CAMARILLO, CA – Power supplies OEM Red Rocket Inc. has established an Electronic Manufacturing and Engineering Services Division to support growing customer demand for electrical and electronic production and engineering services at the company’s India-based subsidiary.
 
The privately held company also unveiled plans to seek private placement equity from partners, customers and other investors.
 
In a press release, James B. Schultz, Red Rocket president and CEO, said, “EMESD positions our company to partake in the rapid growth from $5 billion today to estimated over $18 billion by 2012 in India electronics and electrical product manufacturing for export."
 
CPIPL, Red Rocket’s wholly owned subsidiary, includes a 100,000 sq. ft. facility in Mumbai. The company purchased the site from Jabil Circuit last year.

SAN JOSE -- Flextronics has reportedly laid off about 70 workers in Taiwan and additional cuts are possible, according to a local newspaper report.

The Apply Daily, citing company sources, said most of laid off workers are from the company's notebook and server operations.

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SALO, FINLAND -- Salcomp, a top ODM of cellphone charges, has named Jari Saarinen chief financial officer, effective Jan. 25, 2009. Saarinen previously was CFO of Solifer Group, and has worked for Kone Corp. and MacGregor Group, and was CFO and CEO at Biotie Therapies Corp.

Also, Salcomp promoted Pekka Kyyriäinen to vice president, global operations, superseding Osmo Oja, who is retiring. He was general manager of Salcomp's plant in China since 2006.

Salcomp employs more than 10,000 workers and has 2007 revenues of $356 million.

BANNOCKBURN, IL — IPC is taking issue with the inclusion of the flame retardant chemical known as Tetrabromobisphenol A on a draft list of substances that could be added to the EU RoHS Directive, firing off a letter requesting the EU commissioners "reconsider" its potential ban.

The trade group had previously made its case to the Öko-Institut, which was charged with drafting the list.

TBBPA, a a reactive flame retardant used in most printed circuit board laminates, has been reported to be included among five substances for priority assessment and potential inclusion in RoHS by media who claimed to have seen the proposal. It is reportedly used in more than two-thirds of electrical and electronics appliances.

Citing the strong body of technical evidence, IPC claims TBBPA is not a risk and should not be included in future RoHS documents. "TBBPA has already undergone a comprehensive EU Risk Assessment and, therefore, is not expected to be subject to authorization under REACH,” IPC said in the letter. "The recommendation for priority review of TBBPA under RoHS seemingly undermines the EU’s emerging chemicals policy and law under REACH.  We urge the commission to reconsider the inclusion of TBBPA in its list of ‘priority review’ substances under RoHS.”

Following interagency review of the proposal, the EU Commission will present the proposed RoHS Revision to the European Parliament.

To see the IPC letter, click here.