IRVINE, CA -- Probe Manufacturing reported its fourth consecutive quarter of revenue growth, and backlogs are growing, suggesting a continued upswing.

HAMELN, GERMANY -- Orpro Vision has expanded its AOI manufacturing capacity to support demand for post-paste and post-soldering inspection gear.

KARLSKOGA, SWEDEN -- Top 40 EMS provider Kitron will move certain programs to lower-cost nations and lay off 55 workers its operations here in hopes of improving profitability.

MILWAUKEE, WI – A majority of manufacturers are optimistic about an economic uptick in 2011 at their organizations, according to a recent ASQ survey.

More than 1,200 manufacturing professionals from the US and Canada responded to the online survey.

Of the respondents, 68% predict revenue growth for 2011. That’s up from a year ago, when 64.7 % of respondents predicted revenue would grow in 2010.  This year, when asked if their organization did experience revenue growth in 2010, 67% indicated “yes.”

Only 18% expect a pay freeze at their organizations in 2011, compared to 44.8% in 2010.

Eighteen percent predict mandatory budget cuts in 2011, whereas 35.2% did in 2010.

Forty-eight percent of manufacturers expect a salary/merit increase, and 42% expect to maintain current staff levels. Another 42% expect to hire additional staff.

Forty-seven percent of organizations expect to continue to create processes to reduce costs, down from 61.3% in 2010.

The survey asked whether staff reductions or other cutbacks implemented in 2010 negatively impacted the quality of the products/services delivered, with 33% believing the quality of their products/services was negatively impacted. Thirty-two percent believe the quality did not suffer.

LOUISVILLE, KY -- Sypris Solutions reported a third-quarter net loss from continuing operations of $1.7 million, up from a net loss of $1.9 million for the prior year.

BANNOCKBURN, IL – Greenpeace regularly takes electronics companies to the woodshed for their environmental practices. Now IPC is turning the switch on Greenpeace.

MINNEAPOLIS -- Nortech Systems will acquire the EMS assets of Mankato, MN-based Winland Electronics for an undisclosed amount.

SAN JOSE – Third quarter worldwide silicon wafer area shipments rose sequentially to their highest levels ever, SEMI said.

WASHINGTON -- The National Association of Manufacturers is questioning pending US Environmental Protection Agency permitting guidance for greenhouse gas emissions. The new rules go in to effect Jan. 2.

SHENZHEN -- SinoHub, a contract designer and assembler of cellphones, said third-quarter net income climbed 55.3% from last year to $5.5 million.

BANNOCKBURN, IL – The European Parliament has decided to drop its demands for a list of new priority substances for restrictions under the RoHS Directive.

The list of four substances for priority assessment, also identified as “substances of very high concern” under REACH, was originally proposed by the EU Commission.

Parliament also dropped a demand for a revised RoHS Directive to contain a ban on nanosilver. In a compromise with member states, it opted for the mention of a future priority review of nanosilver.

All products will be covered eight years after the Directive enters into force.

In June, the Parliament's environment committee voted to expand the list to include almost 40 substances. These substances included BFRs, such as TBBPA, the most common flame retardant used in PCBs, despite the fact that TBBPA as used was found to be safe for human health and the environment by the World Health Organization and the European Commission Scientific Committee on Health and Environmental Risks. 

Trade groups praised the decision. “Specifically mentioning entire classes of substances in a priority list would unfairly stigmatize them as being harmful to human health and the environment without a sound scientific basis,” said IPC in a press release today.

DUSSELDORF – Henkel reported third-quarter sales of 3.96 billion euros, up 13.7% year-over-year.

Operating profit rose 73% to 501 million euros. This is primarily due to substantial improvements of adhesive technologies.

The company’s Adhesives unit said quarterly sales were up 19.3%, reaching 1.95 billion euros, outpacing market growth in all regions. The unit includes the Multicore and Loctite brands, among others.

In the first nine months of fiscal 2010, Henkel increased sales 11.1% to 11.36 billion euros compared to the same period of 2009.

Operating profit was 1.34 billion euros, up 70.9% year-over-year.

“This is the first quarter we have ever achieved an adjusted EBIT margin of 13%,” said Kasper Rorsted, chairman of the Henkel management board.

“We expect to achieve an adjusted EBIT margin of well above 12% for 2010, accompanied by an improvement in adjusted earnings per preferred share of more than 45%. 2010 is likely to be the most successful fiscal year in our corporate history.”

1 euro = US$1.3657