News
SAN JOSE – January sales of semiconductors rose 9.2% worldwide to $21.47 billion, the Semiconductor Industry Association reported. January sales dipped 1.2% from December, which the trade group chalked up to seasonality. SIA reiterated its forecast for 2007, noting falling inventory levels.
EL SEGUNDO, CA – Although Dell sold more PCs than any other OEM last year, 2006 will go down as the year of HP, with the company racking up market share gains that permitted it to capture the top ranking in the second half, says iSuppli.
In the fourth quarter of 2006, HP shipped 11.6 million PCs, up 21.1% year-over-year. This was more than three times the rate than the PC industry average of 6.3% growth during the period, according to iSuppli.
In contrast, Dell shipped 9.6 million PCs in the fourth quarter of 2006, down 8.6% year-over-year. Dell was the only Top-5 PC OEM to report a decline in fourth-quarter shipments.
Lenovo held onto third place, with shipments of 4.8 million, up from 4.4 million in 2005. The Chinese PC company’s lead over fourth-placed Acer shrank from 1.3 million units in the third quarter to only 348,000 units in the fourth quarter. Acer came on strong in the fourth quarter, with year-over-year unit growth of 42.7%.
Worldwide PC shipments in the fourth quarter amounted to 66.7 million units, up 11% sequentially and up 6.3% from 62.7 million during the same period in 2005.
On the semiconductor side, 2006 saw the escalation of the PC microprocessor war between Advanced Micro Devices and Intel. Pricing was a major weapon, as was dual-core microprocessor technology for mainstream PCs. The next stage of this contest will be the battle to control the market for quad-core microprocessors in mainstream applications, says the firm.
In the fourth quarter of 2006, HP shipped 11.6 million PCs, up 21.1% year-over-year. This was more than three times the rate than the PC industry average of 6.3% growth during the period, according to iSuppli.
In contrast, Dell shipped 9.6 million PCs in the fourth quarter of 2006, down 8.6% year-over-year. Dell was the only Top-5 PC OEM to report a decline in fourth-quarter shipments.
Lenovo held onto third place, with shipments of 4.8 million, up from 4.4 million in 2005. The Chinese PC company’s lead over fourth-placed Acer shrank from 1.3 million units in the third quarter to only 348,000 units in the fourth quarter. Acer came on strong in the fourth quarter, with year-over-year unit growth of 42.7%.
Worldwide PC shipments in the fourth quarter amounted to 66.7 million units, up 11% sequentially and up 6.3% from 62.7 million during the same period in 2005.
On the semiconductor side, 2006 saw the escalation of the PC microprocessor war between Advanced Micro Devices and Intel. Pricing was a major weapon, as was dual-core microprocessor technology for mainstream PCs. The next stage of this contest will be the battle to control the market for quad-core microprocessors in mainstream applications, says the firm.
PASADENA – SupplyFrame announced the release of the SupplyFrame GoPart search engine widget. The free widget reportedly lets design engineers and buyers find the most current available facts about millions of electronic components, in real-time.
GoPart is an extension of the company’s electronic component search engine, which offers pricing, availability, sources, trends, and electronic component cross reference data. It opens an electronic component search engine inside many applications, including EDA, MRP, MS Excel or a browser. It is said to present complete, live information including electronic component datasheets, RoHS compliance, volume pricing and lead times.
Avnet Electronics Marketing will attach its database to GoPart. Under an agreement, Avnet will distribute the widget in the North American market through its Website and field sales force.
The widget is available at www.supplyframe.com/gopart.
GoPart is an extension of the company’s electronic component search engine, which offers pricing, availability, sources, trends, and electronic component cross reference data. It opens an electronic component search engine inside many applications, including EDA, MRP, MS Excel or a browser. It is said to present complete, live information including electronic component datasheets, RoHS compliance, volume pricing and lead times.
Avnet Electronics Marketing will attach its database to GoPart. Under an agreement, Avnet will distribute the widget in the North American market through its Website and field sales force.
The widget is available at www.supplyframe.com/gopart.
MUNICH – Productronica, the biennial electronics manufacturing trade show, will take place Nov. 13-16, in Munich.
The exhibition, perhaps the world’s largest electronics manufacturing show, will include production technologies for semiconductors, displays, printed circuit boards, materials processing, mounting technology, product finishing, measurement and testing, quality assurance, EMS, productions logistics and material flow technology.
The event is expected to bring more than 1,500 exhibitors and 44,000 attendees.
