CUPERTINO, CA -- Apple this week is again addressing concerns over its role in the spate of suicides at its largest manufacturing supplier.

VANCOUVER -- Micro-tier EMS firm Pacific Insight Electronics swung to a fiscal second-quarter net loss of $166,000, one year after turning in a profit of $23,000.

COPENHAGEN – Sypris Electronics is opening Sypris Europe, its wholly owned subsidiary here.

Sypris Europe will have primary responsibility for developing and sustaining emerging market needs in Europe, Asia and the Middle East, as they relate to information assurance and cyber security. The office also will support the firm’s network of international distributors and agents. 

Sypris Europe will offer services for the European defense and aerospace industry, including NATO and the EU. The subsidiary will support Sypris Solutions, Sypris Technologies and Sypris Electronics. 

Michael Stokes, who headed international business development efforts in Tampa, will lead the subsidiary as managing director.

SUZHOU – UPG International will open a fourth plant here next month to accommodate electronics assembly for its medical segment.

TAIPEI -- Top 20 electronics manufacturing services company Global Brands Manufacture reported revenues of NT$3.17 billion ($108.5 million) in January.

SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ – The Chinese State Intellectual Property Office has granted Cookson Electronics a patent for the Alpha SACX Plus solder alloys.

Covered alloys include SACX Plus 0807, SACX Plus 0307, SACX Plus 0107 and SACX Plus HASL.

Alpha is a business unit of Cookson Electronics.

TAIPEI -- Hon Hai Precision Industry (Foxconn Electronics) reported January revenues of NT$186.23 billion ($6.37 billion), up 36.6% from last year.

SAN JOSE, CA – In 2010, worldwide silicon wafer area shipments increased 40% to 9.37 billion in² compared to 2009, says SEMI. Revenues improved 45% year-over-year to $9.7 billion.

“Given current market forecasts, we are expecting solid demand for silicon wafers in 2011, although at a much more modest post-recovery rate,” said Dr. Volker Braetsch, chairman of SEMI SMG and corporate VP of Siltronic.

Wafer shipments are considered a leading indicator for future printed circuit board and electronics assembly orders.

The data include polished silicon wafers, including virgin test wafers, epitaxial silicon wafers, and non-polished silicon wafers shipped by the wafer manufacturers to the end-users.

WASHINGTON -- The US National Highway and Transportation Safety Administration and NASA this week issued their final report absolving Toyota's vehicles of malfunctions that caused unintended acceleration.

MUNICH -- Europe’s share of the component placement equipment market ticked up last quarter, according to industry sources.

ARLINGTON, VA – Jedec will undertake an effort to standardize hybrid memory modules.

SAN JOSE – MEPTEC will sponsor its annual conference on thermal design management this March in San Jose.

The Heat is On: Performance and Cost Improvements through Thermal Management Design takes place March 21 at the Doubletree Hotel.
 
Sessions will provide in-depth discussions on challenges for various emerging applications and end markets, along with possible solutions and the resultant impact on cost and performance. This event will be part of the Electronics Thermal Week, co-sponsored by MEPTEC and SEMI-THERM.

For information, visit www.meptec.org/meptecthermal-th.html.