Irvine, CA – MIMOT, a provider of flexible SMT placement equipment, is expanding in Russia and Eastern Europe, most recently with the installation of an Advantage 3 flexible placement machine and In-line dispenser near the city of Kursk.

Joerg Widmer, general manager, said, “We see electronics industry market growth happening in the Eastern European countries and Russia; consequently, we have moved to expand further into that market. Our goal is to be a strong supplier to multinational companies in Asia, Europe and the Americas.”

According to Widmer, MIMOT’s sales in Eastern Europe and Russia have focused on automotive electronics applications.

MIMOT will show their newest products at the ATE Show in Chicago in September. 

NORWALK, CT -- Michael G. Lutomski, NASA's risk manager for the International Space Station Program, will keynote the Assembly Technology Expo and the International Robots & Vision Show in September. His presentation, on the emerging use of robots to perform functions in space, will kick off the events.

SAN JOSE – The Semiconductor Industry Association today called for legislation to enhance and make permanent the R&D tax credit. The current law authorizing the credit is set to expire at the end of 2005 unless Congress passes legislation to extend it.

“Aggressive investment in research and development is critical to U.S. leadership in information technology, which in turn is the cornerstone of our national strategies for economic growth, productivity improvement, and national security,” said SIA president George Scalise in a press release. "We strongly urge Congress to pass legislation to ... make permanent the R&D tax credit. "

HORSHAM, PA— Chris Cleland has joined Dynatech Technology, the North American distributor for Samsung Techwin SMT equipment, as Western region sales manager. Based in L.A., he will be responsible for Dynatech U.S. manufacturers' representatives and customers on the West Coast as well as in Baja and Sonora, Mexico, and British Columbia, Canada.  

Cleland brings 23 years of experience in electronics and the SMT equipment market to the company, including 10 years with placement systems. He was previously a manufacturer's rep. handling pre-owned pick-and-place equipment, and laser engraving/marking and fume extraction products. Earlier industry experience included account management responsibilities for placement equipment, computer hardware, semiconductors, components and OEM accounts.  

NEW YORK - The former CEO and CFO of Tyco International were convicted today of looting the company of more than $600 million in corporate bonuses and loans.

Verdicts were handed down for Dennis Kozlowski and Mark H. Swartz following 11 days of jury deliberations. Kozlowski, the ex chief executive, and Swartz, the former CFO, were convicted of grand larceny, falsifying business records and 29 other charges. The men potentially face more than 25 years in prison.

Tamarac, FL -- MVR International Inc., a Florida-based distributor of electronic components, has launched a website (mvr-green.com) dedicated to the RoHS directive and other environmental laws emerging worldwide.

In an effort to clarify the complex RoHS issue and to provide up-to-date information, the online resource center offers:

Links to more than 250 components manufacturers’ compliance information,

Daily updated news about RoHS and environmental issues affecting the electronics industry,

Presentation of the RoHS directive in details: enforcement, affected equipments, exemptions, responsibilities, emerging  legislations worldwide, international standards, etc.,

Frequently Asked Questions and links to technical and legislative resources about RoHS and environmental laws, etc.

The website, launched one year before official RoHS enforcement, will be continually updated until the need for such support is over.

HANOI -- Is Intel headed for India?

The world's leading chipmaker is reportedly considering locating a major chip packaging factory in India or Vietnam.

Intel chief executive Paul Otellini reportedly said Vietnam and other countries were possible locations for the facility. The estimated price tag for the plant: $400 million.

SAN JOSE -- The industry trade group SEMI will discuss the world's semiconductor equipment market in a special Webcast next week. 

The Webcast will cover the global semiconductor equipment and materials markets. It will also include highlights from a recently completed report on the market for semi gear and materials in China.

SINGAPORE -- Flextronics has signed separate agreements for the sale of its network services and semiconductor business units. Both deals were previously announced.

The transactions will generate aggregate upfront cash of more than $550 million plus additional deferred and contingent payments and a 30% ownership stake in the merged network services company. Both transactions are expected to close before the end of the September quarter.

TAIPEI -- Hon Hai Precision, which operates Foxconn, the second-largest electronics manufacturing services company, is pursuing an aggressive acquistion strategy, the company said this week.

The Taipei Times quoted Hon Hai chairman Terry Gou as saying, "We have been working on [more mergers]. We hope to settle one, or two deals in the second half of the year." Gou's comments were reportedly made after the company's annual shareholders' meeting.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – The Surface Mount Technology Association (SMTA) has announced the technical sessions for its annual conference, SMTA International, co-located with the Assembly Tech Expo show in Rosemont, IL, Sept.25-29.

The 1.5-hour technical sessions each present three technical papers under the direction of a chairman. They are arranged according to tracks on Manufacturing and Assembly, Advanced Packaging, Substrates, RoHS and Process Control, covering topics such as lead-free soldering and rework, HDI, RFID, microdevices, BGA reliability, CSP and flip-chip technologies, selective soldering, lead-free process control, leadless packaging, surface finishes, RoHS compliance, harsh environments and AOI.

The RFID mini-conference has three paper sessions on Production Lines, Tag Materials and Processing, and Applications in the Electronics Manufacturing Industry. Two new sessions will cover RoHS compliance. Technical papers on lead-free will address reflow and wave soldering, rework, key issues in lead-free/RoHS manufacturing, lead-free CSP reliability, HASL surface finishes, effects on PCBs, surface finishes, process control, and

RoHS test methods and compliance, customer and industry requirements, and due diligence approach to WEEE/RoHS compliance.

Organized by Dr. Paul T. Vianco of Sandia National Labs, the Lead-Free Soldering Symposium will consist of technical sessions organized by the Joint Council on Aging Aircraft / Joint Group on Pollution Prevention Lead-free Solder Consortia Project, as well as sessions on Process for Lead-free Implementation and Lead-free Reliability. 

The Contract Manufacturing Symposium, organized by Mike Buetow, UP Media Group/Circuits Assembly, will feature paper sessions on Mid-Tier

EMS Strategy and Models and Markets. 

Led by Dr. Reza Ghaffarian, Jet Propulsion Labs, the Emerging Technologies Summit will feature papers on Roadmaps, Turning Lead Into Gold and Advanced Power Technology.

For more info: smta.org/smtai

VANCOUVER— BRIO Technology Ltd., a Beijing-based electronics assembler, has set up a branch office here as part of a push into the North American EMS market.

Canada BRIO is positioned to provide customer management, BOM sourcing and technical communications, the company said.

“China today has evolved to become a global manufacturing base”, says Yang Tongxing, president and cofounder. “North America’s small- to mid-tier CMs/OEMs/ODMs have not been able to access Chinese EMS production opportunities enjoyed by larger competitors."

Founded in 1999, BRIO is one of China’s EMS pioneers. Its customer list includes GE, Motorola, Philips, JVC and Pioneer.

The company operates manufacturing facilities in Beijing and Shanghai, with a total of 16 SMT lines (Panasonic, Samsung and Juki).