Latest News
HERNDON, VA – An iNEMI two-day summit will focus on the challenges of creating a more sustainable industry. The goal of this summit, scheduled for Sept. 22 and 23 in Schaumburg, IL, is to define specific actions for the electronics industry and organize programs to execute these actions.
“How can products be designed to minimize their impact through the lifecycle?” asks CEO Jim McElroy. “How much energy is consumed to produce the product and, more importantly, how much will be consumed over the life of the product? How difficult will the product be to deal with at end of life? We will take a systems view across the supply chain to identify where there are major gaps – and where we think we can make a difference.”
Mark Brillhart, VP of manufacturing operations for global supply chain management at Cisco, will address how collaboration can serve as a catalyst for sustainability innovations.
Brad Allenby of Arizona State University is another featured speaker. He will look at challenges and opportunities presented by the design and management of emerging technologies in a rapidly shifting social, cultural, environmental and economic landscape.
For more information and to register, visit http://www.inemi.org/cms/calendar/Sustainability_Summit_Sept08.html.
“How can products be designed to minimize their impact through the lifecycle?” asks CEO Jim McElroy. “How much energy is consumed to produce the product and, more importantly, how much will be consumed over the life of the product? How difficult will the product be to deal with at end of life? We will take a systems view across the supply chain to identify where there are major gaps – and where we think we can make a difference.”
Mark Brillhart, VP of manufacturing operations for global supply chain management at Cisco, will address how collaboration can serve as a catalyst for sustainability innovations.
Brad Allenby of Arizona State University is another featured speaker. He will look at challenges and opportunities presented by the design and management of emerging technologies in a rapidly shifting social, cultural, environmental and economic landscape.
For more information and to register, visit http://www.inemi.org/cms/calendar/Sustainability_Summit_Sept08.html.
ANAHEIM – Multi-Fineline Electronix said it would move some assembly operations from Anaheim and Suzhou, China, to a new plant in Malaysia.
M-Flex, which fabricates flex circuits and does some contract assembly, is leasing the plant from WBL Corp., its largest shareholder. More than 125 employees from Wearnes Electronics Malaysia, a WBL subsidiary, will move to the new facility.
The location will take over a high-mix/low-volume operation that deals with low production runs of many different models.
M-Flex, which fabricates flex circuits and does some contract assembly, is leasing the plant from WBL Corp., its largest shareholder. More than 125 employees from Wearnes Electronics Malaysia, a WBL subsidiary, will move to the new facility.
The location will take over a high-mix/low-volume operation that deals with low production runs of many different models.
BANNOCKBURN, IL – North American industry PCB shipments in July increased 6.9% year-over-year and orders fell 6.9%, IPC said.
NAMPA, ID – MPC will lay off 5% of its nationwide workforce, including 55 jobs in North Sioux City, and here at the company's headquarters, and transfer manufacturing in Nashville to Flextronics in Juarez, Mexico, according to published reports. Most of the jobs are in IT and sales, KTIV reported.
MPC acquired certain elements of Gateway's computer business last year and is one of the 10 largest PC manufacturers. However, the company is struggling to avoid bankruptcy, according to recent company notices.
The company did not disclose the value or length of the programs sent to Flextronics.
ST. LOUIS – LaBarge Inc. has been awarded a $1.1 million contract from Northrop Grumman to provide electronic assemblies for its new Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar (G/ATOR), which consolidates the missions of five Marine Corps radars into a single multi-role radar system.
The company expects to receive follow-on orders.
Production on the contract began this summer at LaBarge's Tulsa facility and is expected to continue through January 2009.
The company expects to receive follow-on orders.
Production on the contract began this summer at LaBarge's Tulsa facility and is expected to continue through January 2009.
SAN JOSE – The average cost of labor for EMS in most global geographies continues to rise at a rate equal to or slightly above the currency-adjusted local inflationary index, according to Charlie Barnhart & Associates.
BANGKOK – Hana Microelectronics said second-quarter revenue dropped 1% year-over-year to about $115 million, but net profit rose 26% to almost $16 million.
First-half revenue rose 1% to $227.5 million compared to the same period last year, with net profit rising 24% to $29.13 million.
The profit increase was a result of higher capacity utilization, the company said.
The firm, which builds IC packages and electronics assemblies, expects revenues to grow 15% in the third quarter, as a result of increased orders from China, India and Southeast Asia.
Hana recorded revenue of $452 million last year. More than 80% of sales were attributable to PCBs and IC assemblies, say published reports. The company was ranked 36th among the largest EMS suppliers by Electronic Business.
Hana also has added 3,000 sq. meters to its production plant, and is considering building a new facility in the same location.
