GLENVIEW, IL – Illinois Tool Works has acquired Teknek for an undisclosed sum.

ROCKVILLE, MD – May US manufacturing technology orders were $388.27 million, up 121.3% year-over-year, and down 2.6% sequentially, says the American Machine Tool Distributors’ Association and The Association for Manufacturing Technology.

With a year-to-date total of nearly $2 billion, 2011 is up 108% compared to 2010.

“The 2,000 unit-per-month level signifies a very healthy demand still in place as we head toward the close of the second quarter,” said Peter Borden, AMTDA president.

At $64.3 million, May manufacturing technology orders in the Northeast Region were up 8.4% sequentially, and up 88.4% compared to May last year. The year-to-date total of $305.87 million is 92.4% more than the comparable figure for 2010.

May manufacturing technology orders in the Southern Region totaled $54.15 million, up 5.1% sequentially, and up 86.4% year-over-year. With a year-to-date total of $239.3 million, 2011 is up 56.9% compared to the year-ago period.

Midwest Region manufacturing technology orders in May stood at $137.62 million, up 10.9% sequentially, and up 232.6% year-over-year. At $691.81 million, the 2011 year-to-date total is 168.5% more than the comparable figure for 2010.

Manufacturing technology orders in the Central Region in May totaled $95.18 million, down 21.6% from April, but up 83.8% compared to May in 2010. The $551.71 million year-to-date total is 106.6% higher than the total for the same period in 2010.

Western Region manufacturing technology orders totaled $37.02 million in May, down 12.1% sequentially, and up 93.9% year-over-year. At $196.18 million, 2011 year-to-date is up 66.3% when compared with last year.

TAIPEI -- Hon Hai (Foxconn) reported June revenues rose 15.6% from last year to NT$228.4 billion ($7.93 billion) on higher demand for PC tablets and computers.

OLATHE, KS -- Tier IV EMS firm and OEM Elecsys swung to a fiscal fourth quarter net profit of $402,000 as higher sales boosted earnings.

PHOENIX -- A new white paper by Suntron purports to solve the problem of tombstoning in 0402 components.

SAN JOSE -- Oclaro, the largest customer of Fabrinet, has terminated its supply agreement, but is expected to remain with the EMS provider.

SANTA CLARA, CA — Despite a tepid year to date, TV makers are upping their third-quarter production plans to meet expected late-year demand.

SCOTTSDALE, AZ — Worldwide set-top box revenue will decline slightly in 2011, with Latin America and Middle East/Africa the only regions showing increases in shipments.

BRIDGEWATER, MA -- Chase Corp. reported fiscal third-quarter net income from continuing operations fell 23% year-over-year to $2.97 million.

EL SEGUNDO, CA – The total stockpile level for all semiconductor suppliers – excluding the volatile memory segment – is projected to rise to 81.5 days in the second quarter, up 1.5% sequentially, says IHS iSuppli.

SANTA CLARA, CA – Large-area TFT LCD panel price increases halted in mid-June, as a result of an uncertain demand outlook for the third quarter, says DisplaySearch.

While demand is slowing, especially in the TV market, the supply side is making adjustments to prevent drastic panel price fluctuations. Panel makers originally expected to raise capacity utilization – the ratio of actual output to total available capacity – to an average of 90% in the third quarter. However, TFT LCD capacity utilization will remain at 85% from July to September, says the research firm.

Average large-area TFT LCD capacity utilization fell in the first quarter. After reaching 79% in April, panel makers increased rates through the second quarter to meet a surge in demand, and by June the rate had reached 85%. Panel makers were planning to increase capacity utilization in the third quarter, but this has changed in response to market conditions, the firm says.

Although panel makers are anticipating increasing demand from China TV brands, together with the emergence of some seasonal demand in the third quarter, overall fab utilization will not increase, according to DisplaySearch.

In June, overall LCD TV panel shipment targets increased 6% sequentially, but were still 7% less than the previous forecast due to order adjustments from TV brands.

The inventory level at the end of June for LCD TV panels was seven to eight days, with monitor panels at seven days, and mobile PC panels at six days.
In May, panel makers’ shipments to China TV makers were 4.24 million, up 8% sequentially, exceeding a previous DisplaySearch forecast by 7%. Shipments are projected to be 4.37 million in June, up 3% sequentially.

SMYRNA, GA – A series of presentations on critical electronics assembly issues will be offered at the upcoming PCB West 2011 technical conference and trade show.