Circuits Assembly Online Magazine - News

News

BANNOCKBURN, IL — IPC is taking issue with the inclusion of the flame retardant chemical known as Tetrabromobisphenol A on a draft list of substances that could be added to the EU RoHS Directive, firing off a letter requesting the EU commissioners "reconsider" its potential ban.

The trade group had previously made its case to the Öko-Institut, which was charged with drafting the list.

TBBPA, a a reactive flame retardant used in most printed circuit board laminates, has been reported to be included among five substances for priority assessment and potential inclusion in RoHS by media who claimed to have seen the proposal. It is reportedly used in more than two-thirds of electrical and electronics appliances.

Citing the strong body of technical evidence, IPC claims TBBPA is not a risk and should not be included in future RoHS documents. "TBBPA has already undergone a comprehensive EU Risk Assessment and, therefore, is not expected to be subject to authorization under REACH,” IPC said in the letter. "The recommendation for priority review of TBBPA under RoHS seemingly undermines the EU’s emerging chemicals policy and law under REACH. We urge the commission to reconsider the inclusion of TBBPA in its list of ‘priority review’ substances under RoHS.”

Following interagency review of the proposal, the EU Commission will present the proposed RoHS Revision to the European Parliament.

To see the IPC letter, click here.

BILLINGSTAD, NORWAY -- Kitron ASA reported published preliminary third-quarter revenue of about $68 million and earnings before taxes of about $4.12 million.

A year ago, the electronics manufacturing services company reported sales of $55.5 million and gross earnings before taxes of $1.9 million.

MEDINA, OH – Cletronics Inc., a small EMS company and manufacturer of coils and inductors, will add 12,000 sq. ft. to its factory here as part of a $960,000 expansion.

The company will hire three new full-time workers, bringing its total headcount to 16 (not including two part-timers).

The local county granted the company a 40% tax abatement for 10 years, under terms of the Community Reinvestment Act, according to reports.

BANNOCKBURN, IL – North American PWB shipments in September fell 3.1%, while orders decreased 14.2% year-over-year, IPC said.

Year to date, shipments rose 4.5%, and orders were down 1.1%. Sequentially, combined shipments for September were up 3.8%; orders were up 13.3%. The book-to-bill ratio remained at 0.95.

REDMOND, WA – Data I/O announced third-quarter revenues rose 7% to $7.8 million over a year ago, but slipped 3% sequentially.

Net income was $1.2 million, down 25% from last year. Gross margin as a percentage of sales was 60%. Operating expenses were $3.3 million, up $300,000.

For the quarter, orders fell 16% to $6.9 million. “We were disappointed to see some orders slide out, primarily in Europe and the US, but Asia remained very strong with orders up nearly 50% compared with the same quarter of 2007," said Fred Hume, president and CEO, in a statement.

STOCKHOLM – NOTE today reported September sales of $50.7 million, up 2.2% over a year ago. Operating profits were $1.8 million, down 50%. Net profits were down 59% to $980,000.

The operating margin of 3.6% is down 50% from last year. The EMS company took $1.2 million in restructuring charges for the quarter.

Through September, NOTE had nine-month sales of $164 million and a net profit of $7.3 million. Year-to-date operating profits were $5.6 million. To date, the EMS provider has taken $3.8 million in charges for ongoing restructuring. Profit after items, but before taxes, was $9.8 million, down more than 50% year-over-year. Operating margins are 3.4%, down from 6.5% last year.

NOTE is transferring labor-intensive production and sourcing services to lower-labor rate countries, and cutting its headcount in Sweden by 200 staff, or just over 25%.

BREST, FRANCE – Jabil Circuit will close, sell or otherwise restructure its plant here, a local paper reported this week.

Ouest France is reporting the site’s revenues are 25% below expectations. The plant employs about 300 workers, down from 515 a year ago, when Alcatel-Lucent reportedly moved production from the site to a Solectron (now Flextronics) plant in China.

Jabil acquired the site and its then 700 employees from Alcatel in 2002.

CORINTH, MI – Ayrshire Electronics has acquired ACT Electronics' facility here for an undisclosed amount.

In doing so, Ayrshire saved the largest EMS factory in the US – some 350,000 sq. ft. – and the jobs of about 200 full-time workers and 50 more part-timers.

In a statement, the office of Gov. Haley Barbour said, "Ayrshire Electronics ... is expected to keep 200-plus workers on the job under the umbrella of a new corporate structure and new management effective as early as (today)."

Last month ACT put the plant, formerly owned by ITT, up for sale.

Ayrshire operates five plants in the Midwest and Mexico.

WYLIE, TX – Global Innovation Corp., provider of bare boards and contract assembly services, reported fiscal 2008 sales of $33.5 million, up 1.6% over 2007. Gross profits rose 14% to $7.2 million, while net income was up 93% to $348,000.

The higher sales were primarily attributable to new customers and partially offset by a sales decline at GIC’s largest customer. The higher gross profit was tied to a shift to higher technology products, and lower pricing pressures. Gross margins rose 240 basis points to 21.5% in 2008.

MINNEAPOLIS – CyberOptics reported third-quarter sales of $11.6 million, down 29% from last year. The net loss was $772,000, down from net income of $1.5 million a year ago. The net loss included about $650,000 of pre-tax expenses related to transition of inspection systems-related R&D and manufacturing to Singapore and a $257,000 income tax benefit.

SURREY, UK – TT Electronics Plc reported year-to-date operating profits were down year-over-year on lower demand at its sensors and electronic systems, and electronic components business units. Specific numbers were not provided.

The company cited lower production in the automotive sector, where demand is expected to be off in the fourth quarter as well.

Electronic manufacturing services demand will remain in line with expectations, TT Electronics said.

The company expects to take a £5.3 million fourth-quarter charge related to the July closing of a South Wales plant and the proposed relocation of AB Electronic in Romford, UK, to China and India.

ANGLETON, TX – Benchmark Electronics reported sales fell 4.6% to $642 million in the September quarter from the prior year. Net income was $24 million, up 9% over last year.