LONDON -- Alent reported first-half pretax profits rose 3.7% from a year ago despite a 9.4% drop in revenue.

ST. LOUIS -- Viasystems narrowed its second-quarter net loss as consolidated sales jumped 5% for the period ended June 30.

Sales at its printed circuit board division rose 9% year-over-year to $262.3 million, offset in part by lower sales at its assembly unit, which fell 14% to $38.6 million. 

The net loss for the period was $3.6 million, up from a $10.2 million loss last year.

Net sales were up 5% to $300.9 million on higher automotive electronics sales. The firm also saw "notable contributions" from the telecommunications and military and aerospace end-markets.

"Second quarter results in our Printed Circuit Boards segment reflect improvement in most of our end markets, both sequentially and year-over-year,” Viasystems chief executive David Sindelar said. “However, we are still facing inconsistent customer project demand for our electro-mechanical solutions product offerings, which is included in our Assembly segment.”

Sindelar forecast modest sequential growth, with an overall sales level similar to last year's third quarter of $309.2 million.

GUADALAJARA, MEXICO – Speedline Technologies’ Electrovert division, in concert with Kester and Zestron, will host a free PCB cleaning and reliability workshop here next month.

FRAMINGHAM, MA – Recent volatility will gradually give way to a more positive outlook for IT spending in the second half of 2014, leading a major research firm to up its forecast for the sector today.