Circuits Assembly Online Magazine - News

News

CARLSBAD, CA – Asymtek is offering a conformal coating and jet-dispensing workshop on May 3 at the Doubletree Hotel in Orlando, FL. The workshop will focus on electronics assembly for military and industrial applications and will feature speakers from Dymax, Henkel, Humiseal, Lockheed Martin and Asymtek. Sessions will contain information on adhering to military specifications; applying conformal coating materials and chemistries; tin whiskers and how to avoid reliability risks, and non-contact fluid jetting technology for flip-chip and chip-scale package underfill. The free, all-day workshop will feature live video demonstrations.

For more information and to register, please visit: http://www.asymtek.com/news/seminars/orlando2007/.

TOKYO – Total consumer electronic shipments from Japanese manufacturers in 2006 were about $23.6 billion, representing a 7% growth compared to 2005, according to a recent report released by the Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association.

Shipments of AV equipment increased 10% year-over-year. The flat panel TV segment, especially large-size LCDs, led the industry relative to unit growth, increasing by 33% during 2006, says JEITA. Sales for LCD TVs larger than 37" grew by 130%, and sales of PDP TVs increased 60% during the same period. Panasonic is still increasing manufacturing capacities for PDP TVs, contrary to other major electronics manufacturers who shifted to LCD, says the report.

While automobile sales in Japan are flat, sales for vehicle electronics equipment is growing rapidly, reports the association; sales of high-end portable GPS systems for automobiles increased 44% year-over-year.

DVDs and related products declined 18% in 2006 compared to 2005, suggesting this segment’s sales may have peaked.

Overall, several market indexes measuring the electronics industry in Japan are indicating a downturn for the first quarter of 2007. While Japanese manufacturers in the electronics industry predict good financial performances for the fiscal year ending March 2007, they may not be too optimistic for the remainder of 2007, says JEITA.

BANGALURA, INDIA – India's semiconductor manufacturing policy has been announced, paving the way for India to make its mark on the global market. The Special Incentive Package Scheme focuses on attracting investments for setting up semiconductor plants and other technology manufacturing industries in the region. Semiconductor companies seeking incentives—20% of the capital expenditure during the first 10 years —will have to invest a minimum $550 million, according to the initiative.

MANILA – Integrated Microelectronics, Inc. has recently opened an office in Tokyo. IMI Japan, Inc. will serve as a marketing office to draw more outsourcing projects to the Philippines, where the company's main manufacturing site is located, IMI said.

In a statement, the EMS and ODM company said that its Japanese office would work with Japan-based OEMs and also serve as a front-end design and product development center. IMI Japan also will be the bridge between Japanese customers and the company’s engineering centers in Singapore, China and the United States.

The company reported Japan accounts for 53% of all its revenues.

ARLINGTON, VA – The Electronics Industries Alliance reports Rep. John Shadegg (R-Ariz.) introduced the Securing Knowledge Innovation and Leadership (SKIL) Bill on Wednesday. The legislation includes provisions crucial to companies in the U.S. information and communications technology industry that employ highly educated foreign professionals. An identical measure, S. 1083, was introduced last week by Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas.

The EIA said Congress should reform the H-1B and employment-based visa programs this year to allow U.S. technology companies to hire the skilled workers they need to compete. The association urged lawmakers to make SKIL part of any comprehensive immigration reform package.

The SKIL Bill will raise the H-1B cap from 65,000 to 115,000; apply the current 20,000 cap exemption to those with a master's degree or higher from an institution of higher education in a foreign country, not just the U.S.; raise the limit on employment-based visas from 140,000 to 290,000 per year; extend post-degree employment for optional practical training to 24 months for all F visa students; create a new F-1 visa for students coming to pursue a U.S. STEM bachelor's or higher degree; create a pre-certification program to streamline the adjudication process for petitions for employers with a track record of compliance; and permit domestic visa revalidation/renewal.

In addition, U.S. Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) sponsored The High Tech Worker Relief Act to make more H-1B visas available in fiscal years 2007 and 2008 and exempt U.S. advanced degree holders from the cap.

EL SEGUNDO, CA – Foxconn Electronics Inc. and Asustek Computer Inc. accounted for $18.5 billion—or 57%—of annual worldwide revenue among the Top-20 contract manufacturers in 2006, according to iSuppli Corp.

