SANTA CLARA, CA -- Test Research Inc. will host a technology seminar here next month to introduce innovations to its PCBA testing and inspection equipment. The event takes place June 26 at Hotel Biltmore in Santa Clara.

The agenda will focus on new developments in 3D SPI and 3D AOI, and conclude with demonstrations on the company's novel 3D AXI systems, inline and desktop ICTs.

To register contact Fendi Lin at Fendi_Lin@tri.com.tw; 408-567-9898. For more information visittri.com.tw.

SINGAPORE -- SMT Holdings' revenue for the three months ended March 31 was HK$144.1 million ($18.59 million), essentially flat year-over-year. The profit fell to HK$1.5 million from HK$168.4 million a year ago.

Last year's operating profit included a restructuring gain of HK$159.1 million; without it, the profit would have been HK$9.3 million.

Sequentially, revenue decreased from HK$180 million to HK$144.1 million, due mainly to typical seasonality.

For the quarter, 93% of SMT's revenue came from the industrial sector, the remainder from consumer electronics OEMs.

SMT generates most of its sales (86%) from the US and Europe, where the first quarter GDP growth was below expectations. China economy continues to slow, while Japan’s economy holds steady, the company observed. Regional conflicts have introduced more uncertainty and volatility, and as such the economic outlook remains cautious, the firm said.

The EMS company said it sees increases in demand from most of its existing customers, in particular those from Europe. Escalating operating costs in China remain challenging.

Finally, the firm received a delisting notice from the Singapore Exchange and we will be seeking shareholder approval to delist and privatize as a Bermuda company.

Ed.: 1 USD = 7.75269 HKD

READING, BERKSHIRE, UK -- Active-PCB Solutions has doubled its manufacturing site here and increased capacity with a third SMT line. The EMS company added 12,000 sq. ft. to the building, and installed security protections to support customer IP.

The new SMT line will be used for rapid prototypes and includes a DEK Horizon 03iX printed, BTU Pyramax 98A reflow oven and a Juki 2080 flexible mounter.

Active-PCB Solutions also added a secure facility to protect its OEM customer's intellectual property and confidentiality of new products, and dedicated stores.

SAN JOSE — The 90-day moving average bookings at North America-based semiconductor equipment manufacturers in April jumped 22.5% over last year and 10.8% over the revised March 2014 levels. Orders reached $1.44 billion for the period, said SEMI.

The book-to-bill ratio slipped three basis points to 1.03 but remained above the key 1.0 level. A ratio of 1.03 means that $103 worth of orders were received for every $100 of product billed for the month. A ratio above 1.0 is considered a sign of an expanding market.

The three-month average worldwide billings in April was $1.4 billion, up 28.7% year-over-year and 14.1% from March.

"Sales of semiconductor manufacturing equipment from North American producers continue to demonstrate strong sequential and year-over-year growth,” a SEMI spokesperson said. SEMI. “The data through the first quarter reflects momentum in memory, foundry, and back-end spending.”

The SEMI book-to-bill is a ratio of three-month moving averages of worldwide bookings and billings for North American-based semiconductor equipment manufacturers. Billings and bookings figures are in millions of U.S. dollars.

Source: SEMI, May 2014