LAS VEGAS – Kimball Electronics, Mack Technologies, Qualitel and United Manufacturing Assembly led the winners of the 2014 Service Excellence Awards, CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY announced today.

LAS VEGAS – CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY today announced the winners of the 2014 New Product Introduction Awards for electronics assembly equipment, materials, software, and PCB fabrication. The 7th annual NPI Awards recognizes leading new products during the past 12 months.

GARBSEN, GERMANY -- LPKF reported 2013 revenue rose 13% year-over-year to EUR 129.7 million, while earnings before interest and taxes jumped 14% to EUR 23.2 million.

GARDEN GROVE, CA -- OK International today announced that it has closed on a minority investment and product development agreement with 3D printing company TierTime Technology Co. of Beijing.

PORTLAND, ME – VisionMaster has filed suit in county court claiming ASC International is manufacturing and distributing inspection systems based on pirated VisionMaster technology. The civil suit, filed in Cumberland County Superior Court, asserts that Medina, MN-based ASC has been illegally selling counterfeited 3D noncontact sensor systems since 2010.

VANCOUVER – Creation Technologies today announced longtime EMS executive Bhawnesh Mathur as its president and chief executive. He replaces Arthur Tymos, who stepped down at the end of 2013.

SHENZHEN -- JOT Automation has established a design and manufacturing facility here to broaden its geographic market presence and overall customer diversity. The facility will be located in the Bao An district, and will "significantly increase" the test and production equipment OEM's production capacity, JOT said.

OYSTER BAY, NY -- Branded tablet shipments will rise 20% year-over-year this year, ABI Research forecasts. The research firm calls 2014 a "pivotal year" for tablets as the traditional markets leading computing and CE deployments reach a tipping point and give way to growth regions.

SAN JOSE — The 90-day moving average orders at North America-based semiconductor equipment manufacturers rose 20.1% year-over-year to $1.29 billion in February. Bookings were up 0.7% from the revised January figure of $1.28 billion, the SEMI trade group said.

MILWAUKIE, OR -- Electronic Controls Design has promoted Todd Clifton to president. Clifton has been with the oven profile OEM since 1996, first as director of business development and, since 2011, as vice president of sales and marketing.

LAS VEGAS – A Honeywell scientist will take home US best paper honors at IPC Apex Expo next week for his work on bismuth alloys.

GERMANTOWN, WI – A new alliance between Resinlab and Dow Corning will focus on low-complexity modifications to silicone products. Rapid Exact will study custom silicone formulations for electronics and other applications.