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Speaking of this Week — June 4, 2004
December 31, 1969 |Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
By Christine F. Della Monaca, Managing Editor, SMT
Speaking of this Week summarizes and analyzes events in the electronics assembly industry every Friday.
In this short week, there's plenty of news, and it's overwhelmingly positive. The Book-to-Bill Ratio for April stayed over 1.00, there's plenty of partnership news, progress keeps on a-comin', and the industry continues to look ahead to some blockbuster trade events. There's even news of some promotions and hires. Read on:
- First, the Northbrook, Ill.-based IPC — Association Connecting Electronics Industries Book-to-Bill Ratio, which remained positive but dipped slightly from March at 1.11. March's number was 1.12. This still isn't the lowest number for 2004 — January's book-to-bill was 1.08, and the lowest ratio over the past year was May 2003's 1.00. Things are still positive, but growth rarely is a straight line upwards. In the meantime, the IMS/PCB Business Report reported the shipment index was 131.4 and the booking index was 136.3 for April 2004. This represented a 13.3 percent decrease in the shipping index from last month, and a 15.2 percent decrease in the booking index from March's numbers.
- In partnership news, IPC's PCQR2 Benchmark Database, which it runs with CAT Inc., is up to 11 active subscribers, the most recent being PCB supplier Tyco Electronics Printed Circuit Group and a major North American OEM (who shall remain nameless). Other alliances included Boca Raton, Fla.-based Design Chain Associates LLC teaming up with NRC Electronics Inc., and Westford, Mass.-based Mack Technologies partnering with Bethlehem, Pa.-based Ovation Products to standardize on Ovation's Grid-Lok tooling. Downers Grove, Ill.-based Cimnet Systems Inc. sold its Paradigm S/ERP software to Toronto-based StrataFLEX Corp., and its Engenix and Paradigm software to another Toronto-based company, Coretec Inc. Finally, in a similar vein, Billerica, Mass.-based GSI Lumonics Inc. received an order for multiple WaferTrim M310 systems from an unnamed U.S.-based IC manufacturer.
- One of our own, SMT Editorial Advisory Board member Jennie S. Hwang, Ph.D., became the first foreign advisor to the Hong Kong Productivity Council this week. Meanwhile, Helsinki, Finland-based EMS company Elcoteq Network Corp. announced it will become the first global communications technology EMS in India with its expansion into Bangalore. Allentown, Pa.-based FlexLink Systems launched an e-service information resource, and Hollis, N.H.-based JPSA Laser and its representative, Hakuto Co. Ltd. are selling JPSA laser systems in Japan. Finally, Camarillo, Calif.-based phoenix|x-ray Systems + Services Inc. 's U.S. division reported record sales in 2003, as well as an expansion of its activities in the U.S., and Weymouth, Dorset, UK-based Tecan opened a new California facility.
- One bit of personnel news: Lake Success, N.Y.-based Park Electrochemical Corp. has a new Asia-Pacific director of OEM marketing in Eddie Mok, and has promoted Leena Gulia to senior OEM marketing manager.
- Last but not least, some trade show news: Herndon, Va.-based NEMI is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its electronics manufacturing roadmap with a banquet at its headquarters, complete with two high-profile speakers. And in September, the Minneapolis-based SMTA will offer a multitude of lead-free events during SMTA International, co-located with Assembly Technology Expo in Chicago.
This just in: According to this week's Quick Vote, 50 percent of you use statistical process control (SPC) a lot, 25 percent use it a moderate amount, 13 percent don't use it at all, and another 13 percent are not sure.
Have some insight on the industry? See something you don't agree with? Think I'm right on? Send it all to me at christinef@pennwell.com.