Circuits Assembly Online Magazine - News

News

TAIPEI — Three venture capital fund executives have been arrested on insider trading charges related to Jabil Circuit's acquisition of Green Point earlier this year.

WK Technology Fund chairman Ko Wen-chang, president Ho Cheng-ching and vice president Li Jung-hsun face a minimum seven years in prison and more than $16 million in fines, according to published reports. They also are charged with attempts to block the investigation, forgery and concealment of evidence.

Per the reports, officials claim the men made about $27.4 million from the buyout. The fund was a major shareholder of Green Point, and used subsidiaries to make massive purchases of Green Point's shares ahead of the sale, according to the investigation's chief prosecutor.

MACAO – EMS provider Nam Tai Electronics announced third-quarter sales fell 6.4% year-over-year on lower demand for telecom.

TORONTO – Top tier EMS provider Celestica Inc. reversed last year’s third-quarter loss, turning a profit of $51.5 million. Revenue slumped 13% to $2.08 billion, however.

STOCKHOLM – EMS provider Note reported third-quarter sales fell 7% year-over-year to SEK 389.9 million. Operating profit rose by 5% to SEK 28.1 million, while net profits were 18.9 million.

LONDON – A 45-minute Webinar launched today describes forthcoming EcoDesign requirements that electronics manufacturers will need to meet to maintain CE marking.

Presented by the European Commission, the Centre for Sustainable Design and Environ, the presentation covers the latest developments in implementing the EuP Directive: the status of implementing measures for first 20 product groups; a working plan to identify product groups; role of industry voluntary agreements; tracking EuP EcoDesign requirements and Wb-based approach to managing EcoDesign; practical measures companies should take to track development of EcoDesign requirements; managing EcoDesign data across multiple locations and global supply chains; benefits of Web-based systems, and EcoDesign trends in Asia.

The CE marking is a requirement for electrical and electronics products sold in the EU.

View the Webinar at www.electronics-ktn.com or www.eup-ecodesign.com.

SAN JOSE – The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is sponsoring a free, two-day seminar on protecting IP abroad. Piracy and counterfeiting cost the American economy approximately $250 billion annually, the U.S. PTO says.

The event, China Road Show: Protecting Your Intellectual Property in China & the Global Marketplace, takes place Nov. 7-8, in San Jose.

The program will cover IP theft and protection, product and part counterfeiting. It also will include comprehensive coverage of enforcement strategies against IP theft from China. Presenters include the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The program is for any company that wants to learn about protecting its products from counterfeiting and piracy – even those companies that have no plans to sell or manufacture their products in China.

Among the speakers are Tom Valliere of Design Chain Associates, Fairchild Semiconductor's legal counsel, and Debra Eggeman, general manager of the Independent Distributors of Electronics Association.

To register, visit http://www.uspto.gov/main/homepagenews/bak2007oct19.htm.

SARASOTA, FL – Inovaxe Corp. gave away a two-bay Inocart material handling system in a drawing held during SMTAI in Orlando, FL.

Chuck Dixon of Lear won, and was presented with the material handling system on Oct. 23.

The random drawing took place the last day of the show; 68 people representing 59 companies entered the promotion.

ANGLETON, TX - EMS provider Benchmark Electronics Inc. said today its third-quarter profit fell on a 12.6% decline in revenue.

JACKSON, MI – EMS provider Sparton Corp. reported record fiscal 2008 first quarter sales of $58.9 million, up 22% from last year. The net loss narrowed to $1.4 million, from $2.5 million a year ago.

The quarter included a $1.6 million writeoff of inventory previously carried as a deferred asset. The writeoff came after an appeals court reversed an earlier ruling in Sparton’s favor. In a press statement, Sparton said it “continues to believe strongly in the merits of its claim for the recovery of these costs and is currently analyzing its options, which may include further appeal.”

Gross profit margin was 2.7%, up from 1.5% last year. Gross profit was reduced by 2.8% due to the $1.6 million charge.

During the quarter, government sales increased 189%, due to successful sonobuoy testing, but at no or minimal margins. Medical/scientific instrumentation sales rose 29%.

The company expects sonobuoy margins to improve in future quarters.

WASHINGTON – Durable goods orders fell in September for the second straight month, the Commerce Department reported today. Orders dropped 1.7% after dropping 5.3% in August, the first back-to-back declines in more than a year, on lower demand for autos, computers and electronics products, among other items.

Most economists felt orders would rise, and blame is being attributed to housing finance and other credit problems.

Durables are defined as manufactured goods that have a life of at least three years.

LOUISVILLE — Sypris Solutions today reported net income of $2.6 million on revenues of $104.5 million for its third quarter ended Sept. 30.

BALVE, GERMANY – Solder and anode specialist Balver Zinn will sponsor Bob Willis’ Process Advice and Defect Clinic at Productronica next month.

The exhibition takes place Nov. 13-16, at the Munich Trade Fair Center in Munich, Germany.

The company will also showcase its range of solder paste, solder fluxes and related products in hall A3 stand 478, including the SN100C solder range, for which its held a license for five years. Furthermore, Balver Zinn will soon announce availability of this product as a SMT paste.