SARATOGA, CA – Revenues and unit sales of ICs worldwide are expected to be in the double digits, says a leading research firm.

Revenues and unit sales grew 7.8% and 10.6%, respectively, in 2005, Advanced Forecasting said.

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SAN JOSE -- IBM Technology Group director Tim Collopy will keynote the IEEE International Reliability Physics Symposium this year’.

IRPS will be held March 26 to 30, in San Jose.

Collopy’ will address adaptating reliability methodologies to market expectations and technology roadmaps. He asserts that fundamental reliability models and qualification methods have not changed in decades. In order to accommodate unique customer requirements (e.g., foundry) or industry standards, Collopy suggests enhanced quality processes and the stress, analysis and repair of new fail modes uncovered during new technology development.

The addition of feedback from the full spectrum of users to verify these models and methods allows for continuous improvement of quality processes, just as customers demand of microelectronic products and technologies.

Collopy joined IBM in 1974 and has served in his current position since 2001. He graduated the University of Missouri – Rolla with bachelor's degrees in mathematics and electrical engineering, and a master's in operations research, and has an MBA in plans and controls from Union College.

He has previously held management positions in process engineering, diagnostics and characterization, manufacturing engineering, reliability engineering and analytical services at IBM's East Fishkill, NY ,semiconductor facility.

Visit the IRPS Website at irps.org.

HAUPPAUGE, NY -- Jaco Electronics Inc. today reported second-quarter net sales of $48.1 million, down from $52 million last year, for the period ended Dec. 31.

The distributor of electronic components reported an operating loss of $180,000, down from $1.7 million a year ago. The net loss widened, however, to $7.4 million from $1.5 million last year.

During the quarter, gross profit margin and SG&A expenses improved. Gross profit margin improved to 13.9%, while SG&A expenses as a percentage of net sales declined to 14.3% from 16% in the prior year.

In a statement, Jaco chairman and chief executive Joel Girsky said, "Early in fiscal Q3, we announced another multi-million dollar electronic voting machine manufacturing order. The new contract was for 5,000 flat panel touchscreen machines." Other recent orders were for gaming machines, military and medical applications, he said.

NORWALK, CT – Revenue from major applications and products based on organic electro-optical materials will spike from $2.6 billion last year to $10.5 billion by 2001, an average annual growth rate of 26.4%. According to a soon-to-be-released report from BCC Research, primary applications include displays, telecommunications and photonics, plus laser and nonlinear optics.

Sales of organic-based displays were $615 million last year, the firm says, about 24% of the total market. By 2011, the market will top $3 billion (29% share), BCC estimates, an AAGR of 30.8%.

Organic-based telecommunications and photonics materials were by far the largest market in 2005, accounting for about 75%, or $2 billion. By 2011, that segment will reach almost $7.5 billion, growing 24.9% annually.