Circuits Assembly Online Magazine - News

News

HELSINKI – Sampo Bank opposes the planned merger of subsidiary PCB maker Aspocomp Oy with its parent company, a merger decided on in May by the board of Aspocomp Group Oyj.

Aspocomp will consider available options, the company reports.

The planned registration date for the merger was Sept. 30.

Sampo Life Insurance Co. owns a roughly 4% stake in Aspocomp Group Oyj, down from more than 10% earlier this year. Sampo Life is part of the same group as Sampo Bank.

LEWISTON, MN – RiverSide Electronics has achieved ISO 13485:2003 medical certification, the company reports. ISO 13485:2003 is the international quality management standard for manufacturers of medical devices. Emphasis is placed on risk management, material traceability, process qualification, and software validation.

“ISO 13485:2003 certification strengthens our core competencies and positions us for continued growth,” GM Gregg Reick said in a statement.

ROLLING MEADOWS, IL – BEST Inc. announced the launch of its SMT manufacturing class, a training course designed for technicians, operators, engineers and other personnel new to SMT assembly who would like to deepen their knowledge about the steps involved in the manufacturing of electronics assemblies.

The classes consist of practical assembly techniques, hands-on demonstrations, local area plant tours, subject matter expert explanations and classroom lectures.

Students are exposed to a combination of lab/plant tour information and classroom lectures.

The next class is in November in Rolling Meadows, IL.

For more information, visit www.solder.net.

NEW YORK — Dover Corp. yesterday said it will reorganize into four business segments and restate some results to reflect the new structure.

The conglomerate reduced its recent earnings per share of continuing operations due to the reaccounting of two now-discontinued businesses: Crenlo and Graphics Microsystems.

The company said it restated the past three years of financial reports, but did not provide further details.

Under the new structure, the four segments will be industrial products, engineered systems, fluid management and electronic technologies. The latter includes such companies as DEK, Everett-Charles Technologies, OK International and Ovation, among others.

In a statement, Dover said the reorganization will help save on costs, make the company simpler to understand for investors, and give a clearer direction to future acquisitions.

GELDERN, GERMANY – Ruwel GmbH, Europe’s second largest PCB manufacturer, named Bruno Haelg to manage production, research and development, quality and finance.

Haelg last ran the business of Unaxis Balzers AG, a supplier of equipment for semiconductor technology, data storage and displays. He has degrees in mechanical engineering and business administration.

He takes over for interim manager Detlev Schauwecker of AlixPartners.

Ralf Ebeling will continue to run sales/marketing, logistics and personnel, the company said.

Ruwel had 2006 sales of $205 million, flat with 2005, according to PCD&M consulting editor Dr. Hayao Nakahara.

JACKSON, MI – EMS provider Sparton Corp. announced net sales for the fourth quarter were just shy of $51 million, up 0.9% year-over-year. The company reported a net loss of $1.63 million, reversing a $468,000 gain last year.

PALO ALTO, CA – Frost & Sullivan’s quarterly analyst briefing presentation on the North American medical EMS market will be held Sept. 25 at 11 a.m. EST.

Highlights of the briefing include a discussion of current and future industry trends, market drivers and challenges, says the firm.

EMS providers’ increased concentration in the medical device industry propelled market growth in 2006. Medical OEMs’ willingness to outsource and produce viable business relationships will boost their presence and permit the incorporation of additional service offerings from EMS companies, Frost says.

Primary drivers such as an aging population and technology innovation in medical devices will enable EMS providers to offer optimal solutions and penetrate key end-user segments.

“As more EMS providers penetrate the medical device industry, profit margins are likely to increase, and medical OEMs are likely to have more of a selection of distinguished suppliers,” says research analyst Julian Harris.

To participate, email Sara Villarruel at sara.villarruel@frost.com with the following information: full name, company name, title, telephone number, e-mail, address, city, state and country.

