BANNOCKBURN, IL — IPC this week named Steve Pudles chairman of the 55-year-old trade group, succeeding Bob Ferguson, who completed a two-year term.

SAN DIEGO -- IPC Apex Expo opened yesterday, drawing better than moderate audience to its new location at the San Diego Convention Center.

SAN DIEGO – EPIC Technologies, Applied Technical Services and Burton Industries took home top honors in CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY's annual Service Excellence Awards announced last night.

SAN DIEGO – CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY and PRINTED CIRCUIT DESIGN & FAB magazines today announced the winners of the 2012 New Product Introduction Award for electronics assembly equipment, materials and software, and PCB fabrication.

THOUSAND OAKS, CA -- Teledyne Technologies has acquired VariSystems, a supplier of custom harsh environment interconnects. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

BANNOCKBURN, IL — North American printed circuit board fabricators saw shipments fall 3.5% year-over-year in January, IPC said today. Bookings rose 6.2% from a year ago.

MORRISVILLE, NC — Juki Automation Systems has signed a long-term exclusive agreement to distribute Shenzhen JT Automation Equipment's soldering equipment in the Americas.

METHUEN, MA -- ZeeVee, a developer of high-definition video distribution products, recently moved its overseas contract manufacturing operations to Massachusetts from China, where it had been manufacturing since introducing its first-generation products about five years ago.

LONDON -- Cookson's electronics solder and surface finishes business unit reported revenues of GBP814 million ($1.29 billion), up 13% year-over-year. Demand was steady, with much of the revenue (GBP111 million) increase attributed to higher raw metals prices. Excluding price inflation, base business revenues were up 1% from 2010.

WILSONVILLE, OR -- Mentor Graphics today announced a new group of electronics design software developers and manufacturers dedicated to supporting its ODB++ data transfer format.

SINGAPORE – Electronics manufacturing services provider Venture Corp. reported fourth-quarter 2011 revenue of S$632.5 million, down 10.3% year-over-year and up 8.4% sequentially.

Fourth-quarter net profit was S$38 million, down 30% year-over-year and up 7.3% sequentially.

Full-year 2011 sales were S$2.4 billion, down 9.1% year-over-year.

The firm attributes the decline to the depreciation of the Singapore dollar.

2011 net profit was S$156.5 million, down 16.8% compared to 2010.

The company closed 2011 with net cash of S$309.1 million.

Venture anticipates improved traction with several customers in 2012, but is cognizant of the uncertainty of the global economy.

Ed: S$1 = US$0.7966

SAN JOSE – The 90-day moving average of semiconductor equipment orders at North America-based manufacturers was $1.18 billion in January, up moderately over the revised December numbers.