DUBLIN, IRELAND -- The worldwide electronics manufacturing services market expanded 1.6% in 2012, well below the previous two years, according to a new research report. The industry continues to be characterized by inventory build-ups and supply chain anomalies, says Research and Markets, noting that 2010 growth was 37%, followed by an 11.3% jump in 2011.

SAN JOSE -- Bay area EMS firm Bestronics has promoted Nat Mani to chief executive, superseding cofounder James Choe, who is retiring. Mani has been president of the company since 2012.

AESCH, SWITZERLAND – Essemtec has been purchased by private investors with an industrial background.

ST. PETERSBURG, FL -- Jabil Circuit reported fiscal fourth-quarter 2013 revenues increased 11% from last year to $4.81 billion, on strong performance across all end-markets. The firm's Diversified Manufacturing unit saw revenue rise 11% to $2.1 billion.

SAN JOSE — North America-based semiconductor equipment manufacturers reported 90-day bookings fell 11.9% from last year in August. Orders were down 2.7% sequentially, the SEMI trade group said.

SANTA CLARA, CA -- PCB West, the Silicon Valley's largest trade show for the printed circuit board industry, opens today at the Santa Clara Convention Center. Pre-show conference registration is up 40% over last year while preregistration for the exhibition is up 30%.

YANTAI, CHINA -- Foxconn today acknowledged nearly a dozen people were injured in a fight last week at one of its China sites. The melee involved two groups and injured 11 people, the Wall Street Journal reported.

EL SEGUNDO, CA -- The market for large-sized liquid-crystal displays contracted in July, an ominous indicator not only because it shank for the second straight month in a row but also because the dip occurred at the start of the normally hot third quarter, according to a new report from IHS. Global shipments of large-sized LCD panels amounted to 65.46 million units in July, down 4.5% from 68.56 million units in June.

SKYLAND, NC – CTS is asking the US Supreme Court to dismiss a lawsuit that would force it to clean significant soil and groundwater contamination at its former site here.

STAMFORD, CT – Worldwide semiconductor manufacturing equipment spending is projected to total $34.6 billion in 2013, down 8.5% from 2012, says Gartner. The firm says capital spending will decrease 6.8% in 2013, due to diminishing 28nm investment from a softening in the mobile phone market.

GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Aided by a state grant, Firstronic plans to add 110 workers over the next 30 months to its site here as part of a major expansion project. The contract electronics assembler this week learned it won a $300,000 grant to expand its 35,000 sq. ft. site.

SANTA CLARA, CA -- Agilent Technologies will split into two publicly traded companies, one focus on life sciences, diagnostics and applied markets and the other on electronic measurement products. The breakup is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2014.