BANNOCKBURN, IL – Two producers of Chicago-area electronics trade shows agreed to jointly produce an electronics manufacturing conference and exhibition this fall.

IPC and Canon Communications said Electronics Midwest will take place Sept. 28–30 in Rosemont, IL.

The event combines IPC Midwest Conference & Exhibition, previously held in Schaumburg, and Canon’s Electronics Midwest show, and is co-located with four other Canon manufacturing shows: MD&M Midwest, Design & Manufacturing Midwest, Assembly Technology Expo, and PLASTEC Midwest.

Founded three years ago, IPC Midwest has met with modest results. Meanwhile, Canon’s Electronics show, acquired in 2006 from Reed Exhibitions, has seen interest drop significantly since the appearance of IPC Midwest and following a well publicized split with SMTA, which previously coordinated the concurrent tech conference. SMTA now sponsors its own show, SMTA International, which also takes place each fall, but alternates between Florida and California.

TAIPEI -- Foxconn Electronics (Hon Hai) reported December revenues fell 9.7% sequentially to NT$133.1 billion (US$4.2 billion).

Sales were up 8.98% year-over-year.

ST. LOUIS -- Viasystems' fourth-quarter sales rose 8% sequentially to $131 million and bookings suggest more to come, company executives said.

MANCHESTER, NH – Contract assembler EPE Corp. is relocating to a larger facility here, the company said.
 
The move to a 45,000 sq. ft. facility, which began this month, would provide 50% more manufacturing space. 
 
EPE provides electronic contract manufacturing services for the military and defense, medical instrumentation, communications, industrial automation, RF Technology, and professional consumer markets.