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Speaking of this Week -- March 21, 2003
December 31, 1969 |Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
By Christine F. Della Monaca
Speaking of this Week reflects on events in the electronics assembly industry every Friday.
Progress moves to the forefront this week, and word of partnerships and acquisitions is not far behind. We've also got tradeshow and personnel news, as well as industry analysis and even some legislative progress. Let's get going:
- As mentioned, the industry is movin' on up: Cambridge, Ontario, Canada-based ATS Automation Tooling Systems Inc.'s Photowatt Subsidiary, located in Bourgoin-Jallieu, France, won an order for photovoltaic solder modules over the next 12 months, with an estimated value of $31.1 million. Meanwhile, Salt Lake City-based Cimetrix Inc. has scored several wins with its 300 mm automation software, including Cameca choosing Cimetrix's CIM300 and CIMConnect for use in its 300 mm shallow probe equipment. Binghamton, N.Y.-based Universal Instruments made two announcements this week: one, that the company had opened its US $5 million manufacturing facility in Shekou, Guangdong Province, China, and two, that it will visit six cities across the Americas in a road show throughout 2003. Finally, Boston-based Teradyne Inc. was selected by Shanghai-based The Haier IC Co., a division of the Haier Group, to assist in the design verification of a microcontroller for use in several home appliances. Teradyne was selected as the winner of a competitive design-in.
- In alliance news: LaFox, Ill.-based Richardson Electronics formed a global distribution agreement with Celeritek to distribute the company's complete line of RF semiconductor products. Similarly, Burlington, Canada-based Arbell International Corp. was appointed a national stocking distributor for EXCELTA. Finally, in acquisition news, Charlottesville, Va.-based GE Fanuc Automation North America Inc., an affiliate of GE Industrial Systems, acquired Ventura, Calif.-based RAMiX Inc., while Helsinki, Finland-based Elcoteq Network Corp. bought Dallas-based new product introduction (NPI) services company NPRC Inc. and named it Elcoteq, NPI Dallas. And Newark, N.Y.-based IEC Electronics Corp. sold its former manufacturing facility in Edinburg, Texas to pay off some long-term debt.
- Tradeshow news: At the upcoming APEX show, taking place March 31 through April 2 in Anaheim, Calif., Herndon, Va.-based trade organization NEMI has scheduled several "gap analysis" meetings as a follow-up to the findings of its 2002 roadmap. Meanwhile, the Minneapolis-based SMTA will co-sponsor a workshop on Harsh Environments and High-Temperature Electronics for June 24 through 25 in Dearborn, Mich. Finally, Northbrook, Ill.-based IPC -- Association Connecting Electronics Industries and the Hong Kong Printed Circuit Association (HKPCA) will co-produce the International Printed Circuit and Electronics Assembly Fair in Guangzhou, China from September 17 through 19.
- Some personnel news: Milpitas, Calif.-based Solectron Corp. appointed David Everett as executive vice president, worldwide sales and account management. Meanwhile, West Haven, Conn.-based Enthone Inc., a Cookson Electronics PWB Materials & Chemistry business, has promoted Amy Tsang as director of marketing -- Performance Coatings, Asia.
- Some industry analysis: Natick, Mass.-based Venture Development Corp. recently published research that stated the global market for RFID transponder ICs reached $76 million in 2002. The firm believes that the global market will grow by slightly more than 27 percent (compounded annually) in terms of supplier revenues, and by more than 36 percent annually in unit shipments through 2007. And San Jose, Calif.-based Frost & Sullivan believes that the SMT inspection equipment market generated revenues totaling $403 million in 2002, with potential market revenues of $1.1 billion in 2009.
- Finally, some legislative news: Londonderry, N.H.-based NanoVia LP is assisting the state of California in writing its state ballistic identification legislation. The company's micro-embossing technology, NanoTag Ballistic ID Tag, reportedly imparts an indelible, microscopic code to a bullet or shell casing, aiding investigators in ballistic identification.
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.