ATLANTA – PCB West show attendance rose 20.3% year-over-year, boosted in part by a 22% increase in exhibitors. Conference attendance jumped 31% over 2012 as printed circuit board designers, fabricators and assemblers flocked to the event’s largest technical program in years, said UP MEDIA GROUP, which produces the annual Silicon Valley trade show.

CHATSWORTH, CA -- Natel Engineering today announced its acquisition of EPIC Technologies, a deal first reported by CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY on Monday.

EL PASO, TX – IBL Technologies on Tuesday will finalize a deal to acquire R&D Technical Services for an undisclosed amount. The deal gives IBL a full range of vapor phase reflow machines, from batch to inline and rework.

CHATSWORTH, CA -- Natel will acquire Epic Technologies this week, according to CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY sources.

CHELMSFORD, ENGLAND – A three-hour webinar on high-temperature electronics manufacturing will take place Nov. 27.

BANNOCKBURN, IL – Total North American printed circuit board shipments decreased 1.6% year-over-year in August. Orders decreased 9.1% compared to August 2012, says IPC.

WASHINGTON, DC – Worldwide sales of semiconductors reached $25.87 billion in August, up 6.4% year-over-year, marking the industry’s largest year-over-year growth since March 2011, says the Semiconductor Industry Association.

SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ – R&D Circuits has acquired Altanova Corp.

ATLANTA, GA – PCB West show attendance rose 20.3% year-over-year, boosted in part by a 22% increase in exhibitors.

WASHINGTON, DC – The reports outlining the US government’s data collection and surveillance programs are having global economic and policy ramifications, and these concerns must be addressed. That’s the view from two technology business organizations, expressed in a letter sent today to the White House’s Review Group on Intelligence and Communications Technology.

ANGLETON, TX -- Benchmark Electronics continued its acquisition binge, buying the electronics manufacturing services unit of CTS for $75 million. The transaction is expected to generate annual revenues in excess of $200 million and be accretive to Benchmark's earnings in 2014.

HERTFORDSHIRE, UK – A push is on to expand a joint Congolese-NGO program aimed at securing mines across the nation, ensuring a steady supply of "conflict-free" minerals from the war-torn region. The Democratic Republic of Congo's national Ministry of Mines and the iTSCi Programme team are undertaking an evaluation of conflict-free mines in four provinces: North and South Kivu, Maniema and Katanga.