CHICAGO – There were 11 completed EMS transactions in the first quarter, on par with M&A activity sequentially, as the industry is still making more moves than in 2009, according to a new report by Lincoln International.

Continued economic and credit market improvements combined with the general market need to deploy cash is driving further M&A, the firm says.

Both EMS consolidation and private equity investment represented four transactions each, or 36% of total activity in the quarter, respectively. While EMS consolidations remained relatively steady, this number of private equity investment transactions is double the amount exhibited in either of the previous two quarters. This highlights the current focus of private equity firms to deploy capital and a renewed desire to invest in the EMS industry, the firm says.

Six transactions occurred within the US and Canada in the first quarter, or 55% of total transactions, highlighting a trend of continued increased M&A activity in the regions year-over-year. Three European deals occurred, equivalent to the level exhibited in each of the last two quarters.

Two cross-border transactions occurred during the period, the highest number in more than two years.

Small tier companies (9) accounted for 82% of all transactions. The large and mid tiers each had one transaction, or 9% of activity each, says Lincoln.

EL SEGUNDO, CA – The impact of the recession and rising sales of smartphones will deal a setback to contract manufacturers in the global handset market, limiting the companies to less than a 30% share of the wireless handset market during the next four years, says IHS iSuppli.

COLLEGE PARK, MD – CALCE and IPC will sponsor a technical seminar May 24 and 25 here: JISSO Forum on Reliability of Electronics.

This seminar is intended to provide an interactive forum to discuss the latest concerns, trends and technologies in electronics that impact product reliability.

CALCE, IPC and members of the JISSO International Council will speak on embedded technologies, batteries, environmental regulations, counterfeit avoidance, test and simulation methods, and the emerging field of prognostics.

Attendees will get a snapshot of integrated electronics development and manufacturing, and receive input on technologies that will impact the electronics industry over the next 10 years.

JISSO North America will also host the Annual JISSO International Conference (May 25 – 27) and a standards meetings for the IEC Technical Committee 91 on printed circuit boards (May 23 – 25), both also at the University of Maryland. 

BANNOCKBURN, IL – An estimated one-third of all printed circuit boards for US defense or military systems are produced outside North America, according to recent IPC data.

TAIPEI -- Foxconn Electronics' (Hon Hai) non-consolidated revenues rose 33.2% year-over-year in April to NT$204.9 billion ($7.2 billion) on growth in consumer electronics.

PATHUMTHANI, THAILAND -- SVI Public Co., the third largest Thailand-based EMS company, reported first-quarter consolidated net profits rose 32% to 229 million baht ($7.6 million), a record for the quarter.

RICHARDSON, TX ― Automated Circuit Design has completed a 13,500 sq. ft. expansion to its electronics manufacturing services facility here, the company said.

OXFORDSHIRE, ENGLAND – The Smart Area Array Reliability Conference and Table Top Exhibition will be held here Oct. 5 and 6.

Topics include industry trends on area array packaging; design and reliability of BGA and uBGA devices; soldering and joint reliability of lead-free and mixed alloys; ductility of lead-free solder balls; underfill vs. corner bumping; pad cratering on laminates; design for cleaning electronics assemblies; no-clean vs. clean; aqueous, semiaqueous and solvent choices; demonstrating area array cleaning reliability; coating and its impact of joint reliability; coating under BGA; and tin whiskers and benefits from coating.

For more information, visit www.smartgroup.org.

SHENZHEN -- Nam Tai Electronics swung to a first-quarter net profit of $2 million, up from a loss of $1.1 million in the year ago quarter.

ST. LOUIS -- Top 40 EMS firm LaBarge reported its fiscal third-quarter net profits fell 10% year-over-year to $3.7 million.

TORONTO -- SMTC Corp. today reported first-quarter net income fell to $700,000, a third of last year's level.

KEMPELE, FINLAND – PKC Group’s first-quarter consolidated net sales grew 59.3% year-over-year to EUR 96.9 million.

Profit for the period was EUR 7.6 million, up 370% compared to the first quarter of 2010.

Electronics manufacturing services sales rose 23.9% to EUR 18.7 million in the quarter. The operating profit was EUR 400,000, down from EUR 1.3 million in the year-ago period. Deliveries increased from last year, but fell sequentially as customers delayed projects.

PKC said certain electronics components remained scarce due to global industry growth, but Japan’s earthquake had no significant effect on its electronics business in the quarter.

PKC, which announced plans to acquire Segu’s wire harness operations in Eastern Europe and Germany, said it expects EMS sales to grow in 2011.

1 EUR = US$1.4638