ELKHART, IN -- CTS will take up to $20 million in restructuring charges as part of its latest manufacturing consolidation.

GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- EMS companies Firstronic and Maxway Technology have formed a joint manufacturing operation to be based in Shenzhen, the companies said today.

WASHINGTON -- The US Department of Defense is hosting a public meeting to obtain the views of experts and interested parties in government and the private sector regarding the electronic parts detection and avoidance coverage proposed for inclusion in DoD procurement guidelines.

RAMOS ARIZPE, MEXICO -- Flextronics reportedly closed its plant here on May 30, sending 700 workers to the unemployment line.

ARAD, ISRAEL -- Flextronics reportedly is laying off 100 workers at its plant here and moving some operations to another plant in the country.

ARLINGTON, VA -- US manufacturing technology orders totaled $372.5 million in April, down 26.6% from March and down 12.6% from April 2012.

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA -- Chinese OEM Hisense has invested $35 million in a new, massive industrial park here where it will produce hundreds of thousands of TVs, refrigerators and other white goods each year.

HERNDON, VA -- A new white paper from an International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative task group takes a comprehensive view of the counterfeit components problem by surveying the possible points of entry in the supply chain and assessing the impact of counterfeit components on the industry at various points of use.

BATHGATE, SCOTLAND -- Plexus officially opened a previously announced design center and manufacturing facility here.

TAIPEI CITY -- Global Brands Manufacture forecast sales from automotive products to grow in the the double-digits over the next few years. The bare board manufacturer and printed circuit board assembler expects automotive revenues to reach about $140 million this year, more than 30% of the firm's total revenue.

ANGLETON, TX -- Suntron employees today confirmed the company is now part of Benchmark Electronics, which has remained tight-lipped about the acquisition.

WASHINGTON — Worldwide semiconductor sales reached $23.62 billion in April , down 1.8% year-over-year. Sales were up 60 basis points from March, the Semiconductor Industry Association added.