Circuits Assembly Online Magazine - News

News

ARLINGTON, VA – Electronic component orders were flat in June, while the index showing the average for the past 12 months continued its steady rise, according to the monthly report compiled by the Electronic Components, Assemblies & Materials Association (ECA).

“Energy prices, world tensions, lack of consumer confidence, and the typical summer lull have conspired to create some hesitancy among manufacturers,” said Bob Willis, ECA president. “That hesitancy is reflected in the four-to-five-week index. The good news is that the 12-month average is up about nine points over last year. Corporate spending will be the key over the second half, but I expect the index to remain positive.”

ST. LOUIS—LaBarge has been awarded a $2.1 million contract by Raytheon Missile Systems to provide additional cables called seeker harnesses for the JSOW (Joint Standoff Weapon) system.

The LaBarge-built cables send electronic data signals throughout the GPS-guided weapon. In addition, LaBarge is providing cable assemblies used to perform tests for JSOW functionality.

LaBarge will perform the work at its Berryville, AR, and Joplin, MO, facilities.

SAN FRANCISCO – Synova is scheduled to open its first micro-machining center (MMC) in the U.S. in January 2007. The Silicon Valley-based MMC will provide demonstrations, sample testing and application development. It will also offer micro-machining services to the local industry.

Previously, the company's application labs were based at its headquarters in Switzerland.

"Establishing our presence here in the U.S. not only demonstrates our commitment to our existing customers, but also shows our focus on speeding the adoption of our technology to an under tapped, yet significant, customer base," said Synova CEO, Bernold Richerzhagen. "The U.S. poses large market opportunities for us in the areas of inkjet printer head MEMS, HDD and organic LED sectors."

Joseph Battaglia will head up the MMC and direct sales of the company's Laser MicroJet technology in the U.S. Most recently, he was field sales and marketing development manager for North America at EFD/Nordson Corp., and has also worked with Speedline Technologies and Cookson Electronics.

The new facility will be set up during the next 6 months and fully operational in Q1 2007.

The company is exhibiting this week at SEMICON West, booth # T21.

NEW DELHI -- Arun Kumar, 57, president and managing director of Flextronics Software Systems died Friday night of a cardiac arrest in San Diego, reports the Times of India.

According to available information, Kumar had gone to a hospital for a regular health check up, where the doctors detected irregular heart beats and recommended immediate surgery.

In India, he headed Hughes Software Systems, India, which was later acquired by Flextronics. He was awarded the Hughes Chairman's Honour Award of Excellence in May 2000, and that September he was nominated for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award.

Kumar is survived by his wife Amita, and his son Kunal.

"While we all remember Arun as a visionary leader and a professional, he was first and foremost an outstanding human being," said Ash Bhardwaj, CEO of Flextronics Software Systems. "Arun had an unyielding belief that people always come first. This philosophy impacted everyone who came into contact with him, both professionally and socially. We have lost an outstanding leader, a true friend and a genuinely decent man. All of us at FSS mourn Arun's passing and extend our deepest sympathies to his family."

Framingham, MA -- According to a recent report from Manufacturing Insights, the APEJ (Asia Pacific excluding Japan) manufacturing industry has been recovering and gaining momentum after the initial turnaround observed in 2004. APEJ manufacturing IT spending was valued at $15 billion in 2005 and is expected to reach $22 billion in 2010, a CAGR of 7.7%.

The top three segments in terms of IT expenditure are high-tech, automotive and chemical. From a geographic perspective, the Greater China sub-region had the largest manufacturing IT spending, followed by ANZ and Korea.

"2005 has been a year plagued with external environmental uncertainties globally and notably in the Asian region, with high-profile events such as the repeated terrorists bombing in Bali; the Asian tsunamis and numerous other natural disasters across the region; the bird flu; rising oil price and ongoing geo-political tensions. Despite the above factors, the Asian region as a whole has continued its recovery and stabilization from the economic crises, which began in the late 1990s," says Tan Mang Teck, research director, Asia/Pacific manufacturing research. "The APEJ region will continue to be a fast growing regional economic block, powered by the emerging economic engines of China and India."

Sunnyvale, CA -- Palm admitted last week that it has stopped shipping its Treo 650 phone to Europe because the devices do not comply with the EU’s RoHS restrictions that fell into place on July 1. This was the only Palm smart phone available in Europe.

The company decided nine months ago that it would not update the product to meet the regulations, according to an IDC report published in Macworld.

STAMFORD, CT -- Worldwide semiconductor capital equipment spending will rocket to new heights this year before falling to earth in 2007, Gartner said in a new report. The research firm said equipment sales were on pace to jump 24.8% this year, to $42.3 billion.

However, the firm forecasts a 4.5% drop in 2007 and then a rebound in 2008.

SIDNEY, NY -- Flooding hit a Amphenol manufacturing site in upstate New York and the company says it will take $15 million to $30 million in expenses in its second quarter as a result.

According to various reports, several feet of water deluged the Sidney plant, a 600,000 sq. ft. facility which builds aerospace and industrial connectors. The plant employs about 1,500 workers and generates a reported $150 million to $200 million per year.

SAN JOSE, CA – X-line Asset Management, a provider of disposition and auction services, will conduct a second auction on behalf of Connor Winfield for the former assets of AG Communications in Genoa, IL, on July 10-12. The online liquidation includes over 200 pieces of SMT, PCB, and test and measurement equipment.

The company will also auction surplus equipment for Benchmark Electronics in Leicester, UK, on July 18. Highlighted items include 10 high-speed Siemens pick-and-place machines, three Genrad ICT testers and three DEK screen printers.

X-line is conducting this second sale in conjunction with the Branford Group and Bache Treharne.

For more info. about the auctions, visit xlineassets.com.

Wellesley, MA -- The value of the worldwide conformal coatings market hit $800 million in 2005, according to a new report from BCC Research. It is projected to reach $1.6 billion by 2010, an average annual growth rate of 15.2%. Key markets include semiconductors/electronics, medical devices, aerospace and automotive.

Electronics use dominated the conformal coatings market in 2005 and will continue to do so through 2010, holding 46% of the market share and growing at an AAGR of 13.6%, BCC predicts. IC barriers will drive the semiconductor and electronics sectors. Conformal coatings also find frequent use in new device packing systems and high frequency wireless consumer electronics.

Conformal coatings are used in a range of electronics applications to provide a variety of distinctive performance characteristics to components and devices.

ALAMEDA, CA -- There is a continuing disconnect between what OEMs want and what they say they are receiving from the contract manufacturers that build their products. That's according to a new study by research firm Technology Forecasters Inc.

Based on interviews with approximately 130 managers at more than 100 OEMs, the top priority is a need for their contract manufacturers to reduce the total cost of ownership.

SAN FRANCISCO – North American CIOs predicted IT budgets would grow 6.9% over the next 12 months, down from 8.6% in March, according to a June poll by Deutsche Bank and CIO magazine. Spending projections were up in most categories but were down for data networking, storage systems and e-business applications.