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MUNICH – Siemens reported revenues dipped slightly in the fourth quarter, falling less than 1% to €76.7 billion.

SPOKANE VALLEY, WA -- Electronic manufacturing services firm Key Tronic raised its guidance for the quarter ending Dec. 26.

LODZ, POLAND -- Dell will transfer ownership of its manufacturing operation here to Foxconn, which will continue to supply to the PC maker.

WESTLAKE, OH -- Nordson EFD has promoted Jeff Pembroke to president, succeeding Peter Lambert, who was recently elected senior vice president of Nordson’s Adhesive Dispensing Systems segment.

TEMPE, AZ – The US manufacturing sector grew in November for the fourth consecutive month, according to an industry report released Tuesday.

TOKYO – SEMI projects worldwide sales of semiconductor equipment of $16 billion in 2009, the largest annual decline in equipment sales since the association began data collection in 1991.

The forecast indicates, following a 31% decline in 2008, the equipment sector will post another significant decline of approximately 46% this year.

However, SEMI expects the market to grow approximately 53% in 2010 to $24.5 billion and to further increase about 28% in 2011 to $31.2 billion.

"Worldwide semiconductor manufacturing equipment sales have declined to the lowest annual levels since 1994, as the global economic crisis and industry downturn caused the world’s chip makers to significantly curtail spending and expansion,” said Stanley T. Myers, president and CEO of SEMI. “There has been recent improvement in equipment bookings, and we anticipate a significant growth off the bottom, with expectations of double-digit growth in the next two years.”

Wafer processing equipment is expected to decline about 46% in 2009 to about $12 billion. The wafer processing equipment market will rebound 54% in 2010 and 28% in 2011.

The market for assembly and packaging equipment will decline 33% to $1.4 billion this year, and will growth in the successive two years to reach $2.4 billion in 2011.

The market for equipment to test semiconductors is expected to decline in 2009 about 55% to $1.6 billion, and will also grow in the successive two years to reach $3.3 billion in 2011.

Significant contraction in 2009 was experienced in all market regions worldwide. Improved spending by NAND flash makers, foundries and packaging subcontractors are expected to be key growth drivers in 2010.

WASHINGTON – Saying trade-related issues have cost the US nearly 200,000 jobs this year, Senators Byron Dorgan (D-ND), and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) plan to reintroduce the Trade Reform, Accountability, Development and Employment Act.

S. 125, also known as the TRADE Act, would require the Government Accountability Office to conduct a comprehensive review of existing trade agreements with an emphasis on economic results, enforcement and compliance, and an analysis of non-tariff provisions in trade agreements; establish standards for labor and environmental protections, food and product safety, national security exceptions and remedies that must be included in new trade pacts.

It also would set requirements on public services, farm policy, investment, government procurement and affordable medicines that have been incorporated in trade agreements; require the president to create a plan to renegotiate current trade pacts prior to negotiating new agreements or congressional consideration of pending agreements, and restore congressional oversight of trade agreements.

MINNEAPOLIS – HEI Inc. reported third-quarter net sales were $7 million, down 38% year-over-year.

The firm generated a net loss of $1.03 million, compared to net income of $156,000 for the same period last year.

Net sales for the first nine months of fiscal 2009 were $23.7 million, down 25% compared to the prior year period. The net loss was $934,000, compared to net income of $377,000.

"The results reflect the impact of some pricing concessions we made in order to retain certain business for HEI, and the discontinuation of certain products by some of our customers. The third quarter appears to be the low point," said HEI CEO Mark B. Thomas.

TAIPEI -- Foxconn plans to open up to 10,000 retail stores in China, hoping to raise brand awareness and lure even more manufacturing contracts, local media is reporting.

WASHINGTON -- Nokia has filed suits in multiple countries against a total of 11 companies, alleging price-fixing on LCDs.

VERL, GERMANY -- Smyczek GmbH, a German EMS company, has been acquired by the Beckhoff Group.

TAIPEI – Foxconn is in talks with Acer about producing its notebooks, say published reports.

Acer currently outsources its notebook production, with 40% of the 2010 production going to Compal Electronics, and Wistron and Quanta Computer getting 20% to 30% each. Remaining orders will go to Inventec, reports DigiTimes.

However, some analysts discount the odds that Foxconn will receive orders from Acer in the near future, the reports say.