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NEW YORK — A pair of nonprofit environmental organizations today announced a new research report on companies that are leading the electronics industry by moving away from chemicals that can lead to health and environmental problems.

HONG KONG -- Electronics test provider Goepel Electronic will open a subsidiary here next week in response to increased demand for JTAG by high-volume customers, the company said today. The new site will feature application support and development services.

BOSTON -- In a startling announcement, federal prosecutors in Massachusetts have filed charges against three Chinese citizens and two component distributors for conspiring to violate US law by exporting military products to China.

BANNOCKBURN, IL – IPC is urging its members to respond to Canada’s Chemical Management Plan’s proposal banning five rosin-containing substances from all products manufactured and sold there.

The trade group also submitted comments today to the Canadian Department of the Environment in advance of the Oct. 20 comment deadline.

Rosin is used in the manufacture of more than 75% of electronics products, including defense systems, telecommunication and transportation technologies, IPC noted.

A ban on rosin would make it difficult for electronics manufacturers to continue to do business in Canada, says IPC. In addition, consumers would likely foot the bill for the increased production cost because electronics manufacturers would have to engineer products specifically for the Canadian market. Even more likely, Canadian electronics manufacturers would consider moving operations to countries that do not ban the use of rosin, resulting in a loss of Canadian jobs, says the association.

According to Dr. Greg Munie, IPC technical director, rosins are naturally occurring materials that possess irreplaceable chemical and electrical properties qualities that ensure a reliable, safe and long-lasting product. There is no known chemical or combination of chemicals that can provide the same functionality and reliability of rosin. Therefore, eliminating rosin would force a change in the composition of soldering flux and solder paste that will ultimately affect the reliability of the final electronic product.

SAN JOSE – Worldwide sales of semiconductors in August were $19.1 billion, up 5% sequentially, the Semiconductor Industry Association reported today.

Sales were up sequentially in all geographic regions.

Sales declined 16.1% year-over-year.

Year-to-date sales through August were down 21.3% to $133.8 billion compared to the same time last year. The rate of decline has slowed from the first six months of 2009, during which sales declined 25% year-over-year.

All monthly sales numbers represent a three-month moving average of global semiconductor sales.

“Continuing recovery of consumer spending led the sixth-consecutive month of sequential growth in semiconductor sales,” said SIA president George Scalise. “Various incentive programs for energy-efficient products, ranging from automobiles to home appliances, have bolstered demand for semiconductors, which deliver critical enabling technology for reducing energy consumption.

“Growing sales of netbook personal computers, which now account for approximately 17% of notebook PC unit sales, have created an important new market segment, filling a gap between ‘smart cellphones’ and conventional laptop PCs,” Scalise continued. “Personal computers have become especially attractive to consumers, as average selling prices for PCs have declined by around 14%, while memory content has increased by 25% during the past year. This translates into significantly more computing power at a significantly lower price.”

Scalise noted that consumers now account for approximately 50% of all PC unit sales.

“Notwithstanding the slow recovery of demand from the enterprise sector, we are encouraged that industry momentum has turned positive following the steepest downturn in more than a decade,” Scalise concluded.

HELSINKI – Videocon Industries Ltd. intends to invest 50 million euros for a stake in Elcoteq, according to published reports.

The deal is expected to close by year-end.

Reuters, quoting Elcoteq CFO Mikko Puolakka, said the deal calls for Viedocon to invest 50 million euros ($72.7 million) in the EMS firm.

It is unclear what stake the Elcoteq founders would keep if the agreement were finalized.

The news comes just two days after a deal with Kaifa in China fell through. When the Kaifa agreement failed to close, Elcoteq said a deal was about to be struck with a new investor.

TEMPE, AZ -- US manufacturing economic activity slowed but still expanded in September for the second consecutive month, according to a survey of supply executives.

DRESDEN, GERMANY – Researchers at Nanoelectronic Materials Laboratory (NamLab) have developed a dopant-free transistor that could eventually be used in printable electronics.

LUXEMBOURG -- A deal calling for Shenzhen Kaifa Technology Co. Ltd. to invest tens of millions in Elcoteq is off.

EL SEGUNDO, CA -- iSuppli Corp. raised its 2009 forecast for semiconductors and electronics equipment, citing a stabilizing economic environment and improved supply chain visibility.

MILWAUKIE, OR – ECD, a manufacturer of thermal profiling equipment and software, has trained more than a thousand engineers through its online teaching facility, the company said today.

ECD-University teaches the fundamentals of thermal quality management, as well as product and software principals and use.

Multiple classes are offered each month. Class topics range from thermal quality management to classic PCB profiling, M.A.P. software usage, and machine quality management.

“Free of charge as an industry service, all classes are live and instructor-led,” said Grant Peterson, VP marketing and sales at ECD.

For more information, visit www.ecd.com/ecdu.

ST. PETERSBURG, FL -- Jabil Circuit reported earnings fell 90% year-over-year to $5.5 million on a 14% drop in sales, but the results still easily beat expectations.