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PALO ALTO, CA -- H-P reported fourth-quarter net income of $1.7 billion, up fourfold from last year, on a sales jump of 7% to $24.6 billion. Demand was strong for PCs, printers, the company said.

The news was tempered by revelations that the Securities and Exchange Commission has launched a formal inquiry into the company's "pretexting" investigation, in which members of the H-P board reportedly authorized the gathering of information on other board members and company employees. It was later revealed that illegal means were used to gain the information.

Excluding one-time items, H-P said it would have earned $1.9 billion. Last year's results included $1.57 billion in restructuring charges.

SAN JOSE – Demand for semiconductor devices will continue unabated through 2009, Semiconductor Industry Association said yesterday in a Webcast annoucning its annual forecast.

A strong wave of consumer demand for electronic products will push sales to $321 billion in 2009, a compound annual growth rate of 9%. Total worldwide sales were $227.5 billion last year.

WESTLAKE, OH – Nordson Corp. today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire testing and inspection equipment manufacturer Dage Holdings, Ltd. Terms of the purchase were not disclosed. The acquisition is subject to review by the German Federal Cartel Office.

Nordon also owns Asymtek, March Plasma Systems and EFD, among others.

Dage employs more than 200 people and had revenues of approximately $59 million during the 12-month period ending Oct. 31.

Dage makes bond testing and digital x-ray systems.

“The purchase of Dage fits Nordson’s strategy of acquiring companies with above-average
growth in markets currently served by Nordson companies,” said Edward P. Campbell,
chairman and chief executive. “Over the three-year period ending April 30, Dage revenues and operating profit grew at annual rates of 24% and 69%, respectively. These growth rates are nearly identical to those of Nordson’s Advanced Technology Systems segment, which since 2003 has grown revenues and operating profit at annual rates of 23% and 59%, respectively.”

Campbell added, “Dage’s operating margins during the first half of its fiscal 2007 were 21%.

The acquisition is expected to be accretive to Nordson’s fiscal year 2007 earnings per share.

SAN JOSE – SEMI has issued an alert for producers of semiconductors who sell products in China. As of March 1, semiconductor equipment will be required to comply with China RoHS; specifically, products will require environmental labels and supporting self-declared information in Chinese with regard to six hazardous substances.

TORONTO -- Celestica Inc. will form a joint venture with IT services provider HCL Technologies Ltd. to provide concept-to-manufacturing solutions.

The companies said the JV will integrate the supply chain including product concept, design, engineering, manufacturing, fulfillment, sustaining engineering, reverse logistics and after-market services.

Celestica and HCL have had a three-year relationship during which they have supplied integrated solutions to telecom, enterprise, consumer, medical, aerospace and semiconductor customers. HCL's software is in use in Celestica's Solutions Accelerator platforms for server blades, WiMAX, ATCA and storage equipment.

"Our customers are increasingly being challenged to compress their concept-to-manufacturing schedule," said Dave Tiley, Senior Vice President, Global Services, Celestica. "This exciting joint venture between two world-class companies creates a highly integrated, flexible offering that enables OEMs to focus on IP generation while Celestica and HCL focus on time-to-market and total cost of ownership."

PALO ALTO, CA -- H-P will license its photo-enhancing technology to Flextronics for use in camera-equipped cellphones. The deal is for five years; the companies did not diclose the royalty fees or other aspects of the agreement.

According to H-P, Flextronics will license the software for camera modules that capture images at 3 MP and above,. That segment is forecast to make up five to 13% of the more than 600 million camera phones expected to be shipped next year.

It is not clear whether the deal is exclusive to Flextronics .

"Flextronics is the ideal partner to harness the capabilities of H-P's digital-imaging technology to open new markets," H-P imaging and printer group vice president Tara Bunch said in a statement. "The agreement is a breakthrough for the booming camera-phone market because it will transform photos into higher-quality images and keepsakes to share and print."

In licensing the technology, H-P's goal is that more users will print the images -- ideally using H-P printers, ink and paper stock.

HIALEAH, FL -- EMS provider Simclar Inc. reported September quarter revenue of $30,653,658, up 85% from 2005. Net income was $617,868, up from $241,611. A portion of the growth was came from acquisitions.

Pretax income was $1 million, up from $396,084 last year.