LOS ALTOS, CA – Changes in corporate PC purchasing is slowing market growth, according to a new report. Electronics equipment sales will fall this year but will recover in 2008, says Ed Henderson of Henderson Ventures in his latest newsletter. “Corporations no longer feel compelled to upgrade their systems every three years because hardware and software advances don’t offer the productivity improvements that previous upgrades have given,” Henderson wrote. The U.S. has been particularly hard hit: PC unit shipments grew 1% last year. Worldwide, shipments grew 9.9% in 2006. However, forecasts call for a slowdown to 7.1% this year before recovering to 10.2% in 2008, Henderson said. Demand from emerging markets for low-cost cellphones boosted shipments to 993 million in 2006, up from 430 million in 2002. Unit growth is predicted to dip to 13.1% this year and 10.3% in 2008, Henderson predicts. Global equipment values will fall to 6.9% in 2007 from 9% last year on slower unit growth for certain key products. Henderson predicts a rebound to 8.1% in 2008.
SANTA FE, NM -- Compass Components will purchase Sparton Technology's Deming, NM, wire harness plant and certain
inventory and equipment, and will begin to rehire laid off employees,
according to Rick Homans, Cabinet Secretary for the New Mexico
Economic Development Department. No financial terms were disclosed.
Compass, which makes cable, harness and electromechanical assemblies, began operations at the facility yesterday. The sale of the building should be finalized by June 29.
On Jan. 8, Sparton announced it would close the
plant and lay off its 76 employees. Compass will
initially hire up to 12 employees, and officials say they
would like to ramp to 75 or more employees in one to two
years.
TOKYO -- Is Sanyo Electric Co. gearing up to sell its cellphone and digital camera businesses?
The Japanese electronics giant already outsourced its TV and home appliances businesses, part of a strategy to focus on energy and green
businesses, and it taking bids on its chip division.
As Seiichiro Sano takes over as company president today, shareholders are telling the company to outsource or spin off its mobile phones and digital cameras units, too.