SANTA CLARA, CA — Flat panel display manufacturing equipment spending fell 69% in 2012 to $3.8 billion— making 2012 the weakest year in history for FPD equipment makers.

SMYRNA, GA -- Murata Americas and Cogiscan have formed a strategic partnership under which their respective products are combined to offer complete PCB track, trace and control solutions using Murata's novel RFID tag.

EDINA, MN -- SMTA reported more than 1,000 registrants representing over 520 companies and 26 countries for its annual SMTAI trade show this year.

NEENAH, WI -- Plexus named Dan Lewis vice president, defense/security/aerospace sector, responsible for the sector development strategy and implementation, new customer engagement, and overall sector growth.

CHENGDU, CHINA -- Workers at Compal's factory here walked off the line Thursday in protest of working hours and wages.

REDMOND, WA -- Data I/O has named Anthony Ambrose president, effective immediately.

LOS ALTOS, CA – Smartphones continue to dial up big gains, but the overall cellphone market isn't generating much in the way of busy signals.

ANGLETON, TX -- Benchmark Electronics saw sales rise 7% year-over-year for the third quarter ended Sept. 30.

NEENAH, WI – Plexus reported revenue of $595 million for the fiscal fourth quarter ended Sept. 29, up 10.5% year-over-year. Revenue was down 2.3% sequentially.

BOSTON – A widespread shortage of high-skilled manufacturing workers in the US is overstated, but it will be an emerging problem by the end of the decade, says a new report from Boston Consulting Group.

ORLANDO, FL — Gartner today asserted mobile devices will supersede the PC as the preferred Web surfing device, one of 10 technologies and trends the firm identified as strategic for most organizations in 2013.

BILLINGSTAD, NORWAY -- EMS firm Kitron today reported third-quarter revenue rose 3.7% from a year ago on higher demand for marine and defense electronics.