News
BRUSSELS – Industry leaders addressed concerns with the Öko-Institut report on the proposed expansion of RoHS substance restrictions at an IPC workshop on June 18.
Öko-Institut was contracted by the European Union to study the inclusion of additional hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment under the RoHS Directive. In its draft report, the Öko-Institut recommended the restriction of TBBPA, the flame retardant used to protect more than 80% of PCBs and found to be safe by a comprehensive EU risk assessment.
In addition to TBBPA, HBCDDs, several phthalate plasticizers and all organic compounds containing chlorine and bromine are included in the report as suggested bans.
“IPC is concerned that Öko-Institut’s recommendations are arbitrary and lack a sound scientific basis. Implemented, these recommendations will have a significant negative impact on our members,” explained Fern Abrams, IPC’s director of government relations and environmental policy.
IPC is developing a supply chain white paper in response to the proposed restrictions.
Öko-Institut was contracted by the European Union to study the inclusion of additional hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment under the RoHS Directive. In its draft report, the Öko-Institut recommended the restriction of TBBPA, the flame retardant used to protect more than 80% of PCBs and found to be safe by a comprehensive EU risk assessment.
In addition to TBBPA, HBCDDs, several phthalate plasticizers and all organic compounds containing chlorine and bromine are included in the report as suggested bans.
“IPC is concerned that Öko-Institut’s recommendations are arbitrary and lack a sound scientific basis. Implemented, these recommendations will have a significant negative impact on our members,” explained Fern Abrams, IPC’s director of government relations and environmental policy.
IPC is developing a supply chain white paper in response to the proposed restrictions.
HELSINKI – A deal to purchase Elcoteq’s subsidiary in Russia fell through after Flextronics failed to obtain approval from Russian competition authorities.
SCOTTSDALE, AZ – The tepid semiconductor market isn’t slowing spending on chip research and development. First quarter semiconductor R&D grew 12% to $11.1 billion compared to the same period last year, says IC Insights.
WASHINGTON -- May orders to factories for manufactured
durables were flat, ending a two-month slump, on demand for aircraft and
computers, the Commerce
Department said today.
Orders for durable goods -- items that are designed to last three or more years -- showed no change in May, after falling 1% in April and 0.2% in March.
Orders for durable goods -- items that are designed to last three or more years -- showed no change in May, after falling 1% in April and 0.2% in March.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL -- Jabil's fiscal third-quarter net profit rose 519% to $38.4 million on sales of $3.09 billion, up just under 3%.
For the quarter ended May 31, Jabil cut its restructuring and impairment charges to $3.5 million, from $25.3 million last year. However, the EMS firm also pared its R&D expenses about 24% to $8 million in the quarter.
For the quarter ended May 31, Jabil cut its restructuring and impairment charges to $3.5 million, from $25.3 million last year. However, the EMS firm also pared its R&D expenses about 24% to $8 million in the quarter.
MANASSAS, VA – Austin American Technology Corp. and Zestron America have completed compatibility experiments for cleaning equipment and products.
The testing was conducted with current PCB defluxing inline and batch equipment, as well as stencil cleaning machines.
Completed at various concentrations and temperatures, the results confirmed excellent compatibility between all wetted parts that came in direct contact with Vigon and Atron cleaning agents, the companies say.
The testing was conducted with current PCB defluxing inline and batch equipment, as well as stencil cleaning machines.
Completed at various concentrations and temperatures, the results confirmed excellent compatibility between all wetted parts that came in direct contact with Vigon and Atron cleaning agents, the companies say.
SHENZHEN – Foxconn International Holdings will begin production in its Taiyuan, Shanxi and Langfang, Hebei facilities in the third quarter of this year, according to published reports, quoting a company department chief.
Foxconn intends to direct its focus on production in North China, and expects the Taiyuan and Langfang plants will have 50% more aggregate capacity than the its Shenzhen headquarters, according to the chief.
Foxconn expects to increase total production capacity 20% to 30% next year, the report said, with production at its Hungarian plant scheduled to start in August, Vietnamese production scheduled for year-end and expansion set for its Yantai, Shandong location.
Foxconn intends to direct its focus on production in North China, and expects the Taiyuan and Langfang plants will have 50% more aggregate capacity than the its Shenzhen headquarters, according to the chief.
Foxconn expects to increase total production capacity 20% to 30% next year, the report said, with production at its Hungarian plant scheduled to start in August, Vietnamese production scheduled for year-end and expansion set for its Yantai, Shandong location.
SAN JOSE – Flextronics’ decision to jump in the competitive
notebook PC market is paying off. Today, the EMS company announced a deal with HP
to design and manufacture a high-volume consumer notebook computer. No financial
or other contract details were announced.
HONG KONG – Byd Electronic Co., a provider of mobile handset components and electronics assembly services, reported 2007 revenues of 5.8 billion RMB ($823 million), up 89% year-over-year.
MINNEAPOLIS -- CyberOptics promoted Steven
DiMarco to vice president and general manager, Inspection Systems Business, responsible
for new systems product development and manufacturing center in Singapore as well as global sales and marketing and
service. He has been with CyberOptics since 2005, most recently as vice president
of sales and marketing.
The business unit produces AOI and solder paste inspection systems.
HSINCHU, TAIWAN -- Powertech Technology Inc. has licensed
IBM's MPS-C2 (Metal Post Solder-Chip Connection) technology, the company said today. No financial terms were disclosed.
MPS-C2 is a ultra fine pitch flip-chip package technology for chips with bond pad pitches of less than 80 microns.
It is useful in such applications as cell phones and other mobile applications where conventional wire-bond PoP, PiP or SiP packages might not work.
MPS-C2 is used to make bumps on pads with copper posts and SnAg solder. The bumps are formed on aluminum pads through a wafer plating process without redistribution. The bumps can then be connected to an organic substrate’s copper pads using conventional SMT reflow.
PTI is now the leading memory ODM package and testing house in the world.
MPS-C2 is a ultra fine pitch flip-chip package technology for chips with bond pad pitches of less than 80 microns.
It is useful in such applications as cell phones and other mobile applications where conventional wire-bond PoP, PiP or SiP packages might not work.
MPS-C2 is used to make bumps on pads with copper posts and SnAg solder. The bumps are formed on aluminum pads through a wafer plating process without redistribution. The bumps can then be connected to an organic substrate’s copper pads using conventional SMT reflow.
PTI is now the leading memory ODM package and testing house in the world.
BRUSSELS – The European Commission has approved Foxconn’s purchase of two Sanmina-SCI plants.
The agreement covers plants located in Szekesfehervar, Hungary, and Guadalajara, Mexico, which perform EMS and repair services.
The deal is said to be worth between $80 million and $90 million, Sanmina said, according to published reports.
In a statement, the EC wrote, “After examining the operation, the Commission concluded that the transaction would not significantly impede effective competition in the European Economic Area (EEA) or any substantial part of it.”
The deal is expected to be final by the end of June.
The agreement covers plants located in Szekesfehervar, Hungary, and Guadalajara, Mexico, which perform EMS and repair services.
The deal is said to be worth between $80 million and $90 million, Sanmina said, according to published reports.
In a statement, the EC wrote, “After examining the operation, the Commission concluded that the transaction would not significantly impede effective competition in the European Economic Area (EEA) or any substantial part of it.”
The deal is expected to be final by the end of June.
