CircuiTree - December 2008 - (Page 50) sides. Established companies are struggling with slackening demand while venture capitalists are telling startups to cut costs and plan for a prolonged downturn. Global IPO activity slowed to only 20 companies going public in Q3 FY 08 (raising USD 9.3 billion). This was down year-over-year from USD 34.8 and the recent high of USD 94.3 billion in Q1 FY 08. Gartner: • Cut its mobile phone volume growth forecast from above 10 percent to 8 percent; • Cut its 2009 IT spending growth forecast from 5.8 percent to 2.3 percent. It sees Western Europe down 0.8 percent and North America up 0.5 percent; • Stated that the global PC market grew 15 percent year-over-year in Q3 FY 08 to 80.6 million units on the strength of mininotebook shipments; and • Expects worldwide semiconductor equipment CAPEX to decline 25.7 percent in 2008, 12.8 percent in 2009, and return to growth in 2010. World notebook PC shipments are expected to rise 30 percent yearover-year to 153 million units in 2008. − DisplaySearch. Hayao Nakahara estimated in early October that worldwide PCB output growth would be about 2 to 3 percent in 2008, with Taiwan up 5 to 6 percent; China increasing 7 to 8 percent; Japan contracting 5 to 6 percent or more; and Europe, North America, and Southeast Asia decreasing 10 percent, 4 to 5 percent, and 2 to 3 percent, respectively. EDA industry revenue declined 3.7 percent year-over-year to USD 1357.4 million in Q2 FY 08. − The EDA Consortium Chart 5 PCB Fabrication Aspocomp decreased its shareholding in Aspocomp (Thailand) to about 6 percent. Cabinova (Kopparberg, Sweden) added new equipment. Cirexx achieved DSCC (Defense Supply Center, Columbus, Ohio) MIL qualification for 31032 at its PCB plant in Santa Clara, Calif. Civa opened a technology office in St. Petersburg, Russia. Cletronics began its 12,000 ft2 expansion at its Cleveland, Ohio, factory. Eagle Circuits installed an Excellon COBRA hybrid laser via drilling system in Dallas, Tex. 50 December 2008 • circuitree.com Elprint closed its Bergen, Norway, PCB operations. Endicott Interconnect Technologies received Category 1A trusted accreditation for integrated circuits for packaging/assembly services in Endicott, N.Y. Faraday Printed Circuits received GBP 75,000 from One NorthEast, which was applied toward a GBP 300,000 purchase of new machinery. Flex Interconnect Technologies received official ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations) registration from the U.S. Department of State. GPV named Kurt Carstensen CFO and financial director. HannStar Board postponed its planned 600,000 ft2 notebook PCB capacity expansion until 2009. Hitachi Printed Circuit Solution merged with Hitachi Kanagawa Manufacturing Solution. Imbera and Daeduck formed a high-volume embedded products manufacturing joint venture. Invotec installed a Hitachi laser drilling system in Tamworth, U.K. Leicester Circuits ordered a 4 daylight vacuum lamination press system from Viking Test. Merix received formal approval to process polyimide material under its MIL-PRF-31032 certification in its San Jose, Calif., factory. Multi-Chem acquired its wholly owned subsidiary MultiChem Huaian. Nicosofra-Gimflex (Burnhaupt-le-Haut, France) became insolvent. Samsung Electro-Mechanics acquired a 95 percent stake in Unicap Electronics after purchasing J-Three International for USD 20.44 million. Unimicron suspended its capital spending and recruitment due to the weak economy Chart 6 Materials and Process Equipment Arlon’s distributor, CCI EUROLAM, extended its coverage to Russia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Turkey, and North Africa. Avnet opened a global integration and logistics facility in Chandler, Ariz. Best appointed UNIWES Technology for rework and repair in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines. http://www.circuitree.com
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