NEW YORK – An undercover investigation by a prominent human rights group has found labor rights violations ranging from unpaid and excessive overtime to verbal and physical abuse at a China-based supplier to Samsung. The report, issued this week by China Labor Watch, details such violations as $84,000 of monthly unpaid overtime wages, up to 148 hours of overtime per month, intense rates of work that have workers assembling one cellphone case every four seconds, regular verbal abuse by management, forcing workers to work barefoot, fines imposed on workers, and insufficient safety training and safety measures.

WASHINGTON – Global semiconductor sales were $27.06 billion in October, up 7.2% year-over-year, and up 0.8% sequentially, says the Semiconductor Industry Association. October marked the eighth consecutive month of growth in sales and the industry’s first-ever month above $27 billion in sales, the firm says.

ATLANTA, GA – CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY today announced Lightspeed Manufacturing as its EMS Company of the Year for 2013. The distinction is bestowed annually on EMS companies that have demonstrated profitability and sustained excellence among their peers.

SAN JOSE -- Semiconductor fabrication equipment spending will decline about 9% to about $32.5 billion in 2013 as third-quarter demand fell more than expected. 2014 sales are expected to rebound in a big way, however.

ASHBY-DE-LA-ZOUCHUK, UK -- Electrolube reported worldwide sales rose 35% year-over-year on strong demand in the UK, China and Germany. It was the company’s highest growth rate in 72 years.

SAN MATEO, CA – IDC yesterday lowered its forecast for worldwide tablet shipments but said sales would still rise more than 53% year-over-year. According to the latest forecast from the market research firm, tablet shipments are expected to reach 221.3 million units in 2013, down slightly from a previous forecast of 227.4 million but still 53.5% above 2012 levels.

GRAND RAPIDS, MI-- Firstronic has been awarded state grant worth nearly $300,000 to train workers hired in part with funds from an earlier grant, the EMS company said today. The $289,550 Skilled Trades Training Funds grant from Michigan’s Workforce Development Agency comes on the heels of a $300,000 state grant awarded in September to help the contract assembler fund additional hiring driven by strong business growth.

HONG KONG -- ASM Pacific Technology continued its consolidation of the SMT process equipment market, acquiring DEK in a deal that is pending regulatory approval.

MILWAUKEE, WI – Salaries for quality professionals in 2013 increased 1.58% after a year of flat growth in 2012, according to a new survey of 6,500 workers.

NORTH SOMERSET, UK -- A company run by Mardsen Smith shareholder Robert Smith has acquired the EMS company out of administration for £50,000, according to published reports. Smith is director of Virtuose Circuits, and is also Mardsen Smith's largest shareholder.

BANNOCKBURN, IL – Total North American printed circuit board shipments increased 3.6% year-over-year in October.

The 90-day average PCB orders increased 7% year-over-year, bringing year-to-date growth into positive territory at 0.1%, says IPC.