News
For a limited time, Dell will refurbish or re-cycle an unlimited number of old computer systems with no upfront cost (provided the technology meets certain specifications). Asset Recovery Services will remove customers' old hardware and refurbish or recycle it based on strict environmental guidelines.
Dell has also reduced the price of computer recycling for consumers from $15 to $10. The company continues to offer free recycling to consumers who purchase new desktop or notebook computers. Its global donation partner, the National
Cristina Foundation, also offers U.S. consumers a no-charge donation program for used computers.
According to a report on MSNBC this morning, electronics waste activists actively campaigned for the recycling improvements, and are now seeking to target cell phone manufacturers and Apple Computer for its iPod gadgets.
FRANKLIN, MA- Effective immediately, Powell Industries will represent Speedline Technologies in the states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana, and in British Columbia.
Headquartered in Issaquah, WA, Powell Industries has additional offices in Tukwila and Spokane, WA, and Beaverton, OR.SAN JOSE - Outsourcing of IC packaging assembly has fully resumed as unit growth reached double-digits the past three years. Contractors will continue to inherit a growing percentage of the IC packaging business as semiconductor manufacturers focus on the front end.
That's according to Electronic Trend Publications, a San Jose-based research firm. In a just released report, "The Worldwide IC Packaging Market," ETP finds that the worldwide IC market grew 28% in 2004 to $179 billion - surpassing the 2000 peak of $177 billion. IC units hit 105 billion, up 53% since 2001.
WASHINGTON - The U.S. high-tech industry lost 25,000 jobs in 2004,
dropping to 5.6 million, say a study released today by AeA. The decline represents a considerable
slowdown in technology jobs lost, compared to the 333,000 jobs lost in
2003 and the 612,000 jobs lost in 2002.
"The good news is that the technology industry looks to have turned a corner," said AeA president and CEO William T. Archey. "For the first time since 2000, both software services and engineering and tech services added jobs. Each of these tech sectors added over 30,000 net new jobs to the economy in 2004. This is especially positive news because tech jobs pay 84% more than the average private sector job."
AeA found that all but four states lost high-tech jobs in 2003, the most recent year for which state data are available. California and Texas lost the greatest number of tech jobs, shedding some 67,800 and 32,900 jobs, respectively. Despite these losses, California and Texas remained the leading cyberstates by employment, followed by New York and Florida. However, Virginia displaced Massachusetts in 2003, becoming the fifth largest state by technology employment. And, while Colorado remained the nation's leading cyberstate by concentration of high-tech workers, Virginia also moved up by this metric to second place.
The report also found that venture capital investment in the technology industry rose for the first time since 2000. High-tech venture capital investment totaled $11.8 billion in 2004, compared to $10.7 billion in 2003. Archey stated, "While the tech industry is beginning to make some headway, we need to be aware of increased challenges to our lead in science and technology as competition from the rest of the world intensifies. We need to pay particular attention to the factors that drive technology innovation, primarily a highly educated and skilled workforce and research and development."
The 90-day book-to-bill was 0.81, meaning that $81 worth of orders were received for every $100 of product billed for the month.
"The overall picture for North America-based manufacturers of new semiconductor equipment remains essentially unchanged," said Stanley T. Myers, president and CEO of SEMI, in a press statement.
The three-month average of worldwide bookings in March was $1.02 billion, down a tick from February and 26% below March 2004.
The three-month average of worldwide billings was $1.27 billion, down 5% from revised February levels and flat with March 2004.
The ratio measures three-month moving averages of worldwide bookings and billings for North American-based semiconductor equipment manufacturers. Billings and bookings figures are in millions of U.S. dollars.
Cost reduction has been replaced by order lead time as the top issue facing mid-size manufacturers, according to a new report. As customers eliminate inventory by asking manufacturers to be more reactive and reliable to their demands, customer service is no longer simply improving complete and on-time order performance. Mid-size manufacturers are scrambling as they recognize that their order-to-delivery processes are not capable of delivering in less time with the accuracy and cost profiles required to please customers and the CFO.
"Mid-size manufacturers now understand that their current order-to-delivery processes are nothing but a set of loosely coupled functions and not as integrated and streamlined as needed," said Chris Jones, Aberdeen Inc.'s senior VP of value chain research. "Best-in-class mid-size manufacturers have adopted end-to-end integrated order-to-delivery process and are using real-time information to accelerate the velocity of their business."
The report finds manufacturers that move from a loosely coupled set of department or functions to a tightly synchronized order-to-delivery process are 2.5 times more likely to have the shortest lead times. Far too many mid-size manufacturers mistakenly believe that an end-to-end integrated process does a better job at passing information between the functional operations. Only 20% of respondents had end-to-end processes in place and only 14% had integrated, real-time IT solutions.
To optimize order-to-delivery performance, Jones recommends:
-- Understand the difference between an integrated process and connected pieces.
-- Get started by picking the top three functions to integrate.
-- Automate and use workflow to drive velocity.
-- Extend order-to-delivery to the supply base.
-- Drive order-to-delivery performance with real-time information
Download a copy here: www.aberdeen.com/summary/report/benchmark/RA_MidSizeMfg_CJ.asp
Press Releases
- VJ Electronix Expands U.S. Coverage with MaRC Technologies Representation in the Pacific Northwest
- Absolute EMS Adopts Luminovo to Modernize and Streamline Quoting
- Iiris Heiskanen Appointed as New CFO of Scanfil
- CE3S Expands Electrostatic Measurement Offering with Next-Generation Compact Static Field Meter from Desco Industries