WESTFORD, MA – Electronics test and fault diagnostic provider Diagnosys plans to relocate its Kissimmee, FL, and Westford, MA, offices into a single, larger facility near Boston.

Approximately 80% of the Kissimmee staff, including all of the engineering team, will make the transition. Additional staff will be hired in Massachusetts.

The transition is scheduled to begin in early July, with final steps taking place in late September through early October. The company’s training facility will remain in Kissimmee through October.

The firm noted its Functional Test Group has won several new long-term contracts over the past few years, while its Diagnostic Group has seen an increase in the need for support of products and services to the Functional Test Group. 

Diagnosys provides equipment and support for testing printed circuit boards and modules.

GARDEN GROVE, CA – A call for abstracts has been issued for the Symposium on Counterfeit Electronic Parts and Electronic Supply Chain. The event will take place Dec. 6 – 8 at the Crowne Plaza Anaheim Resort.

This symposium will provide a forum to cover changes in the electronic parts supply chain on how an organization performs part selection and management through the whole lifecycle of the parts.

Topics include impact of supply chain changes on the component management practices: quality, reliability, manufacturability; electronic parts distribution: current stage and evolution; authentication techniques for securing electronic part supply chain; federal procurement practices and its impact on electronic supply chain; inspection tools and techniques for detecting counterfeit parts; new areas of counterfeit concerns: materials, energy storage, and industry and international working groups and standards on electronic part supply chain and counterfeit electronic parts.

The symposium is sponsored by SMTA and CALCE at the University of Maryland.

Three-hundred-word abstracts should be sent to diganta@umd.edu no later than Aug. 23. 

Presentations are due Oct. 28.

For more information, visit www.smta.org/counterfeit.

GLENVIEW, IL -- Illinois Tool Works' Power Systems and Electronics business unit reported sales rose 21% over last year for the three months ended May 31. 

WASHINGTON – Reps. Gene Green (D-TX) and Mike Thompson (D-CA) introduced an e-waste export bill today that would promote responsible electronics recycling, stop global dumping of e-waste from the US, and boost green jobs.

The Responsible Electronics Recycling Act seeks to avert electronic waste exports to developing countries, where it may be bashed, burned, flushed with acids, and melted down in unsafe conditions.

The bill establishes a new category of “restricted electronic waste” that cannot be exported from the US to developing nations. Used equipment can still be exported for reuse, as long as it has been tested and is fully functional. Non-hazardous parts or materials are also not restricted. Other exemptions include products under warranty being returned to the manufacturer for warranty repairs; products or parts being recalled, and crushed cathode ray tube glass cullet that is cleaned and fully prepared as feedstock into CRT glass manufacturing facilities.

For more information, visit http://www.electronicstakeback.com.  

ST. PETERSBURG, FL -- Jabil Circuit last night reported net profits of $110 million for the period ended May 31, up 84% from a year ago.

EL SEGUNDO, CA -- A pair of research firms offered conflicting assessments of where the semiconductor industry is headed this year.

STONY BROOK, NY --  The US Department of Defense has successfully used DNA to "mark" electronics components tapped for the war fighter plane and has committed funds to build a "forensically secure" supply chain from source to end-user.

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Electronics manufacturing services firm Firstronic has appointed John Sammut CEO.

Sammut earlier served as president and CEO of EPIC Technologies for nearly 10 years.

Firstronic’s former CEO, Peter Barclae, has been named chairman.

ARLINGTON, VA – Jedec has published a revision to Inspection Criteria for Microelectronic Packages and Covers (JESD9B). 

NATICK, MA – Cognex has promoted Robert Willett to CEO.

Willett was previously the firm’s president and chief operating officer, with management responsibility for sales, marketing, product development and operations.

As CEO, he also is now responsible for the company’s global finance and administration functions.

He will continue to report to Dr. Robert J. Shillman, who remains chairman of the board and has taken on the role of chief culture officer.

SAN JERONIMO, MEXICO – Foxconn plans to consolidate its North American operations at its 1.6 million sq. ft. manufacturing plant here, according to published reports.

The facility currently includes 400,000 sq. ft. of additional manufacturing space. Foxconn owns 240 hectares in the city.

Foxconn reportedly wants some of its China customers to relocate to Mexico after the real estate market improves.

The decision to consolidate operations in San Jeronimo came as a result of its closeness to important markets in the US, the firm says, in addition to an accessible labor pool in Juárez.

The plant employees 5,500 staff, who can produce up to 50,000 computers daily.

Construction of a facility not owned by the electronics manufacturer has reportedly begun next to the Foxconn factory, which is expected to aid in further industrial growth in the region.

TAIPEI -- Foxconn, the world's largest contract electronics manufacturer, reported May revenue fell slipped sequentially after a deadly disaster took several finishing plants offline for days.