News
AUSTIN – Contract electronics manufacturer Kodiak Assembly Solutions will relocate to a 42,000 sq. ft. facility in Austin, the company announced. The new plant is about 50% larger than the current one, also in Austin.
The firm expects to add about 20 employees to its current employee base of 60 during the next year or two.
Kodiak, which was launched in 2004 out of another company’s bankruptcy, is expected to be running in its new location Jan. 4.
BILLINGSTAD, NORWAY – Kitron ASA has signed an agreement to acquire 100% of the shares in Veru Electronic GmbH for 700,000 euros (about $1.1 million).
The closing of the deal is subject to reaching an agreement about the debt financing of the company, and is scheduled for early 2010. After the close, Veru will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Kitron ASA.
In announcing the deal, Kitron said the company was attractive because of its location. “It is part of Kitron ASA’s strategy to enter into new geographical markets," said Roger Hovland, corporate vice president. Germany is the largest EMS market in Europe and is seen as having the highest potential for further outsourcing, the company said. "Having a local entity gives credibility and shows long-term commitment," Kitron said in a press release.
Veru will be used for prototype and NPI work, the company said.
Veru, which operates a 25,000 sq. ft. plant in Großbettlingen, had 25 employees and sales of 2 million euros in 2007, according to the CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY Directory of EMS Companies.
BUCKS, UK – Some 70% of all end-of-line defects are associated within the printing process, according to a recent study conducted by the SMART Group.
The results came from a poll of SMART Group members as a lead-in to its “The Road to ZERO Defects” workshop. Attendees were taken through 42 recommended audit steps for pre-placement during the workshop, the first in a back-to-basics series to celebrate the group’s 25th anniversary.
Presentations covered solder paste, process contamination, printing platforms, stencil specifications, solder paste inspection SPI/SPC, and stencil cleaning and housekeeping.
The series includes sessions on reflow soldering; materials; wave and selective soldering, flux selection; and hand assembly and rework.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL -- Jabil Circuit reported fiscal first-quarter sales of $3.1 billion, down 8.8% from last year. After taking large restructuring charges a year ago, the EMS company swung to a profit in the latest quarter.
ATLANTA -- ASYS Inc. and EKRA Americas will merge under the name of ASYS Group Americas as of Jan. 1, the companies said today.
WASHINGTON – Three major producers of decabromodiphenyl ether (Deca) plan to phase out production of the disputed brominated flame-retardant by December 2012.
Chemtura, Albemarle and ICL Industrial Products say the decision is voluntary and is being undertaken in accordance with the wishes of the US Environmental Protection Agency.
While critics have long claimed that bromines are major causes of environmental and human health problems, H-P, Dell, Lenovo and other electronics OEMs state a lack of practical alternatives keeps them from switching to less controversial flame chemicals.
The news comes two days after legislation to require removal of Deca was introduced in the US House of Representatives. The Decabromine Elimination and Control Act of 200 (H.R. 4394) would ban Deca in all products by the end of 2013.
WASHINGTON – The US House of Representatives has introduced a bill calling for the phase-out of decabromodiphenyl ether (Deca), a common brominated flame-retardant used in most circuit boards.
Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME) on Friday introduced The Decabromine Elimination and Control Act of 200 (H.R. 4394), which calls for a ban on Deca in all products, including those designed for children, by the end of 2013.
Deca has been found to remain in the environment and accumulates in food and in people. Critics of the measure say the material is needed because a viable substitute for flame retardance in electrical products like printed circuit boards does not exist.
In a statement, Rep. Pingree said, “The chemical industry hasn’t always lived up to voluntary agreements. This bill will make sure they do.”
BRUSSELS – IPTE will sell its money-losing PCB test division to two company shareholders for 2 million euros ($2.9 million) plus certain additional royalties, the firm announced today.
In a statement, IPTE said it would sell its automation business to Huub Baren and Vladimir Dobosch, whom together own about 34% of IPTE. Baren also is the company's founder.
The terms call for IPTE to receive an additional amount based on the division's profits through December 2012. The sale is subject to shareholder approval and is planned to close in the first quarter 2010.
IPTE plans to take a one-time fourth quarter charge of 17 million to 18 million euros. It is one of Europe's largest EMS companies, with 2008 sales of 166 million euros ($240.7 million), according to the CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY Top 50.
WESTLAKE, OH – Nordson Corp. has named Michael F. Hilton as president and chief executive officer, effective Jan. 16.
KISSIMEE, FL – Diagnosys Systems is expanding its Kissimmee, FL, PCB test and repair facility in response to greater demand.
SAN JOSE – North America-based manufacturers of semiconductor equipment posted a 90-day-moving average of $790.5 million in orders in November and a book-to-bill ratio of 1.06, according to a report published today by SEMI.
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