CHENGDU, CHINA – Foxconn said it has resumed operations at its manufacturing plant here after an explosion killed three employees and injured 15 others last month.

An investigation into the cause is ongoing, but preliminary findings suggest an explosion of aluminum dust in a ventilation duct, according to published reports.

Foxconn says it has improved workshop ventilation and has revamped policies and practices related to dust disposal.

The factory builds iPad2 tablets for Apple, plus other electronics gear.

TEMPE, AZ – Economic activity in the manufacturing sector expanded in May for the 22nd consecutive month, but both new orders and production took hits.

DAYTON, OH -- Flextronics will lay off more than 400 workers at third-party retail stores around the US, according to published reports and company filings.

SINGAPORE – Flextronics released an inaugural Supply Chain Sustainability Report, designed to drive, implement and gauge CSER compliance standards across the firm’s supply chain. 

The report provides an overview of the electronics manufacturing services provider’s supplier CSER compliance program. It includes details on the company's supply chain assessment process, corrective action requirements, results attained to date, supplier feedback and environmental sustainability framework.

The document also speaks to Flextronics’ plans for conformance to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, outlining how it expects to manage its supply chain disclosure of conflict minerals originating from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The report is available at http://www.flextronics.com/partners/supplierinfo/Files/Supplier%20Sustainbility%20Report-single%20page.pdf.

LAKE FOREST, CA – Acculogic has moved to a larger facility here to expand its Flying Probe Lab and accommodate expansion of the firm’s engineering group, applications, and in-house testing facilities.

The facility enables Acculogic to provide enhanced support to customers in the western US and Mexico.

The location provides board test services and is equipped with two fully loaded flying probe systems and a standalone PC-based boundary scan system.

Acculogic manufactures automated test equipment, including flying probe, in-circuit, boundary scan and application-specific functional test systems.

TORONTO - Adeptron Technologies has failed to meet the continued listing criteria of the Toronto Stock Exchange and has voluntarily applied to delist its common shares, the company announced.

BANNOCKBURN, IL – North American printed circuit board shipments in April increased 3% year-over-year, says IPC. Orders fell 5.6% compared to April 2010.

CHENGDU, CHINA – Combustible dust in an air duct at a polishing workshop caused Foxconn’s explosion in China this month that killed three workers and injured 15, say published reports.

The firm since instituted a partial shutdown of the plant here, raising concerns about supply disruptions for some Apple products, including the iPad.

The explosion could cause a loss of production of 500,000 iPad 2 tablets during the second quarter, according to IHS iSuppli. A Shenzhen factory may not be able to compensate for the Chengdu disruption, the research firm says.