Highlights will include organic electronics, photovoltaics, and “green” electronics. The EMS Village will feature outsourcing information for development, production, logistics and services. Reliable product tracking (traceability), cost-cutting ERP, materials/MES, and other types of goods management and logistics will be featured.
Productronica will feature special shows and live demonstrations. The special show titled System-in-Package will present the functional adaptation of electronics to the application environment. Two Productronica forums will detail industry challenges and corresponding solutions.
For more information, visit www.productronica.com and www.global-electronics.net.
The exhibition, perhaps the world’s largest electronics manufacturing show, will include production technologies for semiconductors, displays, printed circuit boards, materials processing, mounting technology, product finishing, measurement and testing, quality assurance, EMS, productions logistics and material flow technology.
The event is expected to bring more than 1,500 exhibitors and 44,000 attendees.
Highlights will include organic electronics, photovoltaics, and “green” electronics. The EMS Village will feature outsourcing information for development, production, logistics and services. Reliable product tracking (traceability), cost-cutting ERP, materials/MES, and other types of goods management and logistics will be featured.
Productronica will feature special shows and live demonstrations. The special show titled System-in-Package will present the functional adaptation of electronics to the application environment. Two Productronica forums will detail industry challenges and corresponding solutions.
For more information, visit www.productronica.com and www.global-electronics.net.
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BANNOCKBURN, IL – North American PCB shipments fell 2.6% in January and bookings dropped 18.7% year-over-year, the IPC said. The book-to-bill ratio remained under parity at 0.91.
Rigid shipments were down 3.5%, and bookings were down 19.2% year-over-year. Flexible circuit shipments were up 14.3%, while bookings were down 10.6%.
The rigid book-to-bill ratio was 0.91; the flex circuit book-to-bill ratio edged up to 0.93.
Rigid PCBs make up an estimated 85% of PCB sales in North America.
The results include 11% of foreign-produced boards.
Rigid shipments were down 3.5%, and bookings were down 19.2% year-over-year. Flexible circuit shipments were up 14.3%, while bookings were down 10.6%.
The rigid book-to-bill ratio was 0.91; the flex circuit book-to-bill ratio edged up to 0.93.
Rigid PCBs make up an estimated 85% of PCB sales in North America.
The results include 11% of foreign-produced boards.
SAN JOSE – A call for papers has been issued for the International Wafer-Level Packaging Conference scheduled for Sept. 17-19, in San Jose. The conference program will include workshops, and business and technical sessions on wafer-level packaging, 3D/stacked packaging and test. The organizers seek 200-word abstracts with proposed topics. Abstracts should be submitted before Apr. 10 to Melissa Serres at melissa@smta.org. Full details may be found at http://www.smta.org/iwlpc.
MINNEAPOLIS – The 2007 Medical Electronics Symposium will be held May 2-3 in Bloomington, MN. A tabletop exhibition will take place on May 2, and a half-day workshop symposium on May 1 will cover issues of reliability in medical electronics and medical device applications. Other topics of the symposium include RoHS/WEEE impact on design; wireless telemetry; process development case studies; substrate materials for medical electronics; design challenges; environmental constraints; emerging technologies; advanced cleanliness requirements; advanced packaging for medical electronics; reliability assessments; software security; safety & risk management; warranty analytics; risk communication and software regulation. The keynote, Neuromodulation – Approaching the Tipping Point, will be presented May 2 at 11:30 am by Christopher Chavez of Advanced Neuromodulation Systems. For more information, please visit http://www.smta.org/education/symposia/symposia.cfm#medical.
CUPERTINO, CA -- Apple Inc. is seeing continued demand for its Macintosh PCs and expects strong sales of the new iPhone, the company told analysts this week.
Analysts say the company's revenue estimate of $5.1 billion for the June quarter will likely prove conservative.
Analysts say the company's revenue estimate of $5.1 billion for the June quarter will likely prove conservative.
MINNEAPOLIS -- The SMTA seeks nominations for its board of directors.
The trade group is accepting nominations through April 27 for the term that begins in October. Candidates must be SMTA members who have demonstrated commitment to the association.
Candidates should have valuable skills and ideas to continue the association's mission of helping members succeed in electronics assembly and related business operations.
Those interested or who know of potential board members may submit a nomination form online under the Board Nominations section at smta.org.
Contact SMTA administrator JoAnn Stromberg (joann@smta.org) or Nominating Committee Chair Irene Sterian (isterian@celestica.com) for further information. To learn more about the nomination process, click here.
