News
MUNICH -- A conference pairing the fashion and high-tech industries takes place next week in Munich.
The first Wearable Technologies Congress takes place July 8 to 10, in the International Congress Centre Munich at the New Munich
Trade Fair Centre.
According to conference organizers, the event aims to make possible the transfer of relevant know-how, the exchange of
experiences among the participants of the involved industries and the exposition
of visions for the next WT-product generations. The event is focused on
future-oriented and marketable products, as well as new sales potentials for
manufacturers of WT-products with emphasis in added
value.
Attendees are expected to include experts in commerce, product development, production from the sports, fashion, electronics and consumer electronics sectors.
Among the topics presented:
- High-tech meets low-tech – strategy for added-value-selling.
- RFID – Chance and opportunities for the sport and textile industries.
- New market perspectives through modern technology transfer.
WASHINGTON -- The Institute of Supply Management on Monday morning is expected to release data showing an improved June manufacturing index, and on Friday, the Labor Department is expected to report a stable unemployment rate.
The numbers, if accurate, suggest the economy is recovering after a first quarter dip.
MILPITAS, CA – Solectron Corp. reported net income for the third quarter fell 71% to $42 million year-over-year.
The company’s sales were $2.99 billion for the quarter, an increase of 3% over the previous quarter, and an increase of 10% year-over-year.
A rebound in sales to Cisco following its Lean initiative and share gains from Celestica drove the sequential increase, said analyst Carter Shoop of Deutsche Bank. Excluding Cisco, Solectron's sales were off 4% sequentially. Consumer electronics sales dropped 15% sequentially and 6% versus last year.
The company’s sales were $2.99 billion for the quarter, an increase of 3% over the previous quarter, and an increase of 10% year-over-year.
On June 4, Flextronics announced it would acquire Solectron. The merger agreement has been filed with the SEC. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter. In a conference call with analysts last night, Solectron did not provide guidance or details on the pending acquisition.
A rebound in sales to Cisco following its Lean initiative and share gains from Celestica drove the sequential increase, said analyst Carter Shoop of Deutsche Bank. Excluding Cisco, Solectron's sales were off 4% sequentially. Consumer electronics sales dropped 15% sequentially and 6% versus last year.
The operating margin was 1.3%, up 0.l points sequentially. Gross margins fell 0.2 points. Inventory days fell one day to 58 days.
VANCOUVER – Creation Technologies, a top 50 EMS provider, plans to acquire Taytronics Inc. of St. Peter, MN. The acquisition will provide Creation with a second facility in the central U.S. and is expected to be finalized July 29. Other financial details were not disclosed.
TOKYO – Meiko Electronics Co., known for PWB fabrication, is building an assembly plant in Vietnam, according to published reports.
The company is investing $32.4 million in an 18,000 sq. meter facility in Ha Tay Province, Business in Asia Today reported. Meiko will break ground in August, and operations are scheduled to begin next June.
The assembly plant is situated next to a PWB plant scheduled to come online in 2007.
Meiko has 4,500 employees and generates nearly $400 million in sales from its six facilities in Japan and China.
LYSAKER, NORWAY – Kitron ASA will acquire EDC i Munkfors' subsidiary EDC Elsis UAB in Kaunas, Lithuania, for SEK 14 million.
The deal is subject to customary closing conditions, which are expected to be completed by August.
Further agreements may be forthcoming, the companies said.
Kitron, which supplies electronics to the medical, defense and telecom industries and performs EMS work, has annual sales of 1.7 billion NOK and employs 1,300.
The EDC site employs about 40 people at its 2,000 sq. meter manufacturing facility.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – The opening session and annual meeting/keynote address during SMTA International will be held Oct. 9 and 10, respectively, in Orlando.
The free opening session will focus on SMTA’s End Game: Lead-Out, Labels-On, Reliability-In. Marking, Symbols, and Labels for Pb-Free Identification will be led by Steve Greathouse of Greathouse Solutions, and Pb-Free Printed Circuit Board Reliability will be led by Werner Engelmaier of Engelmaier Associates.
The SMTA annual meeting will feature Andrew Alduino, Senior Optical Researcher in the Photonics Technology Lab of Intel Corp. Implementation Challenges of Future Optical Interconnects will address the challenges facing integration to photonics technology, including thermal management, multi-chip package concerns, alignment of components, and more.
