TAIPEI -- Taiwanese original design manufacturers will contribute about $400 million in revenues to Flextronics International in fiscal 2006, the company's chief executive said yesterday, according to published reports.

Speaking in Taipei yesterday, Flextronics chief executive Michael Marks said sales centralization of brand products coupled with declining average selling prices of ODM products is opening the door for partnerships, DigiTimes reported. 

Flextronics, the world's largest EMS company, gained about $100 million in revenues from Taiwanese ODMs in 2005, Marks said.

DigiTimes also reported that a Flextronics spokeswoman denied local reports that Flextronics would partner on IT products with Asustek Computer.

According to DigiTimes, Marks said that Flextronics is concentrating on improving profitability, not revenue growth.

"AIT's QFN package enables us to leverage power, footprint and performance that renders improved reliability while catering to the fast growing consumer electronics market," said Arnold Virrey, packaging manager at Flextronics. 

FRANKLIN, MA – Speedline Technologies has announced a free Web seminar on fine-pitch printing, to be held July 21, at 11 a.m. (EST).

Topics will include:
   •  Squeegee selection;
   •  Solder paste evaluation ;
   •  Lead-free solder paste printing;
   •  Stencil design, including pin-in-paste;
   •  Aperture design;
   •  Board support;
   •  Fast cycle time printing;
   •  Post-print inspection (2-D and 3-D).
 

For more info and to register, visit speedlinetech.com/seminars.

The company will continue to offer free Webinars this fall, including a Lead-Free Overview, on Aug. 18, and Lead-Free Wave Soldering, on Sept. 15.

Oulunsalo, Finland -- Juha Hulkko has been appointed chief executive of Elektrobit Group, a Finland-based specialist in the design, life-cycle testing and production automation of electronics products.

A founder of Elektrobit Group and a major shareholder, Hulkko has acted as Chairman since 2002.

Former CEO Juha Sipilä will take over the role of Chairman.

The executive board has been further restructured, with Jukka Harju appointed as COO. He will continue his duties in mergers and acquisitions, and oversee the executive vice presidents responsible for Strategic Business Units and Logistics and Information Management. Johann Haas has been appointed executive VP, Automotive Unit. All other support functions except Human Resources will be directed by CFO Seppo Laine.

AUSTIN, TX -- A May 1 fire at ASE's Chung-Li, Taiwan facility that destroyed part of the company's assembly and test capacity and decimated its flip-chip substrate production line will heap further pressure on an already tenuous supply of laminate substrates for semiconductor packaging.

Increased demand for laminate substrates this year, coupled with the ASE fire, is expected to push prices higher for wirebond PBGA and flip-chip substrates, says a new report from research firm TechSearch International. Unless capacity is expanded over existing plans, the situation could be similar for 2006, TechSearch said in a press release.
 

Wunstorf, Germany -- phoenix|x-ray Systems + Services reports that it has increased sales by 35% over fiscal 2003. According to a press release, the company has also given a positive impact on the regional employment quota, with a staff of over 70 employees that includes a growing number of research and development engineers.

phoenix|x-ray is a manufacturer of microfocus and nanofocus x-ray systems, x-ray tubes and computed tomography systems.

“We see this an investment into the future,” says Helmut Appelt, general manager. “Our goal is to keep our position of the market leader in our segment which means we always need to be ahead our competitors when it comes to developing new products.”

The company cites as an example the launch of the product series v|tome|x in 2002. The x-ray system combines 3-D computed tomography and 2-D inspection with submicron resolution. The demand for computed tomography has increased during the last couple of years, leading to an interesting market potential. Accordingly, phoenix|x-ray set-up a new business department for CT.

Despite the growth of the 3-D inspection business, phoenix|x-ray still sees new applications for 2-D inspection. The x|argos introduced in mid April is a high kV x-ray system for large samples up to 100 kg. The company believes the market potential for this system is large due to new materials and production techniques (especially in the automotive industry) that require high-resolution x-ray inspection. 

Irvine, CA – MIMOT, a provider of flexible SMT placement equipment, is expanding in Russia and Eastern Europe, most recently with the installation of an Advantage 3 flexible placement machine and In-line dispenser near the city of Kursk.

Joerg Widmer, general manager, said, “We see electronics industry market growth happening in the Eastern European countries and Russia; consequently, we have moved to expand further into that market. Our goal is to be a strong supplier to multinational companies in Asia, Europe and the Americas.”

According to Widmer, MIMOT’s sales in Eastern Europe and Russia have focused on automotive electronics applications.

MIMOT will show their newest products at the ATE Show in Chicago in September. 

NORWALK, CT -- Michael G. Lutomski, NASA's risk manager for the International Space Station Program, will keynote the Assembly Technology Expo and the International Robots & Vision Show in September. His presentation, on the emerging use of robots to perform functions in space, will kick off the events.

SAN JOSE – The Semiconductor Industry Association today called for legislation to enhance and make permanent the R&D tax credit. The current law authorizing the credit is set to expire at the end of 2005 unless Congress passes legislation to extend it.

“Aggressive investment in research and development is critical to U.S. leadership in information technology, which in turn is the cornerstone of our national strategies for economic growth, productivity improvement, and national security,” said SIA president George Scalise in a press release. "We strongly urge Congress to pass legislation to ... make permanent the R&D tax credit. "

HORSHAM, PA— Chris Cleland has joined Dynatech Technology, the North American distributor for Samsung Techwin SMT equipment, as Western region sales manager. Based in L.A., he will be responsible for Dynatech U.S. manufacturers' representatives and customers on the West Coast as well as in Baja and Sonora, Mexico, and British Columbia, Canada.  

Cleland brings 23 years of experience in electronics and the SMT equipment market to the company, including 10 years with placement systems. He was previously a manufacturer's rep. handling pre-owned pick-and-place equipment, and laser engraving/marking and fume extraction products. Earlier industry experience included account management responsibilities for placement equipment, computer hardware, semiconductors, components and OEM accounts.  

NEW YORK - The former CEO and CFO of Tyco International were convicted today of looting the company of more than $600 million in corporate bonuses and loans.

Verdicts were handed down for Dennis Kozlowski and Mark H. Swartz following 11 days of jury deliberations. Kozlowski, the ex chief executive, and Swartz, the former CFO, were convicted of grand larceny, falsifying business records and 29 other charges. The men potentially face more than 25 years in prison.