SAN JOSE – Flextronics on Thursday reported fiscal first-quarter net sales of $7.55 billion, up 15% year-over-year.

WASHINGTON – The State Department has released a document that guides commercial entities concerning the legislation involving conflict mineral requirements.

The Department says it is “critical” to “begin now to perform meaningful due diligence,” even though guidance could be revised after final regulations are issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission later this year.

State is encouraging firms to begin immediately to structure supply chain relationships in a responsible manner to encourage conflict-free trade, including conflict-free minerals sourced from the DRC and the Great Lakes region.

Conflict minerals include columbite-tantalite (coltan), cassiterite, gold, wolframite and derivatives.

Under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, certain persons who use these minerals must disclose to the SEC whether those minerals originated in the Democratic Republic of the Congo or a nearby country, where mining has aided in the finances ongoing civil war and related human rights violations.
The department specifically endorses the guidance issued by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The OECD framework includes the following: establish strong company management systems, identify and assess risk in the supply chain, design and implement a strategy to respond to identified risks, carry out independent third-party audit of supply chain due diligence at identified points in the supply chain, and report on supply chain due diligence.

NEENAH, WI – Plexus Corp. today reported third-quarter 2011 revenue of $559.2 million, up 4.3% year-over-year and down 1.6% sequentially.

The electronics manufacturing services firm previously guided between $550 million and $580 million.

TOKYO – The 90-day average orders at Japan-based semiconductor equipment manufacturers in June fell 11.3% from last year to ￥99.8 billion ($1.27 billion).

SAN JOSE – Bookings at North America-based semiconductor equipment manufacturers fell 10.3% year-over-year in June, a leading trade group said today.

BILLINGSTAD, NORWAY -- Kitron, a Top 50 EMS firm, swung to a second-quarter profit of NOK 5.45 million ($839,000), from a loss a year ago of NOK 2.95 million.

OXFORD, CT – MIRTEC said sales revenue for its North American Sales and Service Division in the first half of 2011 grew 43% year-over-year.

“A growing number of EMS providers are beginning to invest in new SMT manufacturing equipment capable of meeting today’s higher standards of productivity and accuracy. Manufacturers have become ever more selective in purchasing new AOI technology that will provide them with a much needed competitive edge in dealing with their most demanding production requirements,” said Brian D’Amico, president of MIRTEC.

 “Our company invests heavily in research and development, persistently focused on using state-of-the-art optics, lighting and laser technology.”

TAIPEI -- A large contingent of key Foxconn notebook PC researchers have bolted for the competition, a Taiwan-based media outlet said today.

TAIPEI – Huawei Technologies today agreed to buy some $2 billion worth of products and services from Foxconn Technology Group by 2013, say published reports.

Huawei expects to buy printed circuit boards, terminal devices and integrated units from Foxconn, the world’s largest contract electronics assembly company.

The deal will be in effect from 2011 to 2013.

Huawei is the world's second-largest network equipment maker.

HELSINKI -- Wounded by diving revenues and at a standstill with lenders, contract electronics manufacturer Elcoteq will apply for insolvency.

JUAREZ, MEXICO – Foxconn Technology Group has purchased Cisco’s manufacturing facility here.

DURHAM, NH – ITM Marketing has released a report providing a comprehensive analysis of the worldwide reflow soldering oven market.

The report contains price/performance benchmarks, supplier perception ratings, end-user verbatim comments, and a 30-page spreadsheet detailing an in-depth comparison of 42 equipment metrics for 116 unique models of reflow ovens offered by 22 different suppliers.

“Reflow Soldering Oven Benchmark Report” examines key market dynamics for reflow soldering and printed circuit board assembly. Analysis includes end-user application requirements, served and not served prerequisites and emerging technologies. 

To obtain more information about the report, contact bob_klenke@itmmarketing.net.