BROMONT, CANADA – The US PTO has issued Cogiscan a patent for automating the use of RFID tags to identify reels of electronic components.

BOSTON -- Exhibitors at Design East here offered contrasting opinions on the first two days of the annual trade show.

SAO PAULO, BRAZIL -- Foxconn Technology Group will invest a reported 1 billion Brazilian reais ($492 million) toward a new factory scheduled to come online by 2014, the company said.

ALPHARETTA, GA -- Some 16 major assembly equipment companies met two weeks ago as part of an informal consortium to collaborate on a common approach to whole-line electronics equipment assembly.

SHANGHAI -- Up to 6,000 workers at a Flextronics plant here reportedly are striking over plans to relocate production to a Suzhou plant.

WAKE FOREST, NC – The Environmental Protection Agency is opening a temporary office here after a dozen homes tested for high levels of trichloroethylene.

GUADALAJARA – KIC Thermal has launched a repair and calibration center here to meet increased customer demand.

SAN JOSE — Worldwide semiconductor manufacturing equipment bookings in the second quarter fell 10% from last year, according to the latest survey of OEMs.

LOGANSPORT, IN — Total Electronics has formally changed its name to Cal-Comp Indiana as part of a global rebranding strategy being carried out by its parent company.

CHANGZHOU, CHINA -- Creation Technologies has moved into a new manufacturing facility here to meet growing demand for assembled printed circuit boards.

MANASSAS, VA – Zestron will hold a pair of webinars this month on the pros and cons of cleaning electronics assemblies with DI water and chemistry.

WASHINGTON, DC -- Huawei and ZTE officials on Thursday insisted to the US House of Representatives Intelligence Committee that their commercially sold equipment is not used for covert operations.