SAN JOSE -- Worldwide sales of semiconductors declined slightly in April to $18.2 billion, a sequential decline of 1.2%, the Semiconductor Industry Association reported today. April sales were up 6.9% from last year. April is traditionally a strong month for semiconductor sales, the SIA noted.

"Two factors - a decline in DRAM prices and a lower mix of semiconductors for cell phones - contributed to a slight decline in worldwide semiconductor sales in April," said SIA president George Scalise. "For much of the past year, cellphone manufacturers were working off inventories of chips used in low-end cell phones, which resulted in a richer mix of products shipped. Once those inventories were depleted and normal purchasing patterns resumed, overall ASPs for circuits for cell phones declined. Plentiful supplies of DRAMs contributed to declining prices and a 7% sequential decline in DRAM sales in April."

DRAMs are one of the largest segments of the total semiconductor market.

The SIA reported that overall factory utilization declined slightly in the first quarter to around 85% from 86% in the fourth quarter 2004. Utilization of leading-edge capacity (defined as capable of producing 0.16-micron and smaller geometries) increased to 94 percent from 93 percent. Capacity utilization by integrated device manufacturers remained stable at 87 percent. Foundry utilization continued to decline to 72% of capacity in the first quarter from 78% in the prior quarter. Recent comments from the two leading foundry companies, however, project an increase in foundry capacity utilization in the third quarter.

"Despite the slight decline in April sales, the overall outlook for the semiconductor industry remains strong," said Scalise. "Excess inventories have been eliminated and capacity utilization remains at reasonable levels. Energy prices appear to have stabilized, and U.S. economic growth - an important bellwether for the semiconductor industry -- continues to be strong.

"On the whole, worldwide semiconductor sales continue to run ahead of our November forecast," Scalise said.

HERNDON, VA—The International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative (iNEMI) has released two documents to help manufacturers reduce the risk of tin whiskers in lead-free products.

The first is JEDEC standard JESD22A121, "Test Method for Measuring Whisker Growth on Tin and Tin Alloy Surface Finishes," and the second is the updated "Recommendations on Lead-Free Finishes for Components Used in High-Reliability Products," from the iNEMI Tin Whisker User Group. 

The JEDEC standard provides: an industry-standard method of measuring and comparing whisker propensity for different plating or finish chemistries and processes; a consistent inspection protocol for tin whisker examination; and a standard reporting format.

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IRVINE, CA -- Following the opening of its Research and Applications Center in Irvine, CA, Henkel has completed its 900 sq. m. Hemel Hempstead facility expansion in the United UK.  
 
Long a center of R&D for the company's line of solder products, the facility is now also home to several other complementary Henkel businesses, including automotive electronics, industrial and automotive adhesives and sealants. 
 
The addition includes several new laboratories: an applications lab for adhesives and sealants, a metal pre-treatment and coatings lab, analytical laboratories, an equipment assembly area long enough for a complete automotive vehicle and a long-term corrosion testing area. 
 

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Jersey City, NJ -- Cookson Electronics has opened its advanced Technical Service Center and warehouse facility in the Zhong Dian Lu Ke Industrial Park in Shanghai. The $3 million facility will house more than 60 employees.
 
The 1,500 sq. meter facility will be the company's base in China, providing local-language technical support from the Cookson's three electronics companies (the Assembly Materials Group, Enthone and Polyclad) to fabricators and assemblers of PCBs, and assemblers of semiconductor packaging. 
 

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