revised January figure of $1.26 billion and 15% above February 2004.

"Current three-month average bookings are at a level observed in late 2003," said Dan P. Tracy, senior director of SEMI Industry Research & Statistics. "Given the 300-mm investment and ramp underway worldwide, the expectation remains for a much more moderated equipment cycle in 2005 compared to the 2001/2002 time frame."