Circuits Assembly - October 2008 - (Page 8)

NEWS In Brief The new Digi-Key (digikey.com) Toolbar provides quick access to the component distributor’s inventory, product information and training. Features include access to Digi-Key’s part search with recent search history and drag-and-drop and contextual menu searches, a complete listing of product categories, quick access to company country-specific Web sites, eight language options, and one-click access to Digi-Key’s line card and tools. It can be downloaded at digikey.com/toolbar. TT Electronics installed two EVS 6000 systems from EVS International at its Rogerstone, UK, plant. Valor (valor.com) launched an initiative promoting the development of software for improvement of electronic design and manufacturing. The Valor Innovation Circle gives users access to new software and favorable terms in return for a one-year commitment to test and evaluate new tools. BPM Microsystems (bpmmicro.com) signed a deal with VirTex (virtexassembly. com) to manufacture PCBs for BP Micro’s device programmers. Kester (kester.com) named Floritronics (floritronics.com) its representative for Florida. KIC (kicthermal.com) named Amtech spol. s r.o. (amtech.cz) distributor in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. KIC also named GS Electronic Vertriebs und Service (gselectronic.de) as distributor. FocalSpot Inc. (focalspot.com) doubled its San Diego facility size expanded manufacturing, assembly equipment/parts warehousing and its lab. has and and R&D Industry Edited by Mike Buetow Creation Buys Circuit Service, Enters China VANCOUVER – Creation Technologies (creationtech.com) has acquired Circuit Service Inc. (circuitservice.com) and its Chinese subsidiary, Changzhou CSI Ltd. (CCSI) of Changzhou, China. The acquisition marks the first foray for the EMS provider into Asia. No financial details were disclosed. It is Creation’s sixth acquisition in the past five years. The company ranks among the 15 largest EMS companies in North America, with estimated annual sales of $350 million, according to CirCuits Assembly’s just released 2008 Directory of EMS Companies (circuitsassembly.com/cms/dems). The CCSI China facility (now Creation Technologies – Changzhou) has 60 workers and will retain general manager Charles Ma. The deal brings Creation’s footprint to 2,200 employees and 11 manufacturing facilities. Based in Wheeling, IL, a northern Chicago suburb, Circuit Service has three SMT lines and sales of about $50 million. The company’s China subsidiary has one line. CSI Wheeling (now called Creation Technologies – Chicago) employs more than 250 workers, who will continue to report to James Herring, Circuit Service’s president and CEO. In a press release, president and chief executive Arthur Tymos said, “A key element of Creation’s commitment to excellence is broadening our North American and Asian footprint to support and grow our customer base. A Top-100 contract manufacturer, Circuit Service’s similar service, technical capabilities, profit momentum and growth opportunities will only serve to enhance and reinforce our existing operations and customer offerings.” The China plant, he said, “opens up a new growth market opportunity in Asia for Creation. Changzhou will provide services to our North American customers who have products whose rightshore manufacturing needs fit an Asian model.” – Mike Buetow Kimball Buys Neighboring EMS Firm Genesis JASPER, IN – Kimball Electronics (kegroup.com) on Aug. 31 acquired Genesis Electronics Manufacturing (genesismfg.com) for an undisclosed sum. Genesis, an EMS provider based in Tampa, FL, has annual revenues of about $17 million and operates from a 50,000 sq. ft. facility formerly owned by Jabil (jabil.com). The company employs 100 workers, and specializes in building medical, aerospace, communications, industrial controls and security products. According to president Scott Mauldin, the deal closed Aug. 31. “We’re officially a part of Kimball as of Sept. 1. We’re very excited about the transaction,” he said, noting Kimball’s extensive technology capabilities and size. The Genesis workers will be retained, he added. Kimball, which is a Top 25 EMS company with annual contract assembly sales over $610 million, already operates in Tampa – literally across the parking lot from Genesis. “We’ll have access to a lot more technology; they build a lot of complex product,” Mauldin told CirCuits Assembly. Kimball will relocate the operations to its own Tampa factory over the next six months. – Mike Buetow CirCuits Assembly Opens 2009 Service Excellence Awards ATLANTA – CirCuits Assembly seeks participants for its annual Service Excellence Awards (SEAs) for EMS providers and electronics assembly equipment, material and software suppliers. Now in its 17th year, the SEAs (circuitsassembly.com/sea) honor companies in electronics manufacturing for excelling in the critical area of customer service, allowing participants to benchmark customer service against their peers. “The SEAs remain the only competition that rates a company’s abilities based on direct customer feedback,” says CirCuits Assembly editor-in-chief Mike Buetow. “When you consider the cost to conduct third-party research, possibly winning an award in addition to the data participants receive is icing on the cake.” Henkel (henkel.com/electronics) signed PEM Technologies to represent