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Speaking of this Week — July 25, 2003
December 31, 1969 |Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
By Christine F. Della Monaca
Speaking of this Week reflects on events in the electronics assembly industry every Friday.
As usual, there's no shortage of news topics this week. More partnerships come to light, and there's progress made, tradeshow news, personnel and financial announcements, legislative updates, and a prediction. It's been one crazy summer. Read on:
- As mentioned, several partnerships this week, many high-profile: Flemington, N.J.-based DEK formed a joint sales and marketing agreement with Ovation Products, a division of Airline Hydraulics Corp. to pool resources in advanced tooling, while Binghamton, N.Y.-based Universal Instruments' Surface Mount Technology Laboratories and the University of Maryland's CALCE Electronic Products and Systems Center (EPSC) agreed to cooperate on research projects dealing with reliability and manufacturability in packaging and assembly. Meanwhile, Nextek Inc. bought NPI and MES software modules from Philadelphia-based Aegis Industrial Software Corp., while Santa Ana, Calif.-based Express Manufacturing Inc. (EMI) won a contract to provide EMS to VersaLogic Corp. Finally, Billerica, Mass.-based GSI Lumonics Inc. sold 10 W770 chip component systems to Taiwan-based RALEC Electronic Corp.
- Progress continues: Carlsbad, Calif.-based Asymtek received seven new patents relating to underfill dispensing and conformal coating. UK-based trade organization SOLDERTEC opened the floor for nominations for this year's Lead-free Solder Awards, to be presented in November. Past winners have included those from EMS providers, academia and electronics assembly companies. Finally, Torrance, Calif.-based Physical Optics Corp. launched a 100-page Web site.
- Tradeshow news: electronicAmericas will see approximately 40 U.S. companies descend on São Paulo, Brazil in October. Looking ahead into 2004, the Minneapolis-based SMTA will hold the Ninth Annual Pan Pacific Microelectronics Symposium and Exhibit in February in Hawaii, complete with sponsorship opportunities on different levels. Finally, electronicaChina and ProductronicaChina will focus on electronic components and assemblies and production equipment, respectively, in Shanghai next March.
- More promotions and appointments this week: Northbrook, Ill.-based IPC — Association Connecting Electronics Industries named Sharon Starr as director of market research, while Santa Ana, Calif.-based ITT Industries, Cannon appointed David Bland as vice president and controller. Finally, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada-based Agile Systems' Board of Directors made Ralph B. Steedman president and CEO of the company.
- Some financial stuff: San Jose, Calif.-based Sanmina-SCI Corp.'s financial results for its third quarter and nine months ended June 28 reflected revenues of $2.65 billion, an increase of 8.4 percent quarter-over-quarter. In more good news, Wallingford, Conn.-based Amphenol Corp. saw second quarter 2003 diluted earnings per share of 60 cents, a 30 percent increase year-over-year. Finally, LaFox, Ill.-based Richardson Electronics Ltd. will issue a 4 cents per share cash dividend for the first quarter of fiscal 2004 to all holders of common stock.
- Regulatory and legislative news: The Arlington, Va.-based Electronic Components, Assemblies and Materials Association (ECA) is developing guidelines to help balance the playing field between buyer and seller in e-auctions. And IPC lent its support to the Department of Defense's "Buy America" plan for military procurement because of the potential impact on American makers of military-grade PCBs.
- Finally, a prediction: New York-based Global Sources Ltd. predicts that China's demand for IC technology will grow at an AAGR of 20.3 percent between 2003 and 2005.
This just in: According to this week's Quick Vote, ALL of the major concerns about transitioning to lead-free — cost, temperature, changing over lines, aesthetic issues, reliability, and soldering mixed-assembly boards — are of concern to you.
Have some insight on the industry? See something you don't agree with? Think I'm right on? Send it all to me at mailto:christinef@pennwell.com.