Jersey City, NJ - Cookson Electronics Assembly Materials has launched an RoHS Materials Declaration Service on its Website to provide access to information for many of its lead-free products.
 
The site -- alphametals.com/lead_free/rohs.html - should facilitate the search for RoHS-compliant materials (RoHS Directive 2002/95/EC restricts the use of six hazardous materials, including lead, from electrical and electronic equipment).
 
The format for  declarations is based on the design of the joint industry group of EIA, EICTA and JGPSSI. The library of declarations will be updated regularly.

Harrisburg, PA - Phoenix Contact Inc., a manufacturer of specialized electronic components and connection systems, has added a second Infomobile for use at customer sites and trade shows. 
 
The Infomobile is an informational and educational vehicle that provides hands-on demonstrations of the company's products.  The newest vehicle features a simulated control room where products interact to produce real-time industrial solutions.
 
The Infomobile is available to visit all types of businesses, including manufacturing plants and engineering firms. The vehicles currently visit more than a dozen countries.
 
Visit www.phoenixcon.com/info for a complete schedule of stops.

 

Anaheim, CA -- DDi Corp. reported first quarter 2005 sales of $44.9 million, up 2% sequentially but down 7% year-on-year.
 
The decrease is related to a reduction in the number of PCB layers shipped, reflecting a softer market. Partially offsetting the decline in PCB sales was a $1.8 million increase in net sales from the quick-turn assembly operation.
 
Despide the limited PCB growth, president and CEO Bruce McMaster added that March PCB bookings were at their highest level since October 2003.
 
Gross profit for the quarter was $8 million, up from $5.6 million for the first quarter 2004, due to a $6 million decrease in non-cash compensation charges and intangibles from the prior year. Excluding non-cash charges, adjusted gross profit increased sequentially by $0.5 million on the $0.9 million increase in sequential net sales.
 
The company reported net income of $9.7 million from discontinued operations, primarily due to a $11.1 million non-cash gain on the disposition of DDi Europe.
 
DDi announced that it will close its Arizona plant to shift production of mass lamination cores back to its four North American PCB plants. It is also closing is Corporate Support Center in Colorado Springs to streamline operations from its Anaheim headquarters.

The National Physical Laboratory seeks papers for its "Electronics Assembly" conference and exhibition to be held July 13 at NPL's Teddington, UK, facility.
 
A program committee, drawn from university and industry members, will review submitted papers in a range of disciplines, including: emerging technologies, components, assembly, lead-free and business trends.
 
For more info, visit: http://www.npl.co.uk/ei/clubs/sstc/.
 
While visiting the site, also note that the FAQ page ( www.npl.co.uk/ei/news/faqs.html ) has been updated and extended.
 
It now poses the "Top 37 Questions" giving answers and offering advice on a range of topics relevant to lead-free soldering, including the WEEE/RoHS directives, compliance, solder replacements, equipment upgrades, component compatibility, reliability and training.