STAMFORD, CT – Worldwide semiconductor capital equipment spending totaled $33.8 billion in 2013, an 11.5% decline year-over-year, says Gartner.

WASHINGTON — Worldwide sales of semiconductors reached $25.87 billion in February, an increase of 11.4% from a year ago, the Semiconductor Industry Association said today. It was the industry’s largest year-to-year increase in more than three years.

MALMO, SWEDEN -- PartnerTech has formed a new unit for product development and services, part of the EMS firm's reorganization. The unit serves the Metal Precision Technology, Systems Integration Technology and Electronics Technology business units.

STAMFORD, CT -- Worldwide IT spending is on pace to total $3.8 trillion in 2014, up 3.2% over 2013, Gartner said today. The forecast is slightly higher than the research firm's prediction in January.

SAN JOSE — Sales of software for semiconductor and printed circuit design rose 5.7% year-over-year in the December quarter, setting a new fourth-quarter mark in the process. Sales were $1.88 billion for the period said the EDA Consortium, which tracks the data.

SEND, SURREY, UK -- Vision Engineering will build a new headquarters behind its existing facility here, and will ultimately replace the current factory with a new campus of buildings, the firm said. The new 80,000 sq. ft.facility will enhance Vision Engineering’s manufacturing capabilities and provide a long-term base for continued growth, the firm added.

SCHENEFELD, GERMANY -- A Scanfil subsidiary has signed an agreement to acquire all shares in German contract manufacturer Schaltex Systems. Scanfil EMS Oy will pay EUR 6.6 million in cash for Schaltex, which is located in Schenefeld, near Hamburg.

BANNOCKBURN, IL — IPC last week honored a host of volunteers for time spent drafting industry standards.

MEDINA, MA -- Reportedly sued last week by a competitor, ASC International today responded with a statement dismissing VisionMaster's claims of product piracy.

“ASC International will not allow random companies to report claims of product infringement based upon frivolous accusations against our company," the firm said in a statement.

LAS VEGAS -- IPC Apex Expo came to a close Thursday, completing its annual three-day run at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. The trade show, the electronics assembly industry's largest in the US, appeared to most observers to have attracted slightly more attendees than last year's event in San Diego.

BANNOCKBURN, IL — IPC yesterday inducted Mike Carano into the IPC Raymond E. Pritchard Hall of Fame, the trade association's highest honor. Carano was inducted in a ceremony during IPC Apex Expo yesterday in Las Vegas.

BROMONT, CANADA -- Speedline Technologies and Cogiscan yesterday introduced new software based on Cogiscan's TTC technology capable of harvesting and reporting traceability data from Speedline printers.