MUNICH – Dr. Franz Josef Radermacher, head of the Research Institute for Application-Oriented Knowledge Processing, will keynote this year’s Productronica trade show.

Dr. Radermacher, who is also professor of informatics at Ulm University, will speak on the challenges of globalization, information society and sustainable development.

Radermacher, who holds Ph.D.s in mathematics and economics, will analyze current developments in population growth, social tensions in the global society, cultural conflicts and the aggravation of the worldwide ecological situation. He will illustrate the special role of electronics, computers and networks as the nervous system of humanity. He will provide a few future scenarios: the collapse of the biosphere, the "Brazilianization" of society, and the ideal balance. Finally, he will offer a possible initial solution toward implementing an eco-social global economy with the Global Marshall Plan.

He is one of the guiding forces behind the Global Marshall Plan Initiative aimed at harmonizing business interests with the environment, society and culture by creating an ecologically and socially compatible global economy.

For more information, visit www.productronica.com.

TEDDINGTON, UK – The higher the concentration of silver in a lead-free alloy, the better the performance at high frequencies.

That’s one finding of a just-released National Physical Laboratory report on vibration in lead-free alloys.

WOODRIDGE, IL – EMS provider Morey Corp. last week unveiled a 27,500-sq.-ft. engineering development center with an eponymous name dedicated to new product and process development.

The Richard and Gene Morey Innovation Center incorporates laboratory and research facilities, as well as production equipment for electronics assembly.

The ceremony included introductions by VP Dana Morey, an address by president Scott Morey, and remarks by special guests, including U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam.

The center is named for the second generation of Moreys to run the company.

METHUEN, MA – EMS provider and BGA technology specialist Lightspeed Manufacturing has expanded its manufacturing and engineering area by one-third, the company announced.

The expansion was prompted by the demands of increased volume and a steady growth of orders, which have doubled in the past year, according to president Rich Breault.

In its latest expansion, Lightspeed added production equipment and an advanced BGA workstation. The company also added space for shipping and receiving, and expanded the overall area to keep its manufacturing operations separate. It also added an advanced documentation station to track customer products and technology changes.

Last year, Lightspeed added a third SMT manufacturing line.

HONG KONG – The peak season for airfreight is off to a slow start, says Trans Global Logistics.

Soft demand for space has been caused by a number of market conditions, including earlier shipping patterns influenced by China's decision to reduce export incentives; early shipping to avoid the perceived threat of a USWC labor disruption; proactive shipping to avoid west coast port congestion, and cautious holiday shopping projections by retailers that expect sub-prime mortgages to be reset at higher interest rates – and higher fuel costs, the company says.

Throughout the Asia-Pacific region, there has been adequate lift to meet demand, and transit times have been consistent with non-peak periods, says president Robert W. Mooney. On the other hand, fuel surcharges remain persistently high and could be poised for another period of upward adjustment, he continues. Some countries, including Korea and Thailand, have seen export volumes tail off in part because of the rising value of their local currencies.

Looking ahead, most carriers in the region are anticipating demand for space to build later this month and carry forward through October, says Mooney.

Specifically, in China, demand from the Shanghai area has been relatively strong since late August, and carriers have been able to impose rate increases, while transit times have degraded somewhat, says Trans Global.

In North Asia, demand for space is down from last year; however, air carriers in Taiwan and Hong Kong have begun imposing rate increases. ICN is reporting a backlog of trans-shipment cargo in the vicinity of 400 to 500 tons, and freight originating from Korea is being uplifted without delay, the company adds.

In the Indian subcontinent, there is sufficient space to meet demand; rates are stable, and transit times are consistent, except via Europe. Importers should keep an eye on the political situation in Pakistan and be mindful of the start of Ramadan, which will impact operations in Muslim countries, says Mooney.

And in Southeast Asia, most markets have adequate space to meet demand, although Vietnam and Malaysia have reported much tighter market conditions. All markets in this region must contend with slightly longer transit times through regional air hubs, according to Trans Global Logistics.