ATLANTA – Participants in the electronic components supply chain are suddenly and strikingly optimistic in their expectations for January after a year of overall index scores languishing between 72.2 and 90.6, according to ECIA's most recent survey.

YOUNGSVILLE, NC – East West Manufacturing will close its facility here in March and lay off 107 workers there, according to paperwork filed with the North Carolina Department of Commerce.

TAIPEI – Foxconn expects a year-over-year drop in revenue in the first quarter of 2024 after slower market demand impacted the prior quarter.

CHENNAI, INDIA – Syrma SGS Technology has announced the incorporation of a new wholly owned subsidiary, Syrma Mobility Private Limited.

It was gratifying to see the throngs return for Productronica in November. To the tune of 42,000 visitors, the crowds showed up for the granddaddy of shows in the Western world. (Nepcon Japan is roughly twice as big.)

And there was plenty to see. One of the improvements that jumped out was the increase in speeds, especially on the assembly line. Machine speeds are rising at remarkable rates, with placement machines hitting their fastest speeds ever, even while many of them add multifunctional heads for more flexible line setups.

Yamaha’s YRM20 placement machine allows nonstop cart and feeder changes. Fuji’s AIMEXR SMT placement machine, for NPI runs, relies on linear motors for its fastest speeds yet. So what if the semiconductor market is predicted to rise by double-digits this year? These machines can take the pressure.

WALTHAM, MA – Nano Dimension reported preliminary revenue of approximately $14.3 million for the fourth quarter, an increase of 18% from the fourth quarter of 2022.

GURGAON, INDIA – Indian EMS provider Amber Enterprises, through its subsidiary Iljin Electronics, has acquired a 60% stake in PCB maker Ascent Circuits for an undisclosed sum.

SZEGED, HUNGARY – BYD, the world's largest electronic vehicle manufacturer, will build an assembly plant here, its first production facility for EVs in Europe.

MILPITAS, CA — Global semiconductor capacity is expected to increase 6.4% in 2024 to top the 30 million wafers per month (wpm) mark for the first time after rising 5.5% to 29.6 wpm in 2023, SEMI announced today.

BANNOCKBURN, IL – Total North American EMS shipments in November were up 0.2% compared to the same month last year, according to IPC's North American EMS Statistical Program.

STAMFORD, CT – Global semiconductor revenue is projected to grow 16.8% in 2024 to total $624 billion, according to the latest forecast from Gartner. In 2023, the market is forecast to decline 10.9% and reach $534 billion.

BANNOCKBURN, IL – Total North American PCB shipments in November were down 22.5% compared to the same month last year, according to IPC's North American Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Statistical Program.