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News

SAN JOSE – North American-based manufacturers of semiconductor equipment posted $1.12 billion in orders in January and a book-to-bill ratio of 0.89, according to SEMI.

BRUSSELS – In the wake of a recent successful discovery of a counterfeit component ring, EU and U.S. officials said today they would crack down on further counterfeiting.

China will be a focus of the operation, officials said.

The announcement stems from recent operations at major airports during which some 360,000 counterfeit parts, representing more than 40 brands, were uncovered. The seized parts were valued at more than $1.3 billion.

"Traffickers and counterfeiters have become much more sophisticated.… They are no longer confining themselves to trafficking in some of the traditional goods we used to see them in, such as footwear or handbags," U.S. Customs and Border Protection assistant commissioner Dan Baldwin said, according to published reports.

"There are increasing numbers with high-tech goods, goods that impact our critical infrastructure," he added.

The U.S. and EU said they would cooperate with importers to discover how fakes enter the market, and would initiate investigations, focusing on China, a large hub for counterfeit components.

Some of the fakes found, however, came from Taiwan and Hong Kong, most arriving by plane through couriers, according to John Pulford, a European Commission official.

The customs operation took place in German airports, France's Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle airport, London’s Heathrow, and many hubs in the U.S.

WASHINGTON – The United States Patent and Trademark Office has assigned a patent to Sono-Tek Corp. covering the creation of thin organic films on complicated substrates using ultrasonic nozzles in combination with a vacuum system.

The patent covers a process for coating 3-D substrates with thin organic films and products. Applications include coating of implantable medical devices such as drug-coated cardiac stents, diabetes monitors, and other geometries.

Sono-Tek, a developer of ultrasonic spray technology, markets the invention under the name MediSonic.

SAN JOSE – The MicroElectronics Packaging and Test Engineering Council has finalized the program for its 4th Annual Thermal Management symposium.

The one-day event will be held Feb. 28 in San Jose.

Verdant Electronics president Joe Fjelstad will keynote the symposium, reviewing innovative ways engineers have responded to thermal challenges over time. His presentation, Beating the Heat – Dealing with the Thermal Challenge: Past, Present and Future, will look at some new and prospective materials and methods being developed to address thermal challenges.

Sessions include Thermal Solutions for Tomorrow’s ICs; Using Fine Grain, Full Chip Thermal Analysis to Solve SOC Design Issues; Thin-Film Thermoelectric Cooling for 3D Packages; Returning to Processor Roots Resolves Thermal Issues; WW Package Characterization, STATS ChipPac; Metal Thermal Interface Materials for the Electronics Industry; High Performance Modules on Copper Substrates; Thermal Interface Materials for IC Cooling - Design Considerations and Trends; Telecommunications - Power Users are Power Hungry; Applied Thermal Technologies - Telecom Equipments: Hard Limiting Factors and Opportunities; Leveraging FPGA Features to Address Power Management Challenges; Thermal Measurement and Characterization of a Multi-die Opto-Coupler; Green Technology – Fighting Global and Local Warming; Thermal Management for Advanced Electric Powertrain; Thermal Management in Fuel Cells, and Thermal Management Considerations in the Design of Solar Concentrators.

To register, visit www.meptec.org.

DULUTH, GA – Nordson Corp., a provider of dispensing equipment, has launched an online adhesive systems parts and services center. The site (parts.nordson.com) provides registered customers with a hub for purchasing Nordson parts, contacting sales and service representatives, and obtaining technical and product information.

SANTA CLARA, CA – EMS provider Hunter Technology Corp. and its new subsidiary CADParts & Consulting now offer PCB design and engineering services nationally through four design service centers: Santa Clara, CA; Denver; Crossville, TN, and Marlboro, NJ.

Additional centers will be added during the next year, beginning in April with a San Diego design center, the companies say.

Design services are offered using Altium, Cadence, Mentor and Zuken CAD platforms. Services include PCB design, and onsite and mechanical design services.

MACAO, CHINA – EMS provider Nam Tai Electronics today announced negotiations have begun to sell its entire interest in its subsidiary, J.I.C Technology Co. to an unidentified company.

SAN JOSE – Flextronics will add production and up to 1,000 new employees in Hungary this spring, according to published reports.

SAN JOSE – Sanmina-SCI has signed a definitive agreement with Foxteq Holdings (a subsidiary of Foxconn Technology) to sell certain assets of its PC business, the company said today.

YAVNE, ISRAEL – Orbotech today reported fourth-quarter revenues of $103.6 million, flat with 2006. The net loss for the period ended Dec. 31 was $1.1 million, down from net income of $9.4 million a year ago.

The net loss includes an impairment charge of $4.7 million to write-down goodwill and intellectual property of Orbotech Medical Solutions Ltd.; restructuring charges of $500,000, $1.9 million of amortization of intangible assets from the acquisitions of 3 D - Danish Diagnostic Development A/S and New System during 2007, and $900,000 in share-based compensation expenses.

For the year, the inspection equipment maker reported revenues fell 13% to $360.7 million. Net income fell 97% to $1.5 million.

For the quarter, bare board equipment sales were $50 million, up from $40.8 million a year ago, on strong customer demand for LDI systems. Flat panel display inspection equipment sales were $10.6 million, down from $27.8 million. PCB assembly equipment sales were $8.3 million, down from $8.5 million. Service revenue increased to $25 million from $22.9 million a year ago.

Cash flow was up $10.5 million.

SPOKANE, WA – EMS provider Servatron Inc. announced record revenue for the year ended Dec. 31 on new customer wins and higher orders from existing customers. Gross revenue exceeded $32 million in sales for 2007, up 39% over 2006.

During the year, the company combined operations previously in two separate facilities, and added 10,000 sq. ft. of floor space, bringing the total production area to 61,000 sq. ft.

During the expansion, Servatron installed a new surface mount line and added AOI capabilities.

Tod Byers, company president commented, "In 2007 we achieved our goals through adding several new key customers, while many existing customers increased orders for the year."

SMYRNA, GA – UP Media Group announced that Virtual PCB, the industry's first virtual trade show and conference for PCB design, fabrication and assembly, was a rousing success.