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News

SARATOGA, CA – Advanced Forecasting Inc., a research firm that claims to have correctly forecast 90% of the turning points in IC sales since 1987, said it would not modify its November forecast for IC revenues despite the strong first quarter performance.

The remarks ran counter to the SIA's recent decision to up its 2005 forecast. Last week, the trade group raised its forecast to a 6% gain.

IC revenues worldwide fell 1.5% sequentially in April and are projected to oscillate throughout the rest of 2005, resulting in an annual growth rate near zero, the firm said in a statement. IC unit sales rose 0.85% sequentially in April and are expected to continue the increase into the third quarter, AFI said.

“Sales of IC units were robust in March, surpassing its March 2004 level of 8.5 billion units, following a seasonal minimum point in February,” said Dr. Moshe Handelsman, president. “Therefore, extrapolation of this event that leads to modifications in forecasts is unwarranted. April’s increase dampened the celebration since sales ended at 8.7 billion, 1.5% below April 2004.”

AFI's forecast that IC units would peak in mid-2004, decline in Q1 2005, and increase in Q2, said Rosa Luis, director of marketing and sales. "Actual shipments in both units and dollars are behaving exactly in line with what our models predicted.”

SARATOGA, CA – Recent statements by top foundries TSMC and UMC predicting utilization rates would increase in the second half are consistent with a leading research firm's forecast of a better second half.

TSMC said its capacity utilization would rise to 90% from 80% while UMC forecasts a 20 point hike, to 80%, respectively. The jumps are due to increases in orders.

LAGUNA, PHILIPPINES -- A pair of Asia-based EMS firms with numerous facilities in the Philippines and China plan to merge in a deal worth SGD201 million (US$120.5 million).

Under the proposed terms, Integrated Microelectronics Inc. will acquire all 376.2 million outstanding shares of Speedy-Tech Electronics Ltd.

The deal is expected to close in the December quarter.

TORONTO - Adeptron Technologies, an EMS provider traded on the Toronto stock exchange, announced today the selection of an investment banking firm to help raise up to C$4 million in gross proceeds for the company.

Madison Grant Fund of Toronto and First Associates Investments Inc. will act as as selling agents to raise capital for the proposed financing, through the sale of certain Madison Grant fund units.

Adeptron intends to use the proceeds of the financing to redeem or refinance outstanding notes payable and for working capital purposes to pursue ongoing strategic growth opportunities.

CHICAGO -- Newark InOne, a small-quantity distributor of electronic components and test equipment in North America, offers a downloadable RoHS Legislation and Technical Manual on its RoHS Express Website:newarkinone.com/rohs. RoHS Express was launched in May to provide design engineer and component buyers with a continuously updated, in-depth source of information and news relating to the upcoming EU directive.

The 22-page manual contains an introduction to RoHS, a step by step guide to compliance, detailed information about the substances affected, a chapter on soldering and a closing environmental section.

The site also offers visitors the opportunity to receive free monthly RoHS email updates.

The manual, first published by Newark InOne's sister distributor, Farnell InOne, in the UK, can also be accessed at rohs.info.

Newark InOne, newarkinone.com

PITTSBURGH - Panasonic and Ansoft Corp. have released a new device library for Nexxim and Ansoft Designer based on Panasonic's high-density miniaturized SMT components. Engineers can now design large-scale PCBs with accurate electrical models for high-performance parts such as cellular handsets, car navigation systems and WLANs.

The library currently consists of three principal passive SMT components:

-- 159 multilayer ceramic chip capacitors (MLCC)

-- 186 chip resistors

-- 45 chip inductors.

Panasonic hopes to expand the library in the future to include LCR composites, noise suppression components, baluns, SAW devices and power supplies.

The library is available from Panasonic's Website (http://industrial.panasonic.com/i/library.html). Customers can search for components by name, performance data or other specification. Panasonic will maintain model support and upgrades, while Ansoft will address all customer support for Nexxim and Ansoft Designer.

REDMOND, WA --Data I/O Corp., a provider of manual and automated programming systems, announced the first manual and automated device programming support for Samsung’s OneNAND technology. Support is provided through Data I/O’s FlashCore system programming family, including the desktop programmer, offline automated handlers/programming systems and inline programming system.

“Data I/O’s programming systems make it easy for designers to merge multiple files from different types of memory in highly efficient multi-chip package designs that include OneNAND, which is perhaps the leading example of combined NAND and NOR design efficiency ,” said Ivan Greenberg, director of strategic marketing at Samsung.

The first OneNAND-based MCP solution supported will be Item # KBJ1XKB00A, containing a 256Mb NOR, two 256Mb OneNAND and one 128Mb UtRAM die.

SAN JOSE – The Semiconductor Industry Association today issued a revised forecast projecting worldwide sales of semiconductors will grow 6% in 2005 to a record $226 billion. The previous forecast, issued in November, projected flat 2005 sales.

"Worldwide sales of semiconductors have been stronger than expected through the first quarter,” said SIA president George Scalise, “driven by better than expected demand in a number of important end markets, including personal computers and wireless handsets."

WASHINGTON -- U.S. households own an average of 25 consumer electronics products, according to the latest study by the Consumer Electronics Association. The typical U.S. household spends more than $1,250 annually on consumer electronics.

Overall, consumer electronics are expected to grow 11% this year, matching 2004's growth, CEA said.

WASHINGTON -- The Electronics Industries Alliance has launched a task group to oppose legislation that would prohibit federal agencies from purchasing items that are not at least 50% produced in the U.S.

The Working Group on Competitive Procurement has been set up to counter effots by Rep. Don Manzullo (R-IL) to slap so-called "Buy America" amendments in this year's spending authorization bills.

Clinton, NY -- Indium Corp. has promoted Karl Pfluke to the position of regional sales manager for the Southeastern U.S. Pfluke will be responsible for the sales growth of PCB assembly, semiconductor packaging and power semiconductor packaging materials.

Pfluke has a degree in Manufacturing Engineering Technology and is certified as both a Powder Metallurgy Technologist with the MPIF and a Process Engineer with the SMTA. He is an active member of the IPC Solder Alloy Standards Development Group and has presented numerous technical papers. He joined Indium in 2001 as a technical support engineer and was named market development specialist in last year.

WASHINGTON — The National Association of Manufacturers has pledged support for the Senate confirmation of U.S. Rep. Christopher Cox (R-CA), President Bush’s nominee to be the next chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

“Chris Cox is a great choice to lead the SEC,” declared NAM president John Engler.