Oulunsalo, Finland -- Elektrobit Group Plc is combining its Testing and Automation Solutions business units into the single Test and Automation unit. The units previously operated independently within the Products business segment.

Former executive VP of testing, Dr. Hannu Hakalahti is now executive VP of the combined unit.

Customers will include the manufacturers of mobile communication devices and mobile networks, network operators, electronics contract manufacturers, as well as automotive, consumer and industrial electronics companies. Test and Automation will be divided into four business areas: Production Solutions, Integrated Test and Automation Products, System Test and Network Test.

In terms of net sales, Test and Automation is the Group's largest business unit, accounting for 56% of net sales in 2004 (€113.5 million).

LONDON -- The U.K. government is awaiting formal notification of the adoption of the Commission Decision establishing the RoHS Directive's maximum concentration values. To keep industry stakeholders informed of the latest developments, the DTI (Department of Trade and Industry) has issued a revised version of the draft non-statutory guidance first published in July 2004.

The document now reads: For the purposes of the RoHS Regulations, a maximum concentration value of up to 0.1% by weight in homogeneous materials for lead, mercury, hexavalent chromium, PBB and PBDE and of up to 0.01% by weight in homogenous materials for cadmium will be permitted in the manufacture of new EEE.

The revised issue, dated August 2005, is here.

Gurnee, IL -- Purex International, manufacturer of fume extraction systems for soldering, lasers, laboratories, welding and other applications, opens its first American office this week.

The facility in Gurnee will serve customers in North America, Canada and Mexico. It includes a demonstration and training area, and a dedicated sales and support team. Inventory levels have been greatly increased.

The sales team will be headed by U.S. sales manager Andru Ryniec and sales support coordinator Jacqueline Smith.

Ryniec added, “Purex is a long time player in the U.S. fume extraction business and the opening of the new office shows our commitment and belief in the U.S. market.”

Mansfield, TX – Mouser Electronics will be the first catalog distributor to market Oki Semiconductor’s advanced integrated circuits to the industry.

Oki manufactures a line of ICs for the telecommunications, automotive, computer, medical and consumer markets. Its portfolio of products includes microcontroller, ASIC, memory, speech synthesis and RF devices.   

Mouser’s customer base of over 100,000 business accounts focuses primarily on the design-in and prototyping stage of the design cycle and are comprised of a range of companies, universities and engineering consultants who recommend, specify and purchase board level components for product designs.