Circuits Assembly Online Magazine - Features

VANCOUVER, Jan. 10 -- Nam Tai Electronics Inc. reported fourth-quarter sales rose 40% to $150 million, a new record and ahead of the company's Oct. 29 guidance of $135 million.

December sales topped $55 million, up 70% year-on-year, and also beating the EMS provider's previous monthly high set in June 2004.

For the year, sales topped $530 million, up 30% over 2003 sales.

The company attributed the growth to FPC subassemblies, CMOS sensor modules for mobile phones and LCD modules.

Joseph Li, chief executive said in a press release, "We are extremely pleased with the sales, which exceeded our original upper guidance. High oil prices and a strong yen has resulted in greater outsourcing, especially by Japanese manufacturers during the period, which resulted in additional orders from our customers.

The company has factories expected to come online after March.

The company also stated that chief financial officer Charles Wong and his assistant, Joseph Silva, have resigned for personal reasons. Both were in their probationary periods. Li will assume the CFO position on an interim basis.

LANCASTER, PA, Jan. 7 -- Bulova Technologies, a contract electronics manufacturer, today announced it has raised $6 million in mezzanine capital for future expansion.

The financing, provided by NewSpring Ventures and TRF Urban Growth Partners, will fund a planned expansion in December.

"This financing will provide the resources to continue to grow the company and to take advantage of both organic opportunities and potential acquisitions," said Stephen L. Gurba, president and chief executive.

Privately held Bulova was founded in 1942 as a subsidiary of the Bulova Watch Co.

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica, Jan. 5 -- A pair of suppliers of electronics materials and equipment will team to deliver a one-day seminar on lead-free manufacturing here later this month.

On Jan. 19, DEK, a provider of screen printers, and Kester, a supplier of solder materials, will cover new lead-free alloys, wave soldering, reliability and the global impact of compliance.

Technical papers including "Effects of cooling Speed on Microstructure and Tensile Properties of SnAgCu Alloys" and "Chip Scale Package Rework Considerations: Using Solder vs. Gel Flux" will also be presented, and the impact of lead-free on screen printing will be addressed.

While many courses leave out any discussion of Pb-free's impact on mass imaging, recent research conducted by DEK has shown that paste application method (squeegee vs. enclosed head), stencil material, stencil manufacturing method and machine accuracy all have a tremendous impact on the successful implementation of lead-free manufacturing, the companies said.

The seminar will take place at the Melia Callari Hotel. For more information or to register contact Craig Brown, DEK Americas general manager, at 908-782-4140, x 226.

TEMPE, AZ, Jan. 7 -- Three-Five Systems Inc., a provider of electronics manufacturing services, sold its headquarters here in a deal worth more than $11 million.

TFS sold the building, located at 1600 N. Desert Dr., as well as its lease-hold interest in the ground sublease to Papago Paragon Partners, an unaffiliated company.

TFS received $9.35 million in cash plus a $2 million promissory note. The deal closed Dec. 30.

PHOENIX, Jan. 5 -- EMS provider Suntron Corp. has signed a five-year lease to expand its footprint in Mexico as more business migrates to lower-cost regions.

The company said it will expand its plant in Tijuana to 110,000 sq. ft. The plant is currently 35,000 sq. ft.

"This expansion is critical to being able to continue to provide world class service in a low cost region as we continue to migrate more and more of our customers' high labor content products to our Tijuana facility," said Jim Bass, president and CEO, in a statement.

ANGLETON, TX, Jan. 6 -- Benchmark Electronics Inc. today reaffirmed fourth quarter revenue targets of $505 million to $530 million, with corresponding diluted earnings per share of $0.41 to $0.45. The guidance is in line with analysts' consensus of revenues of $521.6 million and earnings per share of $0.44, and at the upper end of guidance provided Oct. 21.

Benchmark will announce fourth-quarter results on Feb. 8.