PARIS -- Asteelflash has acquired fellow EMS firm Catalyst Manufacturing Services for an undisclosed sum.

CAMBRIDGE, UK -- The Raspberry Pi Foundation has begun manufacturing the first units of its $35 PC.

GEORGETOWN, TX -- Electronic components manufacturer AirBorn Inc. has acquired EMS firm AESCO Electronics for an undisclosed amount.

HONG KONG -- Surface Mount Technology (Holdings) Ltd. today announced the pending resignation of its deputy chairman and managing director.

BANNOCKBURN, IL – IPC is urging the US State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls to protect US defense equipment by ensuring export control protection of design information for printed circuit boards.

STAMFORD, CT – After two quarters of positive growth, worldwide PC shipments totaled 92.2 million units in the fourth quarter of 2011, down 1.4% year-over-year, says Gartner. These figures were in line with Gartner’s earlier forecast of a 1% decline for the quarter.

REDMOND, WA -- Microsoft today issued a statement insisting labor protests at its contract manufacturing partner Foxconn are over.

AUSTIN, TX -- Laminate substrates and leadframe production will outpace silicon wafer growth in 2012, a new report asserts.

SAN JOSE -- Semiconductor wafer fabrication equipment capital expenditures are expected to yo-yo throughout 2012, with a first-half drop followed by a sharp second-half rebound, SEMI says.

TAIPEI -- Foxconn Electronics reported unconsolidated December revenues rose 29.5% year-over-year to NT$316.9 billion ($11 billion) on higher demand for consumer electronics.

WUHAN, CHINA -- As many as 300 workers were talked down from a roof at Foxconn's factory here last week following a pay dispute in which they threatened mass suicide.

GAINESVILLE, GA – Count On Tools, provider of components and SMT spare parts, has expanded its manufacturing operations here for the second time in recent months.

COT said it purchased a 26mm Super Swissturn Precision CNC Machining Center by Tsugami.

The expansion is in response to the growing market for SMT nozzles and consumables, as well as the increased demand for precision contract machining services, the firm says.