KWIDZYN, POLAND -- Jabil reportedly will lay off hundreds of workers here and ask for wage concessions from remaining staff.

EL SEGUNDO, CA -- With the second-generation iPad, Apple has held the line on the bill of materials, maintaining virtually the same costs as the first version of the device, an IHS iSuppli teardown analysis of the product has revealed.

HONG KONG – ASM's Siplace unit reported 2011 sales of $626.3 million, good for 37.8% of its new parent company's sales last year.

HERNDON, VA – The International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative said it is driving two collaborative efforts related to microelectromechanical systems technology.

Efforts are now underway to develop the following R&D efforts: MEMS test methods and capabilities and MEMS reliability methodologies.   

“These first two R&D initiatives will focus on issues relating to reliability and test. These are areas that are common across the MEMS manufacturing supply chain, and it makes sense to take a collaborative approach to developing industry-wide solutions,” said iNEMI CEO Bill Bader.

Bader notes that the 2011 iNEMI Roadmap was the first edition of the consortium's roadmap to feature a separate chapter on MEMS. It examined the technology and business directions for MEMS technology over the next 10 years. Using this information, coupled with gap analysis and industry input, iNEMI said it has identified and prioritized several issues that must be addressed for the MEMS industry to continue moving forward. 

A one-day workshop is scheduled in Pittsburgh on May 10. Meeting objectives include: leveraging the iNEMI Roadmap and outcomes of the prior MEMS workshop to refine the areas identified for collaboration; identifying and evaluating additional opportunities that would benefit from industry collaboration related to MEMS manufacturing and deployment; forming action groups to define and execute the required collaborative programs, and defining research and development needs to support these programs.   

STAMFORD, CT — Citing improvements in DRAMs, research firm Gartner today raised its worldwide semiconductor revenue outlook, projecting 4% year-over-year growth.

SAN JOSE – Worldwide sales of semiconductor manufacturing equipment totaled $43.5 billion in 2011, up 9% year-over-year.

NEENAH, WI — Plexus is expanding in China and Romania, but the slow economy has put its planned addition here on hold.

WASHINGTON – The US, the EU and Japan have filed a World Trade Organization dispute settlement case against China’s export restraints on rare earths, tungsten and molybdenum.

The Office of the US Trade Representative says China imposes a number of unfair export restraints on rare earths, tungsten and molybdenum, including export duties, export quotas, export pricing requirements, and related export procedures and requirements.

The USTR claims these restrictions artificially increase prices outside of China, while lowering prices in the country, creating pressure on US and other non-Chinese firms to move operations to China.

The two sides have 60 days to reach an agreement. If a solution is not reached, the US may request the establishment of a dispute settlement panel to examine the case.

OULU, FINLAND – PKC Group today reported 2011 net sales of 550.2 million euro, up 74% year-over-year.

Operating profit for the year reached 34.5 million euro, up 16.2% compared to 2010.

Profit before taxes was 29.4 million euro, up 17.6% year-over-year.

The electronics business accounted for 13.3% of consolidated net sales, while the wiring systems business accounted for 86.7%.

Demand for automotive electronics grew, the firm says, and new customers were acquired in industrial electronics and in environmental and measurement technology fields.

Ed: euro 1 = US$1.3062

SAN JOSE -- The global electronic connectors market is projected to reach $89.6 billion by 2018, primarily driven by technology developments, improving world GDP, growth in shipments of smartphones and other portable computing devices, and emerging opportunities from non-traditional end-user industries, such as medical and alternative energy.

LOUISVILLE -- Sypris Solutions today reported its Electronics Group saw fourth-quarter sales fall 41.5% to $11.4 million on continuing delays in funding for defense orders.

KAUNAS, LITHUANIA -- Kitron will invest a reported EUR 4.9 million ($6.4 million) to expand its electronics manufacturing facility here in response to new business from Germany, according to published reports.