BEIJING – Environmental groups have published a report criticizing Apple’s supply chain in China for alleged environmental pollution.

EL SEGUNDO, CA — DRAM inventories have spiked, and a predicted 16% rise in shipments during the current period will further aggravate pricing pressure for the foreseeable future, a leading research firm said.

JASPER, IN – Kimball International said it would transfer all work at its Fremont, CA, electronics assembly facility by the end of September to its plant here, according to published reports.

SANTA CLARA, CA – Shipments of 3D-capable large-area TFT LCD panels increased to 5.2 million units in the second quarter, up 124% sequentially.

Shipments of 3D panels were primarily for LCD TVs, reaching 4.9 million units during the period, up 118% sequentially, and pushing the 3D penetration in LCD TV panels from 4.5% in the first quarter to 9.3% in the second, says DisplaySearch.

Panel makers are targeting 53% growth in 3D LCD TV panel shipments for the third quarter.

“The LCD TV panel industry has been in oversupply for more than a year, and panel makers are motivated to develop new features like LED and 3D to increase value. Although there are still doubts about whether the market is ready for 3D, 3D penetration is increasing due to falling prices and the ability to produce panels,” said David Hsieh, vice president, Greater China Market, DisplaySearch.

In addition to TV, 3D monitor panel shipments are growing rapidly, from less than 80,000 units in the first quarter to more than 250,000 in the second quarter, thanks to adoption in gaming and other special application monitors, says the research firm. Panel makers expect to double shipments in the third quarter.

Volumes of 3D panels for notebook PCs are still relatively small, with less than 100,000 units shipped in the second quarter. However, panel makers are promoting shutter glass, pattern retarder, and autostereoscopic solutions to the gamer and entertainment-focused notebook users. Shipments are expected to grow 126% in the third quarter.

For LCD TVs, larger panel sizes are seeing faster penetration of 3D, as the benefits are clearer. In 40" and larger LCD TV panel shipments, 3D penetration increased from 12.7% in the first quarter to 21.7% in the second. TV panel makers are aiming to reach 28.2% in the third quarter.

SAN DIEGO – IPC requests abstracts for poster presentations at IPC Apex Expo, Feb. 28 – Mar. 1, at the San Diego Convention Center.

SANTA CLARA, CA – Global TV shipments were soft in the first quarter of 2011, as the worldwide TV supply chain digested excess inventory. Growth, however, was still up 1% year-over-year, says DisplaySearch.

In the second quarter, TV shipment growth turned negative, declining 1% year-over-year, and falling more than 6% year-over-year in developed regions, which more than offset 3% growth in emerging markets.

Softer price declines and inventory pressure at retail due to lackluster consumer demand continue to put pressure on TV brands, the firm says.

LCD TV shipments worldwide grew at least 20% each quarter in 2010, but so far have only risen 9% year-over-year in the first quarter and 6% year-over-year in the second. The slowing growth has impacted both developed and emerging markets, with LCD TV units falling 5% and rising 19%, respectively, both well below the rate of growth a year earlier.

The main inhibitor to faster LCD TV price erosion, something that has a strong positive impact on consumer demand in the highly elastic TV market, has been the transition from CCFL to LED and slower component pricing declines. LED share increased from 18% of LCD TV shipments in the second quarter of 2010 to more than 43% in the same period in 2011, but still carries a 74% average premium across all sizes, though this is down from a 120%+ premium a year ago. Critical LED backlight cost breakthroughs have been slow to materialize, says DisplaySearch.

Plasma TV shipments showed surging growth in 2010, increasing a remarkable 30% year-over-year after negative growth in 2009. The boost in growth had much to do with market pricing advantages against LCD for similar sizes and consumers who continued to focus on price. LCD TV prices started to narrow the gap this year, and the premium for a 42" class CCFL LCD narrowed from 13% in the second quarter last year to less than 1% in the same period this year over plasma, which is having an impact. Plasma TV shipments fell 6% in this year’s second quarter after double-digit growth throughout 2010.

By region, China was still No. 1 by a small margin over North America, each representing about 17% of global TV shipments. China had stronger growth, rising 10% year-over-year compared to a 6% decline in North America. The Asia Pacific region grew to No. 3 for the first time, surpassing Western Europe, where retail inventory remains a problem. Despite concerns about weak demand following the Great Japan Earthquake, shipments of TVs in Japan surged 40% as consumers replaced older TVs with newer digital tuner equipped models, ahead of the July 24 analog broadcast cutoff.

As TV brands and retailers continue to push for the transition to LED backlights in LCD TVs, as a result of both premium prices and better energy consumption, the growth in shipment share continues to rise, reaching 43% in the second quarter. 98% of LED-backlit LCD TV shipments were edge-lit models because of slimmer form factor, lower power consumption and lower cost. Japan and Western Europe have already surpassed 50% of LCD TV shipments as LED and China is nearly at 50%. Most other regions, including North America, have around 20-35% of LCD TV shipments as LED.

3D rose from 4% of shipments in first quarter to almost 9% in the second. The growth in share signifies that manufacturers have greatly expanded the number of 3D-capable models and reduced the premium associated with the technology, giving consumers more choice, says DisplaySearch. There have also been a wider range of new sizes, down to 32", and in the case of LCD, lower frame rate models with 3D available. DisplaySearch estimates that about a quarter of 3D TV shipments use passive 3D technology, and the remainder use active shutter glass technology.

