TAIWAN – Foxconn is planning to increase wages for workers in mainland China, after two increases in 2010.

Apple is said to support the plan, which reportedly consists of a three-tiered schedule, with the wage increasing to 1,650 yuan minimum after a six-month probation, with the potential to hit 2,000 yuan after another
three months.

Including bonuses and benefits, new staff could potentially earn as much as 3,600 yuan monthly, putting Chinese workers on par with their Taiwanese counterparts, possibly instigating a loss of local talent.

BANGALORE – India’s government is considering an electronics incentive package to spur a local market for electronics components and products.

The government is attempting to improve the incentive package introduced under its partially failed semiconductor policy of 2007, which only attracted investments from the solar photovoltaic segment. The new focus reportedly will no longer be on large projects, but will focus on all aspects of the value chain of electronic systems.

The government estimates India's demand for electronic hardware will grow to $400 billion by 2020, compared to $45 billion in 2009. However, at current growth rates, domestic production could be a quarter of the demand by 2020.

The package includes subsidies for lowering the country’s energy and transport costs and improving infrastructure.

WESTLAKE, OH -- Electronics equipment OEM Nordson today reported record first-quarter sales, operating profit and net income.

SHENZHEN -- Nam Tai today reported fourth-quarter net profit of $5.3 million, up nearly 13 times the net profit of a year ago.

ST. PETERSBURG, FL – Jabil Circuit today said it has acquired three of its former operations in France and Italy, which were divested in July 2010.

PARIS – Electronic manufacturing services provider AsteelFlash Group reported 2010 fourth-quarter operating profit of $12.5 million. Operating profit for 2010 was $31.6 million.

MADRID – Ellsworth Adhesives Ibérica has moved to a larger facility here.

Local staff provides support to Spanish and Portuguese customers with technical support, local stocking and delivery options.

The team is focusing efforts on building accounts and managing customer service, developing sales and marketing initiatives, and providing financial and administrative management.

The firm distributes specialty chemicals and equipment.

SEOUL – Koh Young has announced dates and locations for its upcoming European Truck Tour, a mobile showcase of the company’s 3D inspection technology.

Beginning, Mar. 21, the tour will bring 3D inspection technology to 20 countries throughout Europe for 90 days. It involves more than 60 hands-on equipment demonstration locations.

The Zenith 3D AOI system, aSPIre2 advanced 3D SPI, and KY 8030-3 in-line SPI system will be showcased.

The tour will kick off in the Benelux countries, then head to southern Europe, followed by the Nordic countries. Stops include the UK, Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Finland and Sweden. 

For more information, visit www.3dinspectionontour.com.

SMYRNA, GA – UP Media Group today announced a series of webinars on such hot topics as package-on-package and high-speed design will take place during the fourth annual VIRTUAL PCB, the industry’s only virtual conference and trade show for the PCB design, fabrication and assembly markets. The two-day worldwide event takes place March 8-9, 2011.

ST. LOUIS – Bell Helicopter awarded EMS provider LaBarge $3.8 million to continue to produce electronic assemblies for the H-1 Upgrade Program for helicopters used by the US Marine Corps.

ALEXANDRIA, VA – The US Patent and Trademark office has granted Wemtec a patent for a “circuit and method for suppression of electromagnetic coupling and switching noise in multilayer printed circuit boards.”

William E. McKinzie III and Shawn D. Rogers of Maryland developed the apparatus that suppresses noise and electromagnetic coupling in the printed circuit board of an electronic device. It “includes an upper conductive plate and an array of conductive coplanar patches positioned a distance t.sub.2 from the upper conductive plate. The distance t.sub.2 is chosen to optimize capacitance between the conductive coplanar patches and the upper conductive plate for suppression of noise or electromagnetic coupling. 

The apparatus further includes a lower conductive plate a distance t.sub.1 from the array of conductive coplanar patches and conductive rods extending from respective patches to the lower conductive plate.”

VELLINGE, SWEDEN -- Top 40 EMS firm PartnerTech reported a fourth-quarter net profit of SEK 8.8 million ($1.37 million), up from a loss of SEK 4.7 million last year.