BANNOCKBURN, IL – The OEM Critical Components committee of the IPC will write a standard on the manufacturing process and quality control of lithium-ion battery cells.The committee hopes to release the standard by the second quarter of 2007. 

The goal of the committee is to work with all stakeholders to achieve an order of magnitude improvement in lithium-ion battery quality.

The committee met last week in San Jose. Attendees included representatives from Dell, Polycom, Lenovo and Hewlett-Packard. John Grosso, director, supplier engineering and quality, sub-tier and critical commodities, Dell, is chairing the effort.

It plans to meet again within a month.

“It is a very good initiative and we support it. It is gratifying to see how companies can put their competitive instincts aside to benefit the industry and the public in the interests of safety,” said Susan Davies, vice president of corporate quality of Polycom.

"Our message is that public safety comes first," said Tony Corkell, quality and standards executive, Lenovo. "Last week's efforts are an important first step towards examining the issues surrounding battery cell manufacturing, and we look forward to working with the leaders of our industry through IPC."

ST. LOUIS -- LaBarge Inc. has landed an additional $1.3 million contract from Boeing Co. to continue supplying wire harness assemblies for training jets used by the Air Force.

The wire harness assemblies are part of the Air Force's avionics upgrade program, which is aimed at extending the life of advanced supersonic trainers until 2020.

Production will take place at LaBarge's Berryville, AK, facility starting in September and continue through March 2007.

KENOSHA, WI — Promation Inc., a maker of PCB handling and in-line automated equipment, has moved into two new facilities in Forth Worth, TX.

Promation said continued growth in Trotter Controls, the automation segment of its business, required the additional capacity.

The Trotter Controls division produces automated soldering systems and robotic assembly solutions for the North American customers.

SAN JOSE -- Troubles continued at EMS firm Sanmina-SCI which this week concluded that its financial statements for the fiscal periods from September 2002 through April 2006 will be restated. The firm will take material charges for problems stemming from past stock option grants.

The company had previously disclosed a special special committee of its board to review matters related to stock option policies and practices dating to Jan. 1, 1997.


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