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VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Northstar Electronics, which provides sonar technology for defense and commercial applications, reported 2004 revenues of $1.46 million , down from $1.64 million 2003.

The loss was $831,541 versus a loss of $693,145 in 2003.

Sales were below expectations because of delays in homeland security and defense contracts, the company said in a press release.

Northstar Electronics, and its wholly owned subsidiaries, Northstar Technical Inc. and Northstar Network Ltd., specializes in advanced sonar technology, systems integration and electronics contract manufacturing.

TORONTO -- Adeptron Technologies, an electronics manufacturer and system integrator, today said 2004 revenues more than doubled to $33.5 million, compared to $15.1 million in 2003.

Sales were boosted $10.5 million by by the Ottawa operations acquired in the first quarter of 2004. Organic growth was $7.9 million, the firm said.

TAIPEI -- Chin Poon, one of Taiwan's largest PCB makers, reported 2004 revenues rose 12.3% to NT 7.6 billion (about US$240 million), on strong first-half sales.

Operating margins fell to 10.2%, from 10.7% in 2003.

Fourth-quarter sales and operating margins were below the annualized rates. Sales fell 3.5% year-on-year, and operating margin were 7.5%.

Chin Poon was the world's 36th largest PCB maker in 2003, according to PCD&M consulting editor Dr. Hayao Nakahara of NT Information.

CALRSBAD, CA - Palomar Technologies, a maker of equipment and process development for electronics assembly, has moved to a 39,000 sq. ft. facility with a larger cleanroom and applications lab.

"It was important for Palomar to acquire upgraded laboratory facilities for advanced R&D and applications development," said Kevin Conlon, president of Palomar Technologies. "These new facilities will better enable us to develop the equipment and process solutions required for the advanced applications under development by our customers, notably those which require a cleanroom."

The new plant will house Palomar's central offices, design and manufacturing, a larger cleanroom, and an applications, process development and prototyping lab.

CHICAGO - Almost every leading tech firm says it will hire new employees in 2005, according to an annual survey of chief executives by a major consulting firm.

Deloitte & Touche, in its 2005 CEO Survey of the fastest growing technology companies in North America, found 95% of tech CEOs plan to hire more workers this year.

The survey was administered to CEOs of companies ranked on Deloitte's listing of the 500 fastest growing technology companies. Nearly 150 CEOs responded to the survey, conducted earlier this quarter.

Of the 95% of CEOs who say they are hiring, 42% plan to add at least 25% more employees in the next 12 months, and 19% plan to add more than 50%.

More CEOs are convinced that 2005 will bring better times. A total of 36% of respondents predicted higher growth in 2005, compared to 21% last year (results may not correlate due to differences in reporting). And almost 75% of the CEOs surveyed were "extremely" or "very" confident about their companies' future growth.

The top challenge for growth is bringing new products to market, said more than one-quarter of the respondents. Other ranking issues are pricing pressure and building strategic relationships.

Tech CEOs feel government initiatives aren't called for to promote growth over the next 12 months, the survey found.

KEY LARGO, FL - On a six-acre, waterfront site here in the Florida Keys, APE has opened a manufacturing facility.

The new facility houses a manufacturing plant for rework vision equipment, plus sales and administration offices for all APE companies.

APE's government and through-hole manufacturing will continue at its New York facility, while training, classrooms and technical development will be conducted in Key Largo.