Concentration of revenue among the Top-10 EMS providers and ODMs accelerated at a faster-than-expected rate in 2006, says the firm. The Top-10 EMS providers alone controlled 70.4%, or $111 billion, of the $157 billion market in 2006. The Top-10 ODM providers controlled 72.8%, or $72.8 billion, of the $100 billion market.

STAMFORD, CT – Worldwide PC shipments increased by 8.9%, totaling 62.7 million units in the first quarter of 2007, according to Gartner.

The U.S., Europe, Middle East and Africa, and Latin America performed better than the previous forecast, while Asia/Pacific and Japan shipments were lower than expected. Asia/Pacific surpassed the U.S. For the first time, PCs will take second place in shipments.

In the first quarter, HP's worldwide PC shipment growth outpaced the industry average, increasing 28.7%. Meanwhile, Dell experienced below-average growth across many regions. Acer moved into the third position for worldwide PC shipments, exceeding the industry average across all regions. Lenovo dropped to fourth, but achieved its highest year-over-year growth rate since acquiring IBM's PC division.

In the U.S., PC shipments grew 2.9% for the quarter year-over-year. These results were higher than Gartner's forecast of 0.6% growth. Dell maintained the lead in U.S. shipments; however, HP narrowed the gap for the top spot in the U.S. market.

PC shipments in Europe, the Middle East and Africa totaled 21.6 million units, a 13.7% increase from the same period last year. In Asia/Pacific, PC shipments reached 15.7 million units, a 10.3% increase year-over-year. The PC market in the first quarter in China grew 15.2%, with desk-based PC growth of 10.1% and mobile PC growth of 38.3%. PC shipments in Latin America totaled 5.1 million, a 21% increase year-over-year; mobile PC shipments increased 86%. Japan surpassed 4 million units in the first quarter, a 6.8% decline from the same period last year.

STAMFORD, CT – Gartner Inc. lowered its capital equipment spending forecasts for 2007 and 2008. Overall capital spending is projected to hit $55.2 billion in 2007, down 1.5% year-over-year. In 2008, capital spending is projected to grow 10.7% to $61.1 billion, said the research firm.

Worldwide semiconductor capital equipment spending is forecast to total $40.6 billion in 2007, a 3.2% decline from 2006. The market is expected to rebound in 2008, with spending expected to reach $46.7 billion, a 14.9% increase, said Gartner. This is below its previous forecast at the end of 2006.

After growing more than 18% in 2006, packaging and assembly equipment market revenue is projected to decline 12.2% in 2007, but will grow 20.2% in 2008. ATE sales will slow in 2007, with an expected decline of 11.2% for the year, the firm said.

TAIPEI — Foxconn has purchased 142 placement machines from Sony Taiwan, according to a company filing on the Taiwan Stock Exchange.

The capital investment, worth a total of US$16.58 million, was negotiated between Nov. 16, 2006 and Apr. 19, 2007, the filing said.

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC – Top-five PC maker Lenovo will lay off 650 workers and move 750 jobs closer to the company’s suppliers and manufacturing operations. The company will take a pretax restructuring charge of $50 million to $60 million, most in the current quarter.

The move will save the former IBM PC unit about $100 million in the current fiscal year. The 1,400 positions represent about 5% of its global workforce, and Lenovo expects to complete most of the changes in the next 12 months.

BOSTON – Transit times from Asia are leveling as the region is reporting typical, slow market conditions characterized by adequate space to meet demand and stable rates, says Trans Global Logistics in a recent update. Airfreight demand in May will pick up, the logistics provider said.

Southeast Asia experienced strong demand for airlift late last month; transit times were longer because of congestion at regional air hubs. A number of carriers have imposed fuel surcharge increases, and TGL expect more increases this month.

While May demand will rise, adequate capacity should keep transit times and rates in line. The weeklong Labor Day Golden Week holiday starts May 1. Factories close for the week and, as a result, the company expects a surge of air shipments before the holiday.

SALT LAKE CITY – CirTran Corp., an EMS builder of consumer electronics products, today guided for a 114% hike in first quarter sales.

The company anticipates sales of approximately $3.7 million for the first quarter, an increase of approximately $2 million over last year.