CircuiTree - February 2009 - (Page 40)

Christopher Associates introduced a high power soldering iron for mass soldering applications, including PCBA. Connaught Electronics closed its Czech facility and transferred production to Tuam, Ireland. DEK chair John Knowles received an Honorary Doctor of Business Administration from Bournemouth University. Dow Chemical: • Kuwait terminated a USD 17.4 billion petrochemical joint venture; and • Implemented worldwide cost saving, including closing 20 plants, idling 180 plants, and staff reductions of 5,000 full-time jobs and about 6,000 contractors. DYMAX acquired Tridak Division of Indicon. Equipment Services LLC began offering SMT feeder calibration, repair, and refurbishment services. Glotech Industrial stopped producing glass yarn in August 2008 due to weakening PCB demand. GSI Group terminated volume manufacturing of legacy laser products in Rugby, U.K. Indium promoted Emily Giasone to manager of its Metals, Chemicals, and Energy Business Unit. Isola closed its Fremont, Calif., manufacturing operation February 18, 2009. Jiangxi Copper formed a copper foil joint venture with Yates Foil USA, expanding capacity from 6,000 to 11,000 tons. Lincoln International hired Edward Lethbridge as director, specializing in business and support services M&A in its London ofﬁce. Madico Graphic Films introduced a high temperature gloss white polyimide material for PCB bar code labels. Mie formed an EMEA market sales and marketing partnership with Excellon Automation for its Cobra laser machine. Nippon Polytech opened a COF substrate insulation ink plant. Nordson Corporation inaugurated its new customer 86,000 ft2 ofﬁce facility near Shanghai, China. OMG: • Became a distribution partner for P Kay Metals dross elimination technology; and • Electronic Chemicals facility in Maple Plain, Minn., was named one of America’s Safest Companies by EHS Today. Park Electrochemical: • Appointed David Dahlquist vice president of business development and Lawrence Kuntz sales director; • Closed its New England Laminates Business Unit; and • Reduced its workforce at Nelco Singapore. PROMATION appointed Carl Ano marketing manager. Rohm and Haas entered a joint venture agreement with IBM to develop and evaluate new materials for emerging packaging technologies. Saki acquired a percentage of MacroScience from Schmidt Electronics Group. Sanko doubled its halogen-free ﬂame retardant capacity to 3,000 t/year. Sifelmet (subsidiary of Cire Group) obtained ISO/TS 16949 automotive certiﬁcation. SMART Group elected Keith Bryant of Dage X-Ray Systems its 40 February 2009 • circuitree.com new chair. Speedline Technologies appointed Etek Europe its U.K. distribution partner. SUSS MicroTec appointed Frank Averdung CEO. Taiwan Glass Industrial stopped operations at two ﬁber glass fabric furnaces due to weak PCB demand. Taiwan Union Technology delayed CCL capacity expansion plans in Zhongshen, Huanan Province, China. Valeo laid off 3,400 workers in Europe. WKK: • Received a license from Nihon Superior to manufacture and sell SN100C lead-free solder in China; and • Will open its Dongguan, China, lead-free solder factory in April 2009. EMS, ODM, and Related Assembly Activity Asustek imposed a hiring freeze. Axiom Electronics received AS9100 and ESD S20.20-2007 certiﬁcation from Det Norske Veritas. BB Electronics appointed Leif Saaby Hansen to Suzhou GM. Creation Technologies acquired ProWorks, Santa Clara, Calif. ECS reorganized its motherboard business and hired Foxconn/Hon Hai ex-assistant president to manage its global channel sales business. Elcoteq: • Abandoned plans to sell its St. Petersburg, Russia, facility; • Will begin production of consumer electronics and home digital systems in Q1 FY 09; • Beijing received a series of awards in the Olympics Contribution Competition organized by the committees of the Beijing Economic and Technological Development Area; and • Cut 50 jobs in Finland. Enics will close its Varkaus, Finland, unit in 2009. Flextronics: • Added an electronics repair location in Memphis, Tenn.; • Closed its R&D department and cut 30 percent of its staff in Beijing, China; • Dismissed 110 employees in Srvri, Hungary, and 103 workers in Karlskrona, Sweden; • Mothballed its Stersund, Sweden, facility after failing to ﬁnd a buyer; and • Temporarily postponed an LCD plant in St. Petersburg, Russia. FM Logistic temporarily laid off 489 employees in Moselle, France, due to a lost HP contract. Foxconn/Hon Hai: • Took a 16 percent stake in Advanced Microelectronic Products; • Will collaborate with HP on a St. Petersburg, Russia, factory; • Chair Terry Gou made a USD 455 million donation to build a cancer hospital in Taiwan; • Cut 20,000 staff globally, including 1,500 workers at its Hungarian plants, 70 engineers in Taiwan, and more than 30,000 jobs in China; and • Cut employee wages by 5 to 10 percent. Hewlett-Packard expects to buy USD 22 billion of products in Taiwan in 2009. http://www.circuitree.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of CircuiTree - February 2009

CircuiTree - February 2009 Contents Lead Wire The Wire Tech Talk Flexible Thinking Are Better PCB Design Tools and Manufacturing Enough to Stay Competitive? The Strategist Fein-Lines The Big Deal Over Fine Pitch Assembly Asian Section View From the Middle Market Outlook Technical Product Spotlights Classified Ads Upcoming Events Ad Index

CircuiTree - February 2009

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