TORONTO – A previously announced transaction that makes SMTC Corp. a private company has been completed.

ATLANTA – Industry sentiment for sales of electronic components rocketed upward in March, according to ECIA’s monthly survey. The survey, which assesses month-to-month sales growth sentiment, grew between 26 and 27 points in component and end-market measures from February to March.

CASA GRANDE, AZ – The state of Arizona, Pinal County, City of Casa Grande, and Central Arizona College have opened a new 13,000 sq. ft. training center to prepare Arizonans for high-tech jobs, according to reports.

ARLINGTON, VA – A coalition of seven trade associations sent a letter to US Trade Representative Katherine Tai outlining concerns regarding India’s mounting tariffs on information communications technology products and services.

BRUSSELS – The WEEE Forum, which represents global e-waste producer responsibility organizations, expanded its membership into Colombia, South Africa, Spain and Lithuania. New members are EcoCómputo and Red Verde from Colombia; ERA, South Africa; EEPA, Lithuania; and Ecolec, Spain.

HSINCHU, TAIWAN – Shenmao established an independent testing laboratory here called Cheetah Inspection.

INDIANAPOLIS – Specialty Coating Systems acquired Diamond-MT for an undisclosed sum.

SENAI, MALAYSIA – VS Industry Berhad reported fiscal second quarter revenue of MYR 999.3 million (US$241.3 million), an increase of 21.8% year-over-year.

TAIPEI – Foxconn reported fourth quarter net profit of NT$46 billion (US$161.4 million), down 4% year-over-year. Revenue was up 15% compared to the fourth quarter of 2019.

BANGKOK -- Plexus this week broke ground on a new 400,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility here, which the EMS company expects to be complete in the fiscal third quarter of 2022.

TOKYO – Toppan Printing has developed a flexible thin-film transistor that reportedly withstands a million bending cycles to a 1mm radius of curvature and demonstrates advantages for practical application, such as an on/off current ratio of at least 107 with carrier mobility of 10cm2/Vs or more.

IRVINE, CA – TopLine has been granted a US patent for lead-free solder columns for column grid array substrates.