EL SEGUNDO, CA – Semiconductor makers’ inventory in the first quarter declined to $37.6 billion, down 4.6% sequentially, says IHS.

STAMFORD, CT – Worldwide devices (shipments of PCs, tablets and mobile phones) are projected to reach 2.35 billion units in 2013, up 5.9% year-over-year, says Gartner.

NEW YORK -- Worldwide semiconductor manufacturing equipment spending is projected to total $35.8 billion in 2013, a 5.5% decline from 2012, according to Gartner.

RAINTON BRIDGE, TYNE AND WEAR, ENGLAND -- Connor Solutions in investing £3.6m to add capacity and a larger workforce at its EMS factory here.

PENANG, MALAYSIA - Escatec has announced its membership in the United Nations Global Compact, a group of companies that voluntarily agree to support several human rights principles.

FRANKFURT --  German printed circuit board manufacturers reported orders rose for the third month in a row in April.

IRVINE, CA – Probe Manufacturing reported sales of approximately $713,000 for the three months ended Mar. 31, down 44.6% year-over-year.

ST. PETERSBURG, FL – Jabil Circuit reported fiscal third-quarter revenue up 5.1% year-over-year to $4.5 billion.

SAN JOSE – Serial entrepreneur Paul Wesling will keynote the upcoming International Wafer-Level Packaging Conference by looking at just how the Silicon Valley came to be the worldwide tech mecca.

SAN DIEGO – Finland-based JOT Automation has opened a new site here.

WASHINGTON – Dr. Jennie S. Hwang has been appointed as chair for the Board on Assessment of US Army Research Laboratories – Materials, Department of Defense.

ORADEA, ROMANIA -- Plexus has opened a $30 million, 290,000 sq. ft. electronics assembly facility here. The initial head count of 300 is expected to grow to 1,000 when the unit is fully operational, according to published reports.