Samsung’s global flat panel TV revenue share was up slightly in the second quarter to 22.6%, a substantial lead over No. 2 LGE. Samsung was the No. 1 brand on a revenue basis in almost every region, with the exception of Japan and China, where domestic brands dominate, even surpassing LGE in Asia Pacific markets. Samsung was also No. 1 in LCD revenues and No. 2 in both plasma and CRT TV revenues. Samsung also regained the No. 1 LCD TV unit share position in the second quarter from Vizio for the first time in over a year.

LGE was the No. 2 brand worldwide at 14.4%, nearly unchanged from the previous quarter. In terms of revenues, LGE was No. 3 in LCD TV and plasma TV, but led in CRT TV with more than double the revenue share of any other brand. Sony remained No. 3 in global flat panel TV revenues during the second quarter, with a small increase in share. Sharp and Panasonic rounded out the top 5, trading share positions again compared to last quarter, mainly through the addition of Sanyo to Panasonic’s global TV business.

Samsung was the No. 1 global 3D TV brand overall, accounting for all technologies, with 35% of revenues. Within the 3D LCD TV category, Samsung overtook Sony for the top revenue share at 35%, while Panasonic reclaimed the 3D plasma TV revenue share lead at 48%.

TAIPEI CITY, TAIWAN -- Test Research Inc. reported first-half sales rose 7% year-over-year on broad demand for the company's automated optical inspection equipment.

ST. PETERSBURG, FL – Jabil Circuit said it would acquire Telmar Network Technology for an undisclosed sum.

Texas-based Telmar makes communications network gear and had revenues of $145 million last year.

Jabil posted $13.4 billion in revenues in its fiscal year ended Aug. 31.

The deal is expected to close in November.

HONOLULU – Regionalization is an ongoing trend in electronics, and Mexico is making a surprising run at China, according to Charlie Barnhart & Associates.

Based on a CBA survey of North American-based midmarket OEMs, China and Mexico ranked better than the US and Canada for high-volume manufacturing and continuous flow, while China topped Mexico in those two categories. However, in every other respect, Mexico tops China.

In general, manufacturing is moving from the US to Mexico; from Western to Eastern Europe; and from China to Mexico and Southeast Asia, CBA says. Each of the growth regions has its drawbacks, however, CBA analyst Eric Miscoll said in an Aug. 24 webinar. Apprehensions in China include IP theft, increasing labor rates, freight/logistical costs, quality, material support, communications and the legal environment of the country. Mexico has issues with violence and safety, political stability, workforce and product quality, work ethic and material sourcing.

Miscoll said the longtime factor of labor costs is influencing where companies manufacture products. Specifically, in the first half of 2011 in the US, the industry average per direct labor hour was $39.32, compared to $34.50 in 2003. In the first half of this year in China, the amount in US dollars was $11.83, compared to $6.90 in 2003. However, Mexico’s labor rate dropped, with the first-half 2011 figure at $11.26, compared to $16.73 in 2003. In the second half of 2011, Mexico’s cost of labor will increase slightly (about 1.1%), according to the firm.

CBA says China prevails in commoditized products and has more mature designs compared to Mexico. China’s focus is mostly on communications, computer and consumer markets. On the other hand, Mexico generally produces larger, heavier products for the automotive, appliances and aerospace sectors destined for the US.

CBA offered up a pair of case studies supporting its data. In them, Applied Technical Services, a contract electronics manufacturer with operations in Everett, WA, and Hermosillo, Mexico, has a turnover rate of less than 5% in Mexico, and most of its employees speak English well. ATS hasn’t experienced any safety issues in the area, and labor rates are increasingly competitive with Asia and India. The firm also noted the stable currency relative to the US dollar, and low (2%) employee absenteeism.

BANNOCKBURN, IL – A new benchmark study compares financial and production data of electronics manufacturing services companies.

“IPC Study of Quality Benchmarks for the Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) Industry for 2010” baselines 2010 operating variables among EMS providers by net sales and type of product. 

The survey-based study covers financial and production data, assembly attributes, yields, defect rates, customer returns, supplier performance, customer satisfaction and certification data.

The data are based on an IPC survey of 29 EMS companies from North America with total sales revenue of $7.05 billion. Participants provided point-of-reference data for sales growth, expenses on R&D and capital equipment as a percentage of net sales, average collection and payable periods, and the number of printed circuit boards completed in 2010.

Respondents also reported internal yields for surface mounting, wave soldering and selective soldering. All of the respondents included relevant customer satisfaction metrics regarding returns and on-time customer deliveries.

For more information, visit www.ipc.org/Benchmark-10.

COLUMBIA, MD -- Researchers at the University of Maryland’s Center for Advanced Life Cycle Engineering have independently found tin whiskers in Toyota vehicles with potentiometer type accelerator pedal position sensors (APPSs).

TAIPEI -- Steve Jobs' abrupt retirement will bring no change to Apple's day-to-day dealings with Foxconn Technology Group, the latter said today.