FRAMINGHAM, MA – Worldwide PC shipments totaled 75.6 million units in the second quarter, down 11.4% compared to 2012 but slightly better than expected, according to the IDC, in line with previous forecasts. Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) and Asia/Pacific (excluding Japan)(APeJ) were a few points below expectations with the difference made up in the US.

FREMONT, CA -- Printed circuit board contract assembler AlphaEMS recently completed an expansion of its facility here, nearly doubling the factory space.

OAK CREEK, WI – Creation Technologies said it has expanded its design services operations with the opening of the Milwaukee Design Center. The 10,000 sq. ft. site is near the firm’s manufacturing business unit here.

IRVINE, CA – Henkel’s Electronics Group today said it has tapped Kevin Becker, Ph.D., to lead its global Product Development and Engineering team.

OLATHE, KS -- Elecsys' EMS sales rose 12% in the fiscal year ended April 30 to $14.7 million. The company expects continued growth in the current fiscal year.

TAIPEI - Hon Hai Precision Industry (Foxconn) today reported June revenues rose 5% year-over-year. The world's largest electronics ODM/EMS company reported sales of NT$304.6 billion ($10.13 billion), reversing a slower sales trend that had plagued the company much of the year.

SHANGHAI -- Overall PC shipments will rise 7% year-over-year to 493.1 million units in 2013, on strong demand for tablets. Tablets will make up 37% of the market this year, Canalys says, up from 25% in 2012.

RICHARDSON, TX – Asset InterTech has acquired Arium.

CHENNAI, INDIA – Sanmina said it would make India a hub of its global IT operations and would increase manufacturing here.

SAN FRANCISCO — SEMI said semiconductor equipment sales will reach $44 billion in 2014, up 21% over estimated 2013 equipment spending, according to its mid-year forecast released Monday.

SAN JOSE -- Samsung this week will start construction on a 1.1 million sq. ft. research and development campus here, its largest outside of Seoul, Korea.

MCLEAN, VA – May US manufacturing technology orders totaled $430.06 million, says the Association for Manufacturing Technology, up 13.6% sequentially, but down 7.6% compared to May 2012.