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BANNOCKBURN, IL — North American PWB fabricators reported shipments fell 10.8% year-over-year in November, while bookings slipped 2.2%.

AUSTIN, TX — Consumer demand for TVs continues to improve, with third-quarter shipments up year-over-year on a unit basis for the first time in a year.

TAIPEI -- Hon Hai (Foxconn) will issue $1 billion in overseas convertible bonds to pay for materials purchases.

WASHINGTON — November orders for US-built durable goods reversed an October dip, rising 0.2% to $166.9 billion on higher demand for computers and electronics.

DOUARNENEZ, FRANCE – The French government is offering one million euros in interest-free loans to entities that would take over and reestablish Asteel Flash's recently closed manufacturing site here.

Asteel closed the factory Sept. 4 and laid off the last of the 134 employees.

According to Ouest France, Finistere prefect Pascal Mailhos announced the free loans would be available to companies of Cornwall interested in reindustrializing the site.

HAVERHILL, MA – Lightspeed Manufacturing, a privately held EMS and rework specialist, has relocated to a larger facility.

AUSTIN – Contract electronics manufacturer Kodiak Assembly Solutions will relocate to a 42,000 sq. ft. facility in Austin, the company announced. The new plant is about 50% larger than the current one, also in Austin.

The firm expects to add about 20 employees to its current employee base of 60 during the next year or two.

Kodiak, which was launched in 2004 out of another company’s bankruptcy, is expected to be running in its new location Jan. 4.

BILLINGSTAD, NORWAY – Kitron ASA has signed an agreement to acquire 100% of the shares in Veru Electronic GmbH for 700,000 euros (about $1.1 million).

The closing of the deal is subject to reaching an agreement about the debt financing of the company, and is scheduled for early 2010. After the close, Veru will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Kitron ASA.

In announcing the deal, Kitron said the company was attractive because of its location. “It is part of Kitron ASA’s strategy to enter into new geographical markets," said Roger Hovland, corporate vice president. Germany is the largest EMS market in Europe and is seen as having the highest potential for further outsourcing, the company said. "Having a local entity gives credibility and shows long-term commitment," Kitron said in a press release.

Veru will be used for prototype and NPI work, the company said.

Veru, which operates a 25,000 sq. ft. plant in Großbettlingen, had 25 employees and sales of 2 million euros in 2007, according to the CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY Directory of EMS Companies.

BUCKS, UK – Some 70% of all end-of-line defects are associated within the printing process, according to a recent study conducted by the SMART Group.

The results came from a poll of SMART Group members as a lead-in to its “The Road to ZERO Defects” workshop. Attendees were taken through 42 recommended audit steps for pre-placement during the workshop, the first in a back-to-basics series to celebrate the group’s 25th anniversary.

Presentations covered solder paste, process contamination, printing platforms, stencil specifications, solder paste inspection SPI/SPC, and stencil cleaning and housekeeping.

The series includes sessions on reflow soldering; materials; wave and selective soldering, flux selection; and hand assembly and rework.

ST. PETERSBURG, FL -- Jabil Circuit reported fiscal first-quarter sales of $3.1 billion, down 8.8% from last year. After taking large restructuring charges a year ago, the EMS company swung to a profit in the latest quarter.

ATLANTA -- ASYS Inc. and EKRA Americas will merge under the name of ASYS Group Americas as of Jan. 1, the companies said today.

WASHINGTON – Three major producers of decabromodiphenyl ether (Deca) plan to phase out production of the disputed brominated flame-retardant by December 2012.

Chemtura, Albemarle and ICL Industrial Products say the decision is voluntary and is being undertaken in accordance with the wishes of the US Environmental Protection Agency.

While critics have long claimed that bromines are major causes of environmental and human health problems, H-P, Dell, Lenovo and other electronics OEMs state a lack of practical alternatives keeps them from switching to less controversial flame chemicals.

The news comes two days after legislation to require removal of Deca was introduced in the US House of Representatives. The Decabromine Elimination and Control Act of 200 (H.R. 4394) would ban Deca in all products by the end of 2013.