The 2006 conference award winners will be recognized, including Best of Conference Presentation, Dave Hillman, Rockwell Collins; Best Proceedings Paper, Robert Darveaux, Ph.D., Amkor Technology; and Best International Paper, Heather McCormick, Celestica, Inc.
At the meeting, the SMTA will present its Association Awards and the Charles Hutchins Educational Grant for $5,000, an award that is given annually to a graduate-level student pursuing a degree and working on thesis research in electronics packaging or related field. (Circuits Assembly funds the grant using proceeds of its Service Excellence Awards.)
The cost for the SMTA annual meeting is $40 for members and $50 for nonmembers.
The free opening session will focus on SMTA’s End Game: Lead-Out, Labels-On, Reliability-In. Marking, Symbols, and Labels for Pb-Free Identification will be led by Steve Greathouse of Greathouse Solutions, and Pb-Free Printed Circuit Board Reliability will be led by Werner Engelmaier of Engelmaier Associates.
The SMTA annual meeting will feature Andrew Alduino, Senior Optical Researcher in the Photonics Technology Lab of Intel Corp. Implementation Challenges of Future Optical Interconnects will address the challenges facing integration to photonics technology, including thermal management, multi-chip package concerns, alignment of components, and more.
The 2006 conference award winners will be recognized, including Best of Conference Presentation, Dave Hillman, Rockwell Collins; Best Proceedings Paper, Robert Darveaux, Ph.D., Amkor Technology; and Best International Paper, Heather McCormick, Celestica, Inc.
At the meeting, the SMTA will present its Association Awards and the Charles Hutchins Educational Grant for $5,000, an award that is given annually to a graduate-level student pursuing a degree and working on thesis research in electronics packaging or related field. (Circuits Assembly funds the grant using proceeds of its Service Excellence Awards.)
The cost for the SMTA annual meeting is $40 for members and $50 for nonmembers.
SHENZHEN — Nepcon EMT South China will take place Aug. 28-31 at the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center.
This year's show will be held in conjunction with Automotive Electronics China and Assembly Expo China, bringing together 450 exhibitors from 22 countries, according to the show organizers.
This year's show will be held in conjunction with Automotive Electronics China and Assembly Expo China, bringing together 450 exhibitors from 22 countries, according to the show organizers.
The Nepcon event is expected to draw up to 18,000 attendees, says Reed Exhibitions. The show includes a concurrent technical conference.
Also running that week: the SMTA China South Conference.
SAN JOSE, CA – The global semiconductor materials market is expected to grow more than 10% in 2007, and is forecasted to grow another 10% next year, SEMI reports.
Growth is being driven by record numbers of semiconductor devices being manufactured and materials consumed in fabricating and packaging those devices, says the association.
Growth is expected both in wafer fab materials and packaging. Current estimates predict that fab materials will grow about 9% to $24 billion, and packaging materials will rise more than 13% to $16.6 billion this year, according to SEMI.
On a regional basis, both Japan and Taiwan are anticipated to remain the two largest material-consuming regions, followed by the South Korean and Southeast Asian regions.
The materials market in China grew 36% last year as the result of capacity coming online from renewed fab and assembly facility investments; it is expected that wafer fab materials will represent a larger portion of materials consumed in this region in the near future, says the association.
Growth is being driven by record numbers of semiconductor devices being manufactured and materials consumed in fabricating and packaging those devices, says the association.
Growth is expected both in wafer fab materials and packaging. Current estimates predict that fab materials will grow about 9% to $24 billion, and packaging materials will rise more than 13% to $16.6 billion this year, according to SEMI.
On a regional basis, both Japan and Taiwan are anticipated to remain the two largest material-consuming regions, followed by the South Korean and Southeast Asian regions.
The materials market in China grew 36% last year as the result of capacity coming online from renewed fab and assembly facility investments; it is expected that wafer fab materials will represent a larger portion of materials consumed in this region in the near future, says the association.
“Semiconductor unit growth, the 300 mm ramp, and the transition to flip chip packages are driving the revenue growth in the semiconductor materials market,” said Dan Tracy, senior director of Industry Research and Statistics of SEMI. "However, higher raw material costs represent a major challenge for both material suppliers and their customers.”
