BANNOCKBURN, IL – North American printed circuit board shipments in August decreased 4.4% year-over-year, as orders fell 8%, says IPC.

NEW DELHI – India’s government aims to bring in $100 billion in investments for electronic component manufacturing by 2020, according to published reports.

A draft of initiatives proposes tax incentives, special funding, 200 manufacturing clusters, and preferential access for locally made products.

The policy is expected to be completed by December, and the initiatives are expected to create 28 million jobs.

Local demand for electronics hardware is expected to reach $400 billion by 2020, up from $45 billion in 2009.

VANCOUVER – Pacific Insight Electronics Corp. reported a fourth-quarter net loss of $19,000, compared with a net income of $316,000 in the prior year.

The EMS firm reported sales for the period ended June 30 of $8.47 million, up 4% year-over-year.

Sales for the year ended June 30 were $32.8 million, up 12% compared to last year. Net income was $163,000, down 69.3% year-over-year.

Pacific Insight Electronics is a contract designer and assembler of electronics products.

SUWANEE, GA -- ASM Assembly Systems Americas has named Jeff Timms chief executive and general manager, Americas, replacing interim CEO Otto Waters.

WASHINGTON, DC — The 90-day average worldwide sales of semiconductors grew 2.2% year-over-year in August on higher demand for PCs.

BERLIN – The latest developments in flexible and stretchable electronics will highlight an annual two-day workshop taking place here Nov. 16 - 17.

The third annual Flexible and Stretchable Electronics Workshop will be preceded by a tutorial on Fabrication Technologies of Stretchable Electronic Systems. The Nov. 15 tutorial will consist of a half-day presentation of basic concepts to fabricate stretchable electronic substrates and systems.

The event is organized by researchers from the Institute for Microelectronics (IMEC, Belgium) and Fraunhofer IZM, where the tutorial will take place.

For more information, visit http://www.flexstretch2011.de/Workshop.html.

SMYRNA, GA – PCB West celebrated its 20^th anniversary in style this week, as attendance for the annual trade show rose 30.4% from last year.

HONG KONG -- Surface Mount Technology (Holdings) Ltd. today said negotiations with a potential investor that could keep the company out of bankruptcy are ongoing and it expects definitive agreements will be signed in October.

WASHINGTON, DC -- The US Securities and Exchange Commission next month will host a public meeting to discuss the looming "conflict metals" law.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA -- Surface mount technology equipment sales will grow 80% between 2010 and 2017, a new research report predicts.

SANTA CLARA, CA – PCD&F today announced the winners of the fall 2011 New Product Introduction Award for printed circuit board design.

TAIPEI -- Foxconn chairman Terry Gou strongly denied rumors that the world's largest contract electronics assembler plans to lay off tens of thousands of workers.