MUNICH -- Placement machine manufacturer deliveries increased almost 60% sequentially in the second quarter, making it the strongest quarter since 2000.

TEMPE, AZ — Economic activity in the manufacturing sector expanded in August for the 13th consecutive month, says the Institute for Supply Management. The PMI was 56.3%, up 80 basis points.

A reading above 50% indicates the manufacturing economy is generally expanding.

New orders dropped a slight 0.4 percentage points to 53.1%. Production reached 59.9%, up 2.9 points, while inventories rose 1.2 points to 51.4%. Customer inventories went up 4.5 percentage points to 43.5%, and backlogs fell to 51.5%, down 3 points.

“Manufacturing activity continued at a very positive rate in August as the PMI rose slightly when compared to July. In terms of month-over-month improvement, the production and employment indexes experienced the greatest gains, while new orders continued to grow, but at a slightly slower rate. August represents the 13th consecutive month of growth in US manufacturing," said ISM spokesperson Norbert J. Ore.

The overall economy grew for the 16th consecutive month, according to ISM.

GUADALAJARA – Mexitronica 2010, which was planned for October, has been canceled.

STAMFORD, CT -- Worldwide semiconductor revenue in 2010 is forecast to reach $300 billion, a 31.5% increase from 2009 revenue of $228 billion, according to the latest outlook by Gartner.

TAIPEI -- Compal Electronics reported second-quarter net income rose 99% year-over-year to NT$6.4 billion, but the personal computer maker trimmed its third-quarter outlook.

APPLETON, WI – Surface Mount Technology has completed the first phase of an expansion here for the firm’s design and product development group.

The renovation of 6,000 sq. ft. is being driven by demand for product development services at its SMT Engineering group. The space provides room to add engineering personnel in the future. 

Groundbreaking for the second phase is underway, with the addition of 25,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing space. The second phase is expected to be completed by the fourth quarter. 

The additional square footage is required to integrate the company’s higher level assembly operations into its manufacturing facility.

MORRISVILLE, NC – Juki has donated a KE-760 flexible placement system for the upcoming Industrial Strength Equipment Charity Auction to benefit the Lance Armstrong Foundation – LIVESTRONG. 

The charity event is being organized by former Speedline Technologies executive Jeff Mogensen.

The online auction will run Aug. 31 to Sept. 3.

All the items are available for viewing at http://xlineassets.com/auction_livestrong.shtml.

TAIPEI – PCB maker Chunghong Holdings will seeks to raise nearly $7 million through a primary listing on the Taiwan Stock Exchange.

The company, which is based in Suzhou and has a half-dozen PCB and EMS assembly sites in China and Poland, will issue some 7.61 million new shares. The listing plan is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2011.

A majority of funds raised reportedly will be used to add three SMT lines. The company currently has 55 SMT lines worldwide.

Separately, Chunghong said it expects to top its 2009 net income of $3.5 million.

EL SEGUNDO, CA -- Component shortages have led to a traffic pileup in the global electronics supply chain, with major contract manufacturers facing a challenging supply imbalance characterized by tight inventories of parts and finished products and a glut of raw materials, according to research firm iSuppli Corp.