GAITHERSBURG, MD – The National Institute of Standards and Technology announced a competition for grants to support new or existing industry-driven consortia to develop research plans that address challenges impeding the growth of advanced manufacturing in the US.

CHICAGO – BEST said its annual tech symposium will focus on soldering of bottom-terminated components and how to clean around them.

EL SEGUNDO, CA -- OEMs will spend $265.2 billion on semiconductors in 2013, up 4.2% from 2012, according to new data from IHS iSuppli.

MINNEAPOLIS -- HEI swung to a second-quarter net profit of $678,000, reversing a loss of $351,000 a year ago.

LOUISVILLE, KY -- Ayrshire Electronics has named Myron Blackburn senior vice president of operations, responsible for day-to-day operations of the EMS company's manufacturing facilities.

SPOKANE VALLEY, WA – ACE Production Technologies is taking registrations for its upcoming selective soldering workshops. The introductory workshop will be held Aug. 6-7 at ACE’s facility here. 

MILPITAS, CA -- Flextronics today announced the creation of an accelerator business to support companies working on early-stage, disruptive technology in hardware and software. The new program will provide both financial and services support to startups with less than $5 million in funding.

ELK GROVE VILLAGE, IL – Electronics manufacturing services firm SigmaTron International reported fourth-quarter fiscal year 2013 revenues were $51.3 million, up 29.2% year-over-year.

ELKHART, IN – CTS Corp. posted second-quarter 2013 revenues of $151.6 million, up 1% sequentially and down 2% year-over-year, driven by softness in EMS markets.

GLENVIEW, IL – Illinois Tool Works' Test & Measurement and Electronics business unit saw June quarter sales fall 8.5% to $542 million.

BILLINGSTAD, NORWAY --Kitron's second-quarter revenue rose 3.3% to NOK 430.3 million ($72.7 million) on strength in the industrial sector, offset in part by lower defense demand.

SAN JOSE, CA – Sanmina Corp. reported revenue for the fiscal third-quarter ended June 29 of $1.49 billion, up 4.2% sequentially and down 3.9% year-over-year.