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MILPITAS, CA -- Does Solectron want to be bought? The top tier EMS firm on Tuesday eased a hypothetical takeover by a possible suitor by killing its stockholder rights plan, otherwise known as a "poison pill" defense.

In a statement Solectron chief executive Michael Cannon said the new policy "reflects the board's continuing commitment to corporate governance best practices."

BRUSSELS – Beginning Jan. 1, 2010, products sold in the European Union must be in metric units. The measure, by the European Union Council Directive 80/181/EEC, also known as the Metric Directive, bans use of any other measurements for most products sold in the EU.

ATLANTA – Product gone missing is a massive expense: some $24 billion in European distributors centers alone each year. Thus it is easy to grasp why supporters of active RFID are so high on its future.

If the hype at the Active RFID Summit last week in Atlanta is to believed, active RFID means unlimited potential and a $7 billion opportunity in the next 10 years.

TAMPA, FL -- Electronics manufacturing services provider Reptron Electronics has had discussions with certain parties regarding a potential privately negotiated purchase of its senior secured notes.

The company has retained Jefferies Broadview as financial advisor.

The discussions are onoing and no agreements have been reached, the company said.

SIOUX FALLS, SD -- Raven Industries reported third-quarter net sales rose 6% to $57.4 million and net income was relatively flat at $7 million for the period ended Oct. 31.

The company's Electronic Systems division reported record quarterly revenues and strong incremental profitability.

SAN JOSE -- Sanmina-SCI Corp.'s fourth-quarter sales fell 2% to $2.77 billion versus last year, the company said last night. The company provided preliminary results but did not release full results due to an ongoing restatement of past financial reports, It said it expects to post between a penny-per-share loss and profit of 1 cent per share, excluding one-time items.

For the year, sales fell 6% to $10.96 billion.

On a conference call with analysts, Sanmina guided for first-quarter sales of $2.7 billion to $2.85 billion and for fiscal 2007 sales of $11.8 billion to $12.3 billion. The company forecast operating margins of 7 to 7.5%.

In a research note, Deutsche Bank analyst Carter Shoop called the fiscal 2007 guidance "bullish," adding, "We believe the low-end of guidance will prove difficult to achieve."