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For the quarter ended Sept. 27, return on invested capital was 20.1%. Cash flow used by operations was approximately $400,000. The top 10 customers comprised 61% of revenue during the quarter, down one point sequentially, with Juniper Networks (19% of revenue) the only customer above 10%.
SAN JOSE – The Arbitration Panel from the International Court of
Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce has issued an interim order, finding for Tessera Inc. in its licensing dispute with Amkor Technology.
According to Tessera, the panel unanimously ruled in its favor, finding Tessera's patents to be valid and certain Amkor chip packages in violation of those patents. Tessera will be awarded damages of an as-yet undisclosed amount.
Amkor said in a press release it believes the final damages will be "well below" the $85 million to $115 million originally claimed by Tessera.
This may be because the panel also found that most of the disputed packages are not subject
to the patent royalty provisions of the license. Damages
for past royalties for infringing packages from March 2002 through March 2008 will be
determined by the panel, while damages experts for each of the parties were ordered to calculate the amount of
past royalties due to Tessera. A joint report from the two parties is due Nov.
17, whereupon the panel will set the final amount.
Amkor said it is moving on and the finding will not impact its finances. “While we denied having any liability in the case, we can now move forward without the uncertainty that accompanied these claims,” said James Kim, chief executive of Amkor. “Our cash position remains solid and the ruling is not expected to have a material impact on our liquidity or ongoing business.”
However, in a separate statement, Tessera's president and CEO Henry Nothhaft said, "We expect that the monetary award will be material." Both parties could be correct: Amkor is considerably larger than Tessera.
Separately, Amkor said it has won a Supreme Court of Delaware appeal in which the high court affirmed the trial court’s ruling in favor of Amkor in its litigation with Motorola over a licensing with Citizen and certain patents relating to plastic ball grid array packages. The Supreme Court affirmed that the assignment was effective and that Amkor successfully acquired Citizen’s rights in the license and patents.
The company said the expansion would permit additional automation equipment. Furthermore, the company, whose staff grew 51% in 2008 to 50 employees, expects to hire additional workers now that the expansion is complete.
The company now has over 10,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing space and four SMT lines.
Petroferm, specialty chemical manufacturer and formulator, had been privately held.
The acquisition by the private equity firm includes Petroferm’s operations in Gurnee, IL and Fernandina Beach, FL. The Joseph Storey (UK) division will be spun off to Petroferm shareholders.
H.I.G. acquired the North American oleochemical business Uniqema Americas earlier this year. The firm plans to maintain the two as distinct operating subsidiaries. The two businesses will have combined sales in excess of $300 million, the firm says.
SIEVI, FINLAND – Scanfil reported third quarter sales fell 5% year-over-year to $70 million and operating profits dropped 7% to $6.5 million.
Year-to-date revenues totaled $205 million, down 3% from 2007. Operating profits rose 26.7% to $20.8 million. Net profits were up 25% to $16.8 million.
MALMÖ, SWEDEN – PartnerTech, the largest EMS company in Scandinavia, reported third-quarter sales fell 7.7% to$71 million. The operating profit dropped 29% to SEK $1.27 million, while net profits fell 36% to $584,000.
Year to date sales were $233 million, down 5.4% year-over-year. The company swung to a net loss of $174,000. Cash flow after investments amounted to $4.1 million.
Through September, sales of terminals and machine solutions are up 11.3% on higher demand. Medical equipment sales fell 18.4%. Industrial and telecom, the company’s biggest segment, fell 7.6%.
During the quarter, PartnerTech reduced headcount by 65.
The privately held company also unveiled plans to seek private placement equity from partners, customers and other investors.
In a press release, James B. Schultz, Red Rocket president and CEO, said, “EMESD positions our company to partake in the rapid growth from $5 billion today to estimated over $18 billion by 2012 in India electronics and electrical product manufacturing for export."
CPIPL, Red Rocket’s wholly owned subsidiary, includes a 100,000 sq. ft. facility in Mumbai. The company purchased the site from Jabil Circuit last year.
SAN JOSE -- Flextronics has reportedly laid off about 70 workers in Taiwan and additional cuts are possible, according to a local newspaper report.
The Apply Daily, citing company sources, said most
of laid off workers are from the company's notebook and server operations.
Also, Salcomp promoted Pekka Kyyriäinen to vice president, global operations, superseding Osmo Oja, who is retiring. He was general manager of Salcomp's plant in China since 2006.
Salcomp employs more than 10,000 workers and has 2007 revenues of $356 million.
The trade group had previously made its case to the Öko-Institut, which was charged with drafting the list.
TBBPA, a a reactive flame retardant used in most printed circuit board laminates, has been reported to be included among five substances for priority assessment and potential inclusion in RoHS by media who claimed to have seen the proposal. It is reportedly used in more than two-thirds of electrical and electronics appliances.
Citing the strong body of technical evidence, IPC claims TBBPA is not a risk and should not be included in future RoHS documents. "TBBPA has already undergone a comprehensive EU Risk Assessment and, therefore, is not expected to be subject to authorization under REACH,” IPC said in the letter. "The recommendation for priority review of TBBPA under RoHS seemingly undermines the EU’s emerging chemicals policy and law under REACH. We urge the commission to reconsider the inclusion of TBBPA in its list of ‘priority review’ substances under RoHS.”
Following interagency review of the proposal, the EU Commission will present the proposed RoHS Revision to the European Parliament.
To see the IPC letter, click here.
A year ago, the electronics manufacturing services company reported sales of $55.5 million and gross earnings before taxes of $1.9 million.
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