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Hauppauge, NY -- Jaco Electronics, distributor of electronic components, reported increased operating profit and lowered net losses for its fiscal 2006 first quarter, compared to the same quarter last year. During the quarter, Jaco reduced SG&A by 21% year-on-year, which contributed to the operating profit.

HERNDON, VA — The International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative (iNEMI) has released its 2005 Research Priorities, which presents the consensus on R&D needs identified in the 2004 iNEMI Roadmap. The document, intended to help the industry focus on areas critical to future competitiveness, highlights six key challenges the electronics manufacturing industry faces.

ROUND ROCK, TX - In commemoration of America Recycles Day, Dell recognized its employees and partners for helping the company exceed environmental responsibility goals and create new recycling initiatives.

In the past year, Dell exceeded its recycled paper content goal and collected more than 175 tons of unwanted computers around the world. In 2005, the company accelerated efforts to recycle, reuse or resell non-hazardous wastes from manufacturing and other operations.

"Part of being a great global company is being environmentally responsible," said Tod Arbogast, Dell's sustainable business manager. "America Recycles Day provides an opportunity for us to recognize our employees, suppliers and stakeholders who have helped Dell increase usage of recycled paper, offer communities no-cost options for recycling computers and increase the volume of waste material we recycle in our own operations."

Dell’s Forest Products Stewardship Model documents its paper-usage practices and its paper sourcing and recycling goals. One year into the program, Dell has exceeded its initial target by achieving 90% recycled paper content in the company's small and medium business catalog, using Forest Stewardship Council-certified paper sources for the majority of the catalog. Dell increased its use of post-consumer recycled content for catalog inserts to almost 15% and achieved about 30% post-consumer recycled content for office paper.

Dell conducted computer recycling events earlier this year in Bracknell (UK), Munich, Sydney, Winston-Salem (NC), Nashville and Oklahoma City. Dell employee volunteers helped collect more than 175 tons of unwanted computers.

Dell expanded its partnership with Goodwill Industries by establishing an ongoing computer drop-off program for donation and recycling in the San Francisco Bay area and in Michigan.

In the first half of 2005, Dell recycled, reused or resold more than 45,000 tons of cardboard, plastics, pallets, paper and related materials generated in its manufacturing and other operations. The volume of recycled, reused or resold material represents more than 90% of the total nonhazardous waste generated at facilities in the first half of the year, exceeding last year’s 85% recycle/reuse rate.

BANNOCKBURN, IL -- Just months before the RoHS compliance deadline, IPC and JEDEC are seeking papers for their International Conference on Lead-Free Electronic Components and Assemblies. The conference will be held March 6-8, 2006, in Santa Clara, CA.

Papers from environmental managers and technical staff are sought on any relevant subjects, including:
Policy development policy - European lead ban status
European/Chinese/other legislation or voluntary activity on hazardous materials and recycling
Legislative compliance and policy enforcement methods

Supply chain issues
Standards for marking and testing
Materials declarations, part numbers, obsolescence, etc.

Production issues
Design for lead-free production
Components, solder, board developments, availability and lead-free compatibility
Examples of implementation
Reflow, wave, hand soldering, inspection, repair, rework and test, etc.

Reliability issues
Tin whiskers
High reliability product sectors (automotive, aerospace, etc.)
Reliability test data and method developments

Environmental considerations
Toxicity and risk
Recycling
Hazardous substance substitutes
Research consortia news and updates

Submit a 200-300 word abstract, along with a brief biography, to LFConf@ipc.org by Dec.6.

MILPITAS, CA -- Solectron Corp. has completed a $250 million stock buyback begun in July, and will conduct a similar-sized stock repurchase program starting in the second quarter of fiscal 2006.

THE WOODLANDS, TX -- Huntsman Corp., the chemicals maker, reported a third-quarter net loss of $29.8 million on a 6.4% gain in revenues, to $3.1 billion, for the quarter ended Sept. 30.

The loss included $600,000 in tax losses from discontinued operations and net of tax charges of $68.4 million for restructuring, impairment and plant closing costs and $41.4 million for the early extinguishment of debt.

The company reported a net income of $43.7 million in the third quarter of 2004, including $2.8 million in tax losses from discontinued operations and net of tax charges of $32.6 million for restructuring, impairment and plant closing costs and a net of tax gain for early extinguishment of debt of $2.3 million.

Sales from its Advanced Materials group, which makes coatings for construction markets and electronics, fell 1.7%, to $289.4 million on lower volumes. Average selling prices rose 10% due to price increase initiatives in certain markets in response to improved demand and higher raw material costs.

Peter R. Huntsman, president and CEO, said, "The third quarter was extremely challenging from an operating perspective. Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita negatively impacted not only our manufacturing facilities in the U.S. Gulf Coast but also the operations of many of our customers and suppliers. These storms also resulted in dramatic increases in feedstock and energy costs in the second half of the quarter.

"In addition, raw material pressures appear to have eased in recent weeks, which together with initiatives to raise our selling prices in our differentiated segments, should provide opportunities to expand profitability as we enter 2006."