First-half revenue rose 1% to $227.5 million compared to the same period last year, with net profit rising 24% to $29.13 million.
The profit increase was a result of higher capacity utilization, the company said.
The firm, which builds IC packages and electronics assemblies, expects revenues to grow 15% in the third quarter, as a result of increased orders from China, India and Southeast Asia.
Hana recorded revenue of $452 million last year. More than 80% of sales were attributable to PCBs and IC assemblies, say published reports. The company was ranked 36th among the largest EMS suppliers by Electronic Business.
Hana also has added 3,000 sq. meters to its production plant, and is considering building a new facility in the same location.
SAN JOSE – A projected decline in world semiconductor fab equipment spending of 20% is expected for 2008, but a rebound of more than 20% in spending is expected in 2009, driven by more than 70 fab projects, says SEMI.
ORLANDO – Orlando: You’ll come for the rain. You’ll stay for the wind.
Or because of it, perhaps.
Tropical Storm Fay, which as of this writing was still threatening to upgrade to hurricane status, put a damper on the second annual SMTA International trade show, although those who braved the elements were treated to a strong technical conference and an eye-opening keynote.
RICHARDSON, TX – TXP Corp., ODM for the telecommunications industry, reported a second-quarter 2008 net loss of approximately $9.9 million compared to a net loss of approximately $1.5 million for the same period in 2007.
This included a non-cash loss of approximately $5.7 million.
The firm posted an operating loss of approximately $1.9 million, compared to an operating loss of about $1.1 million last year.
Revenue was approximately $3.31 million, up a slight 0.6% year-over-year.
SANTA CLARA, CA – Based on conjecture as a result of a dropping share price and dismal forecasts, server and software maker Sun Microsystems could be a prime takeover target for Hewlett-Packard, Fujitsu, IBM, Dell or another technology firm, say published reports.
If speculation comes to fruition, a sale of this caliber would mean a dollar amount in the billions.
No talks have been confirmed, but some analysts still say Sun is ripe for big players. However, other analysts say Sun’s goal is to fix the business rather than sell.
Sun has annual sales of $13.9 billion and a workforce of nearly 35,000 globally, according to published reports, making it the seventh-largest Silicon Valley-based firm.
The company said profits fell to $88 million from $329 million in the most recent quarter compared to the same period last year. Revenues were $3.78 billion, down 1.6% year-over-year.
Sun’s CFO, Mike Lehman, reportedly projected "modest, low-single-digit growth" in revenue for the next full year.
SINGAPORE – GlobalTronics, the biennial trade show, takes place here Sept. 9 through 12. This year’s event features a lineup of prominent speakers on a range of state-of-the-art and innovative products and services, plus embedded systems seminars, and a separate supply chain and logistics conference.
“We see new opportunities in the electronics manufacturing industry amid the many challenges that have recently arisen in the global market, from increasing inflationary pressures to more countries entering the contract manufacturing arena,” said Michelle Lim, general manager for Reed Exhibitions, Singapore and Malaysia, which produces the trade show. “Core manufacturing competencies and growing cost-effective skilled workforce have helped Asia be the leader in electronics manufacturing for many years. By taking advantage of these competencies and also constantly improving on the skills and strategies to elevate the value chain, Asia will continue to lead as the world’s producer and exporter of electronics. The challenge is to identify the higher value segments in the electronic components market, for example integrated circuits, testing and development of components and even design, which require higher levels of skilled workers to utilize advanced manufacturing technology.”
Reed expects nearly 400 exhibitors, and notes the last show, in 2006, attracted just fewer than 12,000 attendees.
“We see new opportunities in the electronics manufacturing industry amid the many challenges that have recently arisen in the global market, from increasing inflationary pressures to more countries entering the contract manufacturing arena,” said Michelle Lim, general manager for Reed Exhibitions, Singapore and Malaysia, which produces the trade show. “Core manufacturing competencies and growing cost-effective skilled workforce have helped Asia be the leader in electronics manufacturing for many years. By taking advantage of these competencies and also constantly improving on the skills and strategies to elevate the value chain, Asia will continue to lead as the world’s producer and exporter of electronics. The challenge is to identify the higher value segments in the electronic components market, for example integrated circuits, testing and development of components and even design, which require higher levels of skilled workers to utilize advanced manufacturing technology.”
Reed expects nearly 400 exhibitors, and notes the last show, in 2006, attracted just fewer than 12,000 attendees.
Press Releases
- Indium Corporation Technical Expert to Present at SiP Conference China
- Flex Announces Kevin Krumm as Chief Financial Officer
- Green Circuits Enhances Inspection Capabilities with New DAGE Quadra 5 Pro X-ray System
- Western Digital CEO David Goeckeler Elected Chair of Semiconductor Industry Association