CHICAGO – IT, including hardware, is one of the big beneficiaries of the US economic stimulus plan, says TFI Quarterly Forum’s chief economist, Matt Chanoff. But, as big as it is, it’s too small to make up directly for the shortfall driven by the global recession, he adds.
 
More than $65 billion of the plan goes directly into high-tech spending. The top winners are medical infomatics ($22.7 billion); green tech support ($17.3 billion); smart grid power grid development ($11 billion); broadband and video conferencing ($7.5 billion), and automotive green tech ($4 billion).
 
Approximately one-third of this spending will go directly to hardware, meaning the US government will inject about $22 billion in spending over two years into an industry with $2.2 trillion in annual worldwide revenue, according to Chanoff. In other words, the US government package should directly add about 0.5% to industry revenue, he says. 
 
"Success from the stimulus package requires clarity on what is available and how we can quickly leverage this injection of funds for the benefit of our industry,” said Kathleen Geraghty, TFI Quarterly Forum president.
 

MULINO, OR – PCB maker Sunstone Circuits and National Instruments are jointly offering an integrated PCB prototype and quickturn design environment.

Once a prototype design is completed using the NI's Multisim or Ultiboard design tools, customers can order prototype PCBs through the Sunstone ECOsystem Design Environment. They will also have access to Sunstone’s live customer support. Engineers can access resources, technical documents and manufacturing information, improving productivity during the design phase.

“NI has collaborated with Sunstone because we share the mission of simplifying the PCB design experience, and we are proud to have Sunstone as part of our PCB design and prototyping network,” said Vincent Accardi, general manager of NI’s Electronics Workbench group, in a press release.

SINGAPORE -- Flextronics laid off more than 100 workers here last week in response to lower demand.

There appears some confusion over the number of workers let go. According to local reports, a company spokesperson said the layoffs affected less than half the factory's workers. But Channel NewsAsia said affected employees claimed upt o 70% of the plant's 280 workers were let go.

ST. LOUIS – LaBarge Inc. received a $1.7 million contract from Northrop Grumman Corp. to continue to produce electronics assemblies for the AN/ALQ-135 radar jammer system.
 
LaBarge has worked on the program since 2005. The firm expects to receive follow-on orders.
 
Production on this latest contract is expected to begin this month and continue through December at LaBarge's Tulsa, OK facility.