The SMTA is a volunteer-driven organization.
The trade group is accepting nominations through April 27 for the term that begins in October. Candidates must be SMTA members who have demonstrated commitment to the association.
Candidates should have valuable skills and ideas to continue the association's mission of helping members succeed in electronics assembly and related business operations.
Those interested or who know of potential board members may submit a nomination form online under the Board Nominations section at smta.org.
Contact SMTA administrator JoAnn Stromberg (joann@smta.org) or Nominating Committee Chair Irene Sterian (isterian@celestica.com) for further information. To learn more about the nomination process, click here.
The SMTA is a volunteer-driven organization.
TAIPEI -- Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., the parent of Foxconn, will reportedly up its investment in Vietnam by $4 billion
Last month, Hon Hai chairman Terry Guo signed a letter of intent to invest $1 billion in a high-tech industrial park in Bac Ninh Province. According to several reports, Hon Hai will invest the additional funds in other industrial parks and some urban-development projects.
The company plans to build cameras, cellphones and accessories, PCBs, connectors and other electronics related items in Vietnam, the reports said.
Last month, Hon Hai chairman Terry Guo signed a letter of intent to invest $1 billion in a high-tech industrial park in Bac Ninh Province. According to several reports, Hon Hai will invest the additional funds in other industrial parks and some urban-development projects.
The company plans to build cameras, cellphones and accessories, PCBs, connectors and other electronics related items in Vietnam, the reports said.
LOS ALTOS, CA – The change in the Congressional majority will likely result in slower growth rates for U.S. military electronics production, according to a leading industry analyst.
In his February newsletter, Ed Henderson predicts military electronics will grow 2.3% next year, down from 9.5% this year.
Military electronics sales grew between 11.4% and 13.3% from 2004-06, Henderson said.
Global defense budgets were worth some $950 billion 2006, with more than half – $522 billion – spent by the U.S. National defense contracts are typically closed to foreign suppliers, which makes the U.S. a lucrative and virtually protected market for U.S. companies.
In his February newsletter, Ed Henderson predicts military electronics will grow 2.3% next year, down from 9.5% this year.
Military electronics sales grew between 11.4% and 13.3% from 2004-06, Henderson said.
Global defense budgets were worth some $950 billion 2006, with more than half – $522 billion – spent by the U.S. National defense contracts are typically closed to foreign suppliers, which makes the U.S. a lucrative and virtually protected market for U.S. companies.
EL SEGUNDO, CA — Sharp Corp. in the fourth quarter was toppled from the top spot in the global LCD-TV market, falling to fourth place, down from first in the third quarter, according to a new market share ranking from iSuppli Corp.
The dramatic shake-up in LCD-TV market share is due to the rapid progress made by Sharp’s competitors and their capability to capitalize on declining prices during the holiday season.
Samsung Electronics took Sharp’s previous position at the top of the rankings with a 16.8% share of LCD-TV unit shipments in the fourth quarter, up from 13.5% in the third quarter. Second place belonged to Philips Electronics at 15.1%, while Sony came in third with a 13.1% share of unit shipments. Sharp was fourth with 11.4% in the fourth quarter, down from 13.9% in the third quarter.
Rounding out the Top 5 was LG Electronics (7.8% share).
“This is a significant blow to Sharp, which had been the dominant LCD-TV seller going into 2006,” said Riddhi Patel, principal analyst for television systems at iSuppli. “While its market share had been declining, Sharp had managed to maintain a considerable distance from its competitors. However, this is no longer the case.”
The dramatic shake-up in LCD-TV market share is due to the rapid progress made by Sharp’s competitors and their capability to capitalize on declining prices during the holiday season.
Samsung Electronics took Sharp’s previous position at the top of the rankings with a 16.8% share of LCD-TV unit shipments in the fourth quarter, up from 13.5% in the third quarter. Second place belonged to Philips Electronics at 15.1%, while Sony came in third with a 13.1% share of unit shipments. Sharp was fourth with 11.4% in the fourth quarter, down from 13.9% in the third quarter.
Rounding out the Top 5 was LG Electronics (7.8% share).
“This is a significant blow to Sharp, which had been the dominant LCD-TV seller going into 2006,” said Riddhi Patel, principal analyst for television systems at iSuppli. “While its market share had been declining, Sharp had managed to maintain a considerable distance from its competitors. However, this is no longer the case.”
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