CHICAGO -- Contract electronics manufacturing facilities in China are back to operating at 90% or more of planned capacity, but remain challenged by new approaches to coordinating personnel amid social distancing requirements.

The approach to date involves through temperature scans, mask requirements, social distancing, flexible schedules, extra sanitization and other measures, says Lincoln International, an investment advisor.

Covid-19 hasn't slowed acquisition activity, however, at least through the March quarter. Nine deals were consummated during the period, Lincoln says, just one off last year's pace. Most (seven) of the transactions involved consolidations, in which one EMS company buys another. One vertical/horizontal deal was completed in the quarter, and there was also one divestiture (Libra's purchase of a Benchmark plant in Mexico).

Six of the completed deals took place in the US or Canada, two in Europe, and one was cross-border.

All the acquisitions were by small tier (less than $300 million in annual revenue) companies. 

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