EL SEGUNDO, CA – The market for dynamic random access memory is expected to partially reverse the drastic losses it incurred in 2011 and achieve revenue growth this year, the result of balanced supply and demand following the exit of major manufacturer Elpida Memory, says IHS iSuppli.

Global DRAM industry revenue this year is forecast to reach $30.6 billion, up 3.3% year-over-year. The expansion is a welcome development given the stunning 25% last year, the firm says.

The overall picture will continue to brighten during the next few years, with DRAM revenue exceeding $30 billion each year for the next five years and reaching $40.2 billion in 2016.

DRAM prospects started looking better after the bankruptcy filing in February of Japan’s Elpida. Elpida was part of the elite echelon of DRAM manufacturers that includes Samsung Electronics and Hynix Semiconductor of South Korea, as well as US-based Micron Technology. The industry is expected to benefit from Elpida’s exit, with the market lifting on signs of supply rebalance, says the research firm.

The DRAM space can look forward to continued strong expansion in the next few years because of three growth drivers: ultrathin PCs, smartphones and tablets, according to IHS iSuppli.

Ultrathin PCs, including Intel’s ultrabooks, the MacBook Air from Apple and ARM-based lightweight PCs – will present plenty of new opportunities for low-power DRAM, especially when ultrathins comprise the majority of shipments by 2016.

For high-end ultrabooks in particular, PC manufacturers are projected to have enough margin to afford the installation of low-power double data rate 3 DRAM in their products, adding to overall DRAM industry revenue. LPDDR3 will account for as much as 19% of the total DRAM market in 2014.

In the case of smartphones, increasing shipments during the next five years, coupled with growing memory content per phone, suggest rosy prospects as well for DRAM. Average DRAM content in smartphones this year will amount to 5.1Gb, up from 3.5Gb last year and from 2.3Gb in 2010.

WASHINGTON – A top executive of TechAmerica lauded a US House committee for amending a bill that puts the onus for maintaining a counterfeit-free supply chain on the suppliers.

Senior vice president for National Security and Procurement Policy Trey Hodgkins thanked the Armed Services Committee for adopting an amendment to the fiscal year 2013 National Defense Authorization bill that will aid in the adoption of criteria now under development designed to detect and avoid counterfeit parts in the Department of Defense supply chain.

The amendment shares the risks of remediating counterfeit parts under strict circumstances where the vendor has adopted requirements established by the DoD, acquired the parts from a DoD-approved authorized or trusted supplier, and complied with all specified reporting requirements.

The amendment was adopted by the committee on voice vote.

SAN JOSE -- SMTC has completed its integration of ZF Array and a subsequent expansion at its manufacturing facility here.

SAN JOSE -- Sanmina-SCI's defense sales have stabilized following a drop last year and the EMS company is "optimistic" that the military growth engine will start to rev up later this year.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Longtime Fabrinet customer Opnext is broadening its supply base for optical components and networks.

NEENAH, WI – Plexus Corp. said it intends to construct a 410,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility here.

The site will replace two existing leased facilities and will consolidate approximately 1,000 employees into the new building.

The facility is expected to cost approximately $50 million, with construction expected to begin in July, with a completion date of fall 2013.

Plexus is eligible for $15 million in enterprise zone tax credits through the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. These tax credits will be distributed over a seven-year period. Incentives from the City of Neenah are also contemplated, subject to approval by city officials, the firm says.

SUZHOU, CHINA – Vitronics Soltec said it plans to consolidate manufacturing and expand operations in China. 

SEOUL – Koh Young Technology has delivered its 3000th 3D inline solder paste inspection system, the AOI OEM said today.

EMS firm Mack Technologies purchased a total of six of the machines for its facility in Melbourne, FL.

LOUISVILLE, KY – Sypris Solutions reported first-quarter revenue of $96.5 million, up 27% year-over-year.

Net income was $5.3 million, an increase of 152.4% compared to the same period last year.

Revenue for the Electronics Group was $13.9 million, down 14.7% compared to the first quarter of 2011, but up 23% sequentially.

Gross profit for the quarter was $2.6 million, or 18.6% of revenue, compared to $3 million, or 18.5% of revenue for the same period in 2011.

The company expects the Electronics Group to see progressive recovery in shipments and margins throughout the coming year.

DUSSELDORF – Henkel’s sales in the first quarter of 2012 were 4 billion euro, up 4.8% year-over-year.

The Adhesive Technologies business sector generated organic sales growth of 5.6%.

Net income for the quarter improved 30.3% to 378 million euro.

Adjusted operating profit improved 16.6% to 551 million euro, with all three business sectors contributing. Operating profit increased 25.2% to 538 million euro.
The Adhesive Technologies business sector recorded a sales increase of 6.2% to 2 billion euro. Organic sales rose 5.6%.

Adjusted operating profit in the Adhesive Technologies business sector showed a significant increase compared to the prior-year quarter, rising 16.9% to 289 million euro. Operating profit rose to 283 million euro, up 16.2% versus the prior-year period.

Total sales in Western Europe amounted to 1.44 billion euro, roughly flat with the previous year period. Sales in Eastern Europe rose 3% to 675 million euro. Nominal sales in the Africa/Middle East region went up 16.8% to 259 million euro. Sales in North America increased 10.4% to 746 million euro.

The Latin America region realized sales growth of 3.9% to 263 million euro. In the Asia-Pacific region, sales rose 9.7% to 589 million euro. Emerging markets of Eastern Europe, Africa/Middle East, Latin America and Asia (excluding Japan) recorded sales growth of 6.7% to 1.64 billion euro.

Henkel continues to expect organic sales growth of between 3% and 5% for fiscal 2012. For the Adhesive Technologies business sector, Henkel expects sales to grow in the mid single-digit percentage range.

EUR 1 = US$1.2845

ST. PETERSBURG, FL -- Jabil is leveraging its after-market services to gain a greater share of the Internet mobility market.

PATHUMTANI, THAILAND -- SVI Public Co. reported first quarter net income of 271 million baht ($8.64 million), up 23% from last year.