EL SEGUNDO, CA – The Indian A/V consumer electronics market will grow to $6.59 billion by 2011, a CAGR of 10% from $4.5 billion in 2007, iSuppli Corp. predicted in a report issued today.
India’s consumer electronics industry had a market size of $3.89 billion in 2006, catering to a population of more than one billion people, iSuppli says.
India’s growth will be aided by a growing consumer confidence because of rising disposable incomes; easy financing schemes making purchases possible; increased local manufacturing; expanding distribution networks, and sporting events, such as the Cricket World Cup, says iSuppli.
Television continues to be the mainstay of the consumer electronics industry in India, with the transition slowly occurring to newer technologies such as LCD and plasma, the company adds.
iSuppli expects domestic manufacturing to be a key characteristic of growth in the following years. Although electronics production has remained a miniscule portion of overall Indian manufacturing for a long time, the trend is gradually changing.
Domestic consumption is reaching significant size to trigger manufacturing in the electronics sector.
India also is assuming a significant place in the global plans of several major electronics manufacturers, thereby positioning it as an export base, says iSuppli.
Furthermore, fabless companies are suitable to cater to such development because they can assist in moving the industry up the value chain by creating design-service opportunities for the Indian market.
EMS and ODM companies in India have been associated with several design companies, although such relationships represent an extension of global relationships. However, some local partnerships also are appearing, such as Flextronics’ deal with inSilica for the development of system-on-chip packages, says the company.
As the local market gains size, these associations will become more common, the firm believes.
iSuppli says challenges facing the India consumer electronics industry include declining margins for many players; inverted duty structure; expansion of distribution reach; creating awareness about new technologies and products, and low affordability level of consumer products among the rural masses.
India’s consumer electronics industry had a market size of $3.89 billion in 2006, catering to a population of more than one billion people, iSuppli says.
India’s growth will be aided by a growing consumer confidence because of rising disposable incomes; easy financing schemes making purchases possible; increased local manufacturing; expanding distribution networks, and sporting events, such as the Cricket World Cup, says iSuppli.
Television continues to be the mainstay of the consumer electronics industry in India, with the transition slowly occurring to newer technologies such as LCD and plasma, the company adds.
iSuppli expects domestic manufacturing to be a key characteristic of growth in the following years. Although electronics production has remained a miniscule portion of overall Indian manufacturing for a long time, the trend is gradually changing.
Domestic consumption is reaching significant size to trigger manufacturing in the electronics sector.
India also is assuming a significant place in the global plans of several major electronics manufacturers, thereby positioning it as an export base, says iSuppli.
Furthermore, fabless companies are suitable to cater to such development because they can assist in moving the industry up the value chain by creating design-service opportunities for the Indian market.
EMS and ODM companies in India have been associated with several design companies, although such relationships represent an extension of global relationships. However, some local partnerships also are appearing, such as Flextronics’ deal with inSilica for the development of system-on-chip packages, says the company.
As the local market gains size, these associations will become more common, the firm believes.
iSuppli says challenges facing the India consumer electronics industry include declining margins for many players; inverted duty structure; expansion of distribution reach; creating awareness about new technologies and products, and low affordability level of consumer products among the rural masses.
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO — Private equity firm Kachi Partners has acquired stencil manufacturer Photo Stencil in a leveraged buyout transaction. Financial terms were not disclosed.
FREMONT, CA – Dage Precision Industries this week released a self-authored reference booklet, High-Speed Bondtesting – Understanding the Technology.
The teaching aid and reference guide provides information about reliability testing of BGA and CSP solder ball interconnections. The contents also include information on the theory and practice of high-speed bondtesting, impact testing applications, evaluation of pad finishes and solder ball alloys, and Pb-free solder ball joint evaluation and brittle fracture joint failure analysis.
The book is 30 pages and illustrated with images and diagrams, and can be obtained by contacting sales@dage-group.com.
The teaching aid and reference guide provides information about reliability testing of BGA and CSP solder ball interconnections. The contents also include information on the theory and practice of high-speed bondtesting, impact testing applications, evaluation of pad finishes and solder ball alloys, and Pb-free solder ball joint evaluation and brittle fracture joint failure analysis.
The book is 30 pages and illustrated with images and diagrams, and can be obtained by contacting sales@dage-group.com.
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