ELK GROVE, IL – SigmaTron’s CEO, chairman and president Gary R. Fairhead stepped down as president, effective today.

NEEDHAM, MA – Global shipments of traditional PCs, inclusive of desktops, notebooks, and workstations, reached 86.7 million units during the third quarter, up 3.9% year-over-year, according to the International Data Corp.

HERTFORDSHIRE, UK – Refined tin use in 2020 decreased 1.6% to 361,900 tonnes, with a preliminary estimate of 7.2% expansion during 2021, attributed to recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a recent survey by the International Tin Association. These data reflect unexpected boosts to tin use such as working from home. This, however, could be overly optimistic based on use sectors being constrained by supply chain issues in the second half of 2021, says ITA.

SINGAPORE – Following five quarters of double-digit growth, the global PC market saw annual growth of 5% in the third quarter, with shipments of desktops and notebooks, including workstations settling at 84.1 million units, according to Canalys.

CHELMSFORD, MA – The SMTA Boston Chapter will hold a free hybrid (in-person and virtual) meeting Nov. 9.

PATHUMTANI, THAILAND – SVI Public Co. signed a definitive agreement today to acquire 100% equity stake of Tohoku Pioneer (Thailand) for an undisclosed sum.

HAVERHILL, MA – Circuit Technology Center has added several new procedures covering ball grid array component reballing and inspection to its online guidebook.

NANNING, CHINA – United Time Technology (UTime) and the People's Government of Jiangnan District in Nanning City signed an investment agreement for UTime to establish 20,000 sq. m. manufacturing facilities for a line of smart telecom devices here.

SANTA CLARA, CA – The Printed Circuit Engineering Association today announced it has signed a letter of intent to acquire certain assets of UP Media Group Inc., including its signature publications and industry-leading trade shows. The deal establishes PCEA as the leading association for printed circuit engineers worldwide, with over 2.5 million engagements annually to printed circuit engineers, designers, fabricators and assemblers.

WASHINGTON – The US Department of Commerce is establishing an early alert system to detect supply chain shortages in the semiconductor industry, according to reports.

BOSTON – Creation Technologies has completed the acquisition of IEC Electronics Corp.

CAMBRIDGE, UK – The high-temperature and time-consuming reflow process leaves space for electrically conductive adhesives, according to a new IDTechEx report. ECAs comprise a metal powder embedded within a polymer resin and are well suited to applications that require electronic components to be mounted on anything other than a conventional FR4 substrate, especially when the substrate material is thermally fragile.