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KUALA LUMPUR -- Flextronics International will close its factory in Shah Alam, putting nearly 1,400 employees out of work, Reuters reported today.
The 2007 figures, however, included the sale of a large subsidiary. Hana gained Bt504.6 million from the sale of Advance Interconnec Technology in September 2007.
Hana is the world’s 33d largest EMS firm, according to Circuits Assembly’s rankings. Its microelectronics unit's sales were up 1% for the year, despite a 13% drop year-over-year in the fourth quarter.
The company's sales and operating profits were down 3% and 4%, respectively, in Thai bahts, but adjusted for US currency changes, were essentially flat.
In a press release, Hana said, "The drop in demand experienced in the fourth quarter has continued and worsened in the first quarter and we anticipate it to continue into the second quarter. As a result we anticipate the possibility of an operating loss for the first half of the 2009. We have undertaken appropriate measures in headcount reduction (approximately 12%), short working week, payroll cuts for management and cancellation of certain bonus schemes. These will be reviewed in light of the on going economic situation."
1 THB (Bt) = 0.0277045 US$
The Oxford, CT, facility will be equipped with demonstration and training facilities for the company’s AOI product line.
“This expansion is in direct response to growing demand for our products and services, resulting in a significant increase in market share throughout North America,” said Brian D’Amico, president of Mirtec's North American subsidiary.
Last year, Mirtec’s parent company in Korea acquired a 35,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility in Seoul.
TAIPEI -- Hon Hai (Foxconn) and IBM reportedly are set to sign a pact to codevelop environment-friendly products.
HELSINKI -- Months after watching Apple steal its thunder in the 3G market, Nokia is readying to return the favor.
Nokia CEO Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo said the world's largest cellphone maker plans to enter the laptop market to capitalize on trends toward cellphone and PC convergence.
According to a report last week by Citigroup, Nokia's first computer will launch in the first half of 2010. The PC, either a netbook or a PC tablet, will probably feature an Intel Atom microprocessor and Linux operating system, Citigroup said. The analyst believes Nokia will outsource production to Compal Electronics or Hon Hai (Foxconn).
Netbooks -- low-cost, stripped-down PCs with minimal software and processing power -- are the fastest-growing segment of the PC market, according to several research firms.
BINGHAMTON, NY – A Universal Instruments spokesperson is disputing a published report in an online newsletter claiming the company has been sold and is being liquidated.
The March 3 edition of CircuitNet claimed, “It appears that Francisco Partners has sold the company to Patriarch Partners LLC, a private equity investment firm.” The story further asserted that Patriarch “is currently managing the day-to-day activities within the company and plans to sell off assets.”
More than $65 billion of the plan goes directly into high-tech spending. The top winners are medical infomatics ($22.7 billion); green tech support ($17.3 billion); smart grid power grid development ($11 billion); broadband and video conferencing ($7.5 billion), and automotive green tech ($4 billion).
Approximately one-third of this spending will go directly to hardware, meaning the US government will inject about $22 billion in spending over two years into an industry with $2.2 trillion in annual worldwide revenue, according to Chanoff. In other words, the US government package should directly add about 0.5% to industry revenue, he says.
"Success from the stimulus package requires clarity on what is available and how we can quickly leverage this injection of funds for the benefit of our industry,” said Kathleen Geraghty, TFI Quarterly Forum president.
Once a prototype design is completed using the NI's Multisim or Ultiboard design tools, customers can order prototype PCBs through the Sunstone ECOsystem Design Environment. They will also have access to Sunstone’s live customer support. Engineers can access resources, technical documents and manufacturing information, improving productivity during the design phase.
“NI has collaborated with Sunstone because we share the mission of simplifying the PCB design experience, and we are proud to have Sunstone as part of our PCB design and prototyping network,” said Vincent Accardi, general manager of NI’s Electronics Workbench group, in a press release.
There appears some confusion over the number of workers let go. According to local reports, a company spokesperson said the layoffs affected less than half the factory's workers. But Channel NewsAsia said affected employees claimed upt o 70% of the plant's 280 workers were let go.
