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ARLINGTON, VA – Consumer spending on electronics will grow 3.5% in the fourth quarter, down 50% year-over-year, the Consumer Electronics Association revealed in a report set to be released today.

ROCKVILLE, MD – Rochester Electronics has established a Design and Technology Group here, expanding its capability to recreate semiconductors discontinued by the original manufacturer.

The new group specializes in ASIC designs and can reverse-engineer products where original tooling and intellectual property is missing or unavailable. Rochester has licensing deals in place with original component manufacturers to support these activities, the company says.

"There are many devices discontinued by the original manufacturer that are critically required in systems needing a long term support solution. In many cases, there simply is insufficient inventory of finished devices or die," said Curt Gerrish, Rochester founder and CEO. "Through Rochester's authorizations and licensing from the original manufacturer, we are able to recreate the device from the manufacturer's IP or through device reverse engineering."

DANDERYD, SWEDEN – Top 50 EMS firm NOTE will cut headcount by 100 workers in Sweden and move certain production to its China plants.

ST. LOUIS – EMS provider LaBarge Inc. today said the company expects to report net sales of approximately $68 million for the fiscal 2009 first quarter, up nearly 13% year-over-year.

“Fiscal 2009 first-quarter results were up significantly from the previous first quarter on higher shipments to customers in several market sectors and improved gross margin,” said Craig LaBarge, CEO and president.

The firm plans to announce full financial results on Oct. 30.

LaBarge is a top 60 EMS company.

Tags: SMT, surface mount, electronics, contract assembly, electronics manufacturing services

SAN FRANCISCO – A Webinar on on how article manufacturers can comply with REACH requirements is coming Oct. 29.

While the majority of products, known as articles under REACH, will be exempt from registration, all articles imported into or manufactured and sold in the EU will be subject to disclosure requirements for certain substances that could be used in articles, says Design Chain Associates. These disclosure requirements are expected to begin this week or next.

Manufacturers producing for consumer markets should be especially concerned about these requirements since REACH permits any consumer to request information about certain substances in articles from any manufacturer, says the firm. The manufacturer is obligated to reply within 45 days.

DCA's 90-minute Webinar will address REACH concepts and timelines; what an article is; legal requirements for articles; candidate list for substances of very high concern, and related issues; what to do now to comply with REACH; ongoing issues and strategies to ensure continued compliance with REACH; strategies to prepare more broadly for environmental compliance and competition.

Visit http://www.reacheu.com for more information and to register.

MILTON, NY -- Sono-Tek's August quarter sales rose 13% year-over-year to $1.61 million but the company swung to a net loss of $177,000.

For the period ended Aug. 31, the Company reversed its previous year's profits of $12,000, citing increased spending on technical and market developments for a new business development program.

Chairman and CEO Dr. Christopher L. Coccio attributed the increase to the new business development program, and noted that the sales increase was based on products such as the Exactacoat and Flexicoat, which serve the new solar and fuel cell markets, WideTrack systems for new glass customers and our first textile finishing system, and the new line of SonoDry ultrasonic spray dryers for the pharmaceutical and nanotechnology industries.

SAN JOSE -- North American manufacturers of semiconductor equipment booked $754 million in orders in September 2008 on a three-month average basis, down 13% from revised August figures and off 39% year-over-year.

The book-to-bill ratio was 0.76, meaning $76 worth of orders were received for every $100 of product billed for the month, SEMI said.

NASHVILLE -- Sean McShefferty, a veteran of more than 20 years in electronics manufacturing and North American electronics sales manager at Kyzen, died Oct. 12 following a long battle with cancer.

In a statement, Kyzen vice president Tom Forsythe said, “It is with deep sorrow that we received word of Sean McShefferty’s passing. Sean has battled stomach cancer for nearly two years and until quite recently had remarkably maintained a near-normal schedule, not only managing to continue with his duties at Kyzen but also being active at his church, in outreach programs for cancer awareness, as well as supporting other cancer patients and survivors.

SILVER SPRING, MD – The International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative is offering a medical electronics forum on Nov. 14 in Silver Spring, MD.

This free event, hosted by the US Food and Drug Administration, will discuss requirements and recommendations developed for the electronics industry to ensure reliability of components used in medical products.

Forum topics include existing and related standards and test methods; use conditions for life-critical medical components; test and extrapolation methodologies; sampling population assessment; range and conditions of applicability; test methodologies and criteria; medical grade guidelines; failure modes and effects analysis of MLCC failures, and accelerated life test methods to determine long-term leakage and breakdown failures of MLCCs.

TORONTO – Adeptron Technologies will provide $15 million a year in electronics manufacturing services to an undisclosed OEM, the EMS firm said today.

The deal has "the potential to increase significantly," Adeptron said, because of sales growth of the product lines and from possible additional manufacturing support services for other current and future products.

Adeptron said the Canada-based OEM designs a "top-selling range of proprietary technology products that are marketed worldwide." The company indicated the product is used in office and educational environments.

Full ramp of manufacturing is expected to take place during the first quarter 2009.

Adeptron has annual sales of $250 million, including revenues generated by a partner in China.

GLENVIEW, IL – Illinois Tool Works reported third-quarter net income slipped 7.5% even on an 11% jump in revenues, the latter spurred by acquisitions and favorable currency translations. Base revenues fell 0.8% on lower volumes partially offset by higher raw material price recovery.

WASHINGTON, DC – Big industry production fell lower in September than it had since late 1974, largely as a result of hurricanes Gustav and Ike.

The Federal Reserve reported production at US factories, mines and utilities plunged 2.8% last month, in addition to a 1% drop in August.

The Fed estimated hurricane-related disruptions accounted for about 2.25 points of the total drop. In addition, a strike affecting the commercial aircraft industry also was a factor, accounting for around 50 basis points.

Economists originally forecast a September decline of 0.8%.