KUALA LUMPUR – VS Industry Bhd returned to profitability in its fiscal first quarter ended Oct. 31, reporting about US$6.6 million in net profit, compared with a year-ago loss of roughly US$7.0 million, a swing of about 192% year over year. Operating profit rose 4% to about $11 million, up from roughly $10.6 million.

Global semiconductor sales reached $72.7 billion in October, rising 4.7% from September and 27.2% year over year, according to new WSTS data released by the Semiconductor Industry Association. Demand strength in the Americas and Asia Pacific continued to drive the market, with all major regions posting month-to-month growth.

AUSTIN, TX – TechSearch International’s newest Advanced Packaging Update finds that rapid growth in AI servers and data center hardware will push substrate demand beyond available capacity by 2028, forcing manufacturers to expand production within the next three years. The report highlights rising pressure on substrate materials – especially glass fiber used in core constructions – and evaluates potential alternatives as supply tightens.

SALEM, NH – Micro-Precision Technologies has acquired Stellar Manufacturing, adding PCB assembly capabilities to its US micro-electronics platform. The deal, which closed in early October, builds on MPT’s partnership with Great River Capital Partners and supports its expansion across defense, aerospace, medical and commercial markets.

HELSINKI – Incap Corporation has signed an agreement to acquire 100% of Germany’s Lacon Group in a transaction valued at $54.2 million, marking an expansion of the Finnish EMS provider’s presence in Europe and growing its position in fast-growing defense and industrial markets.

MILPITAS, CA – SEMI reported that global semiconductor equipment billings rose 11% year-over-year to $33.66 billion in the third quarter, with a 2% sequential increase driven by continued investment in leading-edge logic, DRAM and advanced packaging technologies supporting AI workloads.

WASHINGTON, DC – The US China Economic & Security Review Commission recently released its 2025 Report to Congress. The report cites the fact that decades of offshoring printed circuit board ( PCB) manufacturing caused US capacity to plummet from 30 percent of the world supply in 2000 to only 4 percent today. Semiconductors, whether they are used for national defense, critical infrastructure or commercial systems, all must be mounted on a PCB.

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Safari Circuits has acquired the former LaCroix Electronics manufacturing plant, preserving 116 jobs and restarting full electronics production under the new name Safari Grand Rapids.

Another Productronica has come and gone. What did we learn?

That the biggest trend – besides the ubiquitous white sneakers attendees wore – was size. (Glass-free substrates were a close second.) More on that in a moment.

ATLANTA, GA – The North American Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) sector shows a market that is stabilizing as it heads into 2026. The EMS book-to-bill ratio held at a strong 1.26. Total EMS shipments for October were essentially flat year-over-year, down 0.1%, but rose 4.9% from September. Year-to-date shipments remain slightly below last year’s pace, declining 0.7% compared to the first ten months of 2024.

ATLANTA, GA – North America’s PCB sector opened the fourth quarter with a sharp acceleration in activity, as October shipments and bookings posted double-digit gains, according to new data from the Global Electronics Association. Total PCB shipments rose 24.4% year over year and increased 13.5% from September, pushing year-to-date shipments up 11.9%.

PEACHTREE CITY, GA – NOVEMBER 10, 2025 – The Printed Circuit Engineering Association (PCEA) today issued a call for abstracts for the PCB West 2026 technical conference. The conference, the largest of its kind in Silicon Valley, focuses on training and best practices for printed circuit board designers and design engineers, electronics hardware engineers, fabricators and assemblers.