BANNOCKBURN, IL – “The American Research and Competitiveness Act of 2011” has been introduced; it is a bipartisan bill to strengthen and make permanent the R&D tax credit.

IPC and the National Association of Manufacturers support the bill: H.R. 942.

IPC says R&D is vital for US electronics companies to be globally competitive and retain US jobs. The NAM says strengthening the R&D credit from 14% to 20% and making it permanent will provide new opportunities for businesses of all sizes to expand and invest in their future, ultimately creating jobs and growing the economy.

The credit is important to manufacturers like Boston Scientific, which spends $1 billion annually on research, according to the NAM.

The frequent expiration of the R&D tax credit prevents the tax credit from effectively stimulating needed long-term R&D investments, says IPC. The R&D tax credit most recently expired for nearly twelve months in 2009 – the fourteenth time Congress has allowed it to lapse.

IPC encourages its members to contact legislators to endorse passage of permanent R&D tax credit legislation.

For more information, visit www.ipc.org/R&D-tax-credit-take-action or www.nam.org. 

SHENZHEN – Contract manufacturer Jabil Circuit said it would invest $10 million in an injection molding facility here for the medical market.

The operation will begin with 18 injection presses, with plans for 50 within two years, according to published reports.

The Shenzhen plant will make drug delivery devices for the US and Europe, with the capacity to produce 12.5 million disposable devices per year. Jabil sees opportunities in the Chinese market down the line, the firm says.

The facility will be certified as a Class 8 clean room.

The company expects $300 million to $500 million in annual revenue from medical and life science devices by 2014.

EVERYWHERE -- Virtual PCB opens its second day today with moderated chats on tin whiskers, LEDs, cleaning, improving assembly processes and more.

BANNOCKBURN, IL – Most segments of the electronics interconnect supply chain worldwide posted double-digit year-on-year growth in the fourth quarter of 2010, with sales recovering to peak levels, a top trade group said today.

WASHINGTON, DC — Worldwide sales of semiconductors rose 14% year-over-year to $25.5 billion in January, the Semiconductor Industry Association said.

ELK GROVE VILLAGE, IL – Electronics manufacturing services provider SigmaTron International reported revenues of $36.9 million for the third quarter fiscal 2011, up 21% year-over-year.

EINDHOVEN, THE NETHERLANDS – Assembléon said it is developing pick-and-place machines that will cut energy consumption and other operating costs by at least 30%.

The SuMa (Sustainable Machines) project aims to make electronics production equipment more sustainable, and strives to reduce the weight of moving machine parts without affecting machine robustness.

Assembléon is partnering with the Technical University of Eindhoven and research organization TNO, and the project is said to follow the Supreme research project began in 2009 to develop sustainable high-tech systems.

HONG KONG – Electronics manufacturing services provider EC Electronics opened EC Supply Chain Solutions here.

The Hong Kong-based company will facilitate and develop EC’s existing supply chain for electronic components, products and assembly services available from Asian and Chinese-based suppliers.

Chris Brown will head the facility as Asia supply chain manager.

EL SEGUNDO, CA -- Global inventories held by semiconductor suppliers surged to a 30-month high during the fourth quarter, a development that could spell trouble if chip industry growth loses steam this year, IHS iSuppli warned today.

NOGALES, AZ – A new quarterly online newsletter provides news and information about manufacturing in Mexico.

The premiere issue highlights the latest high-tech manufacturing facility to open its doors in Mexico, and how maquiladoras are evolving. It is published by Collectron International, a shelter plan and maquiladora service provider.

The newsletter is available at www.collectron.com/newsletter.

TOYKO -- Shipments of surface mount production equipment rose 76% year-over-year in the fourth quarter, the Japan Robot Association said.

ST. PETERSBURG – Jabil Circuit said it would lay off about 90 staff at its manufacturing plant here.