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EDINA, MN – The SMTA seeks abstracts for the Pan Pacific 2009 Symposium.

The program committee seeks participants to present recent research results on any of the following topics: business; packaging; interconnection; markets; assembly; microsystems and nanosystems technology, and solar electronics.

Abstracts of 500 words should be submitted by July 31, with title and author contact information.

For online submissions, visit smta.org/panpac/call_for_papers.cfm or submit abstracts to JoAnn Stromberg at joann@smta.org.

GENEVA – The US and Japan have filed complaints with the World Trade Organization over tariffs the European Union imposes on certain electronics devices.

MIDLAND, MI – Dow Epoxy plans to raise prices in North America and other world regions as necessary, in response to the current climate of rising costs and shrinking margins.

“Profit margins have substantially eroded in the face of step-change hydrocarbon and energy and other manufacturing costs, and the situation shows no signs of improvement,” said Patrick Ho, business group president, Dow Epoxy & Specialty Chemicals. “We have absorbed our share of the increased costs, but we have no more room and must act immediately and definitively to ensure our business is healthy over the long-term.”

The business is currently meeting with customers to discuss market issues and upward price movement primarily driven by rising costs. Dow incurred new hydrocarbon and energy costs of greater than $2 billion in the first quarter of 2008, and an additional $665 million so far in the second, the company said.

FAIRFIELD, CT – LG Electronics and Haier Group have been cited as potential buyers of General Electric’s appliances unit, according to GE’s CEO Jeffrey Immelt, say published reports. However, the firms aren’t speaking on the record.

SEATTLE – The global semiconductor market is expected to grow 4.7% to $267.7 billion in 2008, up from 3.2% in 2007, according to the revised forecast of the World Semiconductor Trade Statistics.

ANAHEIM, CA – The military and defense work that has buoyed the North American PCB industry the past five years won’t last forever. But companies that focus on developing sectors – including energy – can take advantage of the inevitable landscape changes.

That was the consensus of an expert panel last week at the SMTA Los Angeles/Orange County chapter during its monthly meeting. The discussion, A Winning Strategy for Today’s Global Electronics Assembly Industry, focused mainly on the economy, Lean and lead-free.

MANCHESTER, NH – Finetech has opened a sales and support facility here, near the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport in the Airpark Business Center.

It is the second US facility for the company, which manufactures rework and bonding equipment.

“The new office is key to providing our US customers with localized sales and applications support,” said Neil O’Brien, sales director. “With this second US facility, we are expanding our ability to develop processes, run samples, exhibit equipment and create custom solutions.”

Finetech's main US demo facility is located in Tempe, AZ.

BRAINTREE, MA -- Ultra Electronics acquired Magneto Inductive Systems (MIS) and Harris Acoustic Products (HAP) for a combined $29 million in cash plus certain additional fees based on profitability and growth over the next four years.

The HAP acquisition is pending US regulatory approval.

EDINA, MN – SMTA International will take place in San Diego next year, marking the first time the trade show will be sited on the West Coast.

BANNOCKBURN, IL – April PWB shipments rose 12.9% year-over-year, and bookings 4.8% over last year, IPC reported today.

Year to date, shipments were up 6.5% and bookings 10.6%. Shipments were down 14.6% and bookings were off 19.1% versus March.

The book-to-bill edged up above parity, to 1.01. A ratio of more than 1.0 suggests demand is ahead of supply and is considered a sign of a rising market.

About 13% of the data are imported boards resold by North American fabricators.

Rigid PCB shipments, which make up 88% of sales, were up 12.2% and bookings were up 5.6% over last year.

Year to date, rigid shipments were up 6.6% and bookings were up 12.9%. Rigid shipments decreased 14.7% and bookings decreased 19.3% versus March.

Flexible circuit shipments in April were up 22.8%, while bookings were down 4.8% year-over-year.

Year to date, flex shipments were up 5% and bookings were down 14.3%. Compared to the March, flex shipments were down 12.5% and bookings fell 16.8%. The flex book-to-bill ratio was flat at 0.99.

WESTLAKE, OH -- Nordson Corp., parent to several big-name electronics OEMs, reported second-quarter performance sales of $294 million, up 22% from last year.

Acquisitions added about 6% growth, while organic growth was 9%.

HANOI – The premiere of the Nepcon Vietnam trade show attracted 7,028 visitors over three days earlier this month, show organizers said today.

The show was co-located with InterPlas Vietnam, InterMold Vietnam, Automotive Manufacturing Vietnam and Automation Vietnam.

Vietnam is an emerging market for electronics manufacturing and several major EMS and OEM firms have committed investments toward new facilities there.

Reed Tradex, the show producer, says sales for exhibition space for 2009 have already topped that of 2008. Next year's show takes place May 21-23.