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ARMONK, NY -- IBM's systems revenue rose 2% in the first quarter versus a year ago, providing some hope for the company's EMS suppliers.

Hardware revenue was down 7% year-over-year to $4.2 billion. Excluding printers and microelectronics, revenue was up 2% versus a year ago. Storage and System z (IBM's mainframe computing) segments were each up 10%.

HELSINKI -- Nokia posted strong first-quarter results, reporting revenues of €12.66 billion, up 28% year-over-year. Operating profit rose 20% to €1.53 billion.

CARLSBAD, CA -- Palomar Microelectronics has tripled the size of its cleanroom assembly space and increased its prototyping, applications engineering, process development, assembly, and test services capabilities.

The company, a unit of Palomar Technologies, opened 2,500 sq. f. class 100K and 500 sq. ft. class 10K cleanrooms, said to enable rapid prototyping and turnaround of advanced wire bonding, gold ball bumping, and precision component placement for semiconductor packages, high power LEDs, MEMS devices, microwave and RF components, optoelectronic packages, multichip modules, and hybrids.

“The new cleanroom space allows us to provide microelectronic services for many of the emerging technologies in areas such as MEMS, high bright LEDs, and other advanced packaging applications and to speed delivery of these services to our customers,” said Donald Beck, operations manager for Palomar Microelectronics.

STAMFORD, CT -- Worldwide semiconductor capital equipment spending will drop 19.8% to $47.5 billion this year, says Gartner Inc.

In December, the research firm forecast a 10% drop for the year.

The company blamed lower capital spending for memory chips. “Since our last update in late December, reported DRAM spending plans have declined to the point where we are now projecting a drop of almost 47% in DRAM spending and 29% in total memory in 2008,” said managing VP Klaus Rinnen. The firm expects a recovery will begin in the second half.

Global packaging and assembly equipment spending is now forecast to drop 18.1%, extending last year's 3.7% decline. Automated test equipment is expected to drop 13% this year, following last year's 14% decline. Gartner said market conditions for those segments should begin to turn up this summer.

PHILADELPHIA – Confusion over whether to conformally coat assemblies has, with the increase in Pb-free processing, become a major discussion point, especially for producers of high reliability products.

On May 17, the American Competitiveness Institute will sponsor a free, five-hour seminar on different coating materials and application methods, and will examine the issue of contamination detection and control. Other topics of discussion will include tin whiskering. This is the first in a series of free workshops covering key manufacturing issues.

Presenting will be Graham Naisbitt, who has over 30 years’ experience in coatings, as a user and in application and test equipment. He is co-chairman of the IPC Test Methods subcommittee and SIR task group, and has received multiple IPC Distinguished Committee Service awards for efforts on IPC-CC-830 IPC-HDBK-830 (conformal coating), J-STD-004 (fluxes) IPC-TM-650 2.6.3.7 (SIR), IPC-9201A (SIR Test Handbook) and 2.6.25 (CAF Testing). He also works on IEC TC91 Standards Committee.

The presentations will include explanations of conformal coatings; how to apply , inspect and assess them; new coating technologies; contamination detection and control The event is suited to engineers, design, quality and inspection staff, production and test operators and any member of staff tasked with quality control.

To attend, contact Ken Friedman at 610-362-1200 x 279 or kfriedman@aciusa.org by May 12.

ACI is a scientific research corporation dedicated to the advancement of electronics manufacturing processes and materials for the Department of Defense and industry. The company operates the US Navy’s Center of Excellence in Electronics Manufacturing and is located directly next to the Philadelphia Airport.

SALT LAKE CITY – EMS provider CirTran Corp. reported revenue of $12.4 million for 2007, up 42% year-over-year during what its president and CEO Iehab J. Hawatmeh called “an investment year.”

CirTran’s gross profit was $3.2 million, down 3% compared to 2006, as a result of higher than expected cost of sales experienced in entering the online marketplace, along with lower margins on startup marketing services, the company said.

For the year, CirTran reported a net loss of $7.2 million, up from 2006’s loss of $2.9 million, which was attributed to increases in selling, general and administrative expenses.

SACRAMENTO, CA – A measure by the California Department of Toxic Substances Control to establish a new framework for chemicals management is drawing criticism from electronics industry trade groups.

LIVERMORE, CA – Livermore Lab announced plans to layoff up to 535 employees, including scientists and engineers. These involuntary layoffs could start as early as mid-May.

The state-funded lab laid off about 500 temporary and support employees in January, and 215 permanent employees took a buyout in March.

The shedding of employees is a result of increased costs associated with the changeover to private management from the University of California last fall, says the lab.

After the next set of layoffs, the lab will still employ about 6,600.

Manager Lawrence Livermore National Security anticipated about $80 million in increased costs; however, the costs have reached $280 million.

LONDON – Copper jumped more than 3% Wednesday, reversing a prior drop, as word leaked of a possible strike at Codelco, the world’s largest producer.

RICHARDSON, TX – TXP Corp. today reported a fourth quarter net loss of $5.8 million on sales of $2.8 million.

MILWAUKEE – Tyco Electronics will close its plant here and lay off 101 workers, the company said in a state filing.

In a required filing with the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, Tyco said it would lay off 58 full-time and 43 temporary employees.

The company is making moves to improve its competitiveness and cost structure.

A handful of affected employees will be offered relocation, the company said.

WELLESLEY, MA – The global market for emergency response technology is expected to grow to $69.4 billion by 2013, up from $54.7 billion in 2008, a CAGR of 4.9%, says BCC Research.

The emergency response by technologies segment has the largest share of the market, according to the research firm, and is expected to reach $47.7 billion in 2013, a CAGR of 3%.

Emergency response by technologies comprised approximately 75.4% of the overall emergency response technology market in 2008, and is forecast to decrease to approximately 68.8% by 2013.

The emergency response by functional categories was measured at overall revenues of $3.5 billion in 2000, rising to $13.5 billion in 2008. This segment is forecast to reach $21.6 billion in 2013, a CAGR of 9.9%.

Emergency response by functional categories comprised approximately 24% of the overall emergency response technology industry this year, and is forecast to increase to approximately 31% of the overall emergency response technologies industry by 2013, says BCC.