MUNICH -- The end of the second quarter brought the first signs of an upswing in industry SMT equipment orders after four quarters of slowing growth.

MINNEAPOLIS – Electronics manufacturing services provider Nortech Systems reported net sales of $28 million for the second quarter ended June 30, up a slight 0.72% year-over-year.

TAIPEI – Foxconn today reported non-consolidated revenues of $8.29 billion for July, up 8.4% year-over-year, and up 5% sequentially.

PATHUMTHANI, THAILAND – Electronics manufacturing services provider SVI Public Co. Ltd. reported second-quarter 2012 consolidated revenue of Baht 2.07 billion, up 29% sequentially, and down 15.7% year-over-year.

HELSINKI – PKC Group reported net sales for the April to June quarter of EUR 244.8 million, up 124% year-over-year.

TAIPEI – Global smartphone shipments are expected to top 630 million units in 2012, up 35% year-over-year, says Digitimes.

SCOTTSDALE, AZ -- Following a lackluster period of average annual market growth in the semiconductor industry, a significant upturn is in store for the next five years, according to IC Insights.

EGHAM, UK – PC shipments in Western Europe totaled 13.6 million units in the second quarter of 2012, down 2.4% year-over-year, says Gartner.

TORONTO – Electronics manufacturer SMTC Corp. reported second-quarter revenue of $75.1 million, up 54% year-over-year.

SINGAPORE – Electronics manufacturing services provider Venture Corp. reported net profit for the second quarter ended June 30 of $33.6 million, down 19.9% year-over-year.

BANNOCKBURN, IL – IPC has released IPC-HDBK-850, Guidelines for Design, Selection and Application of Potting Materials and Encapsulation Processes Used for Electronics Printed Circuit Board Assembly.

SHENZHEN – VJ Electronix has opened a customer support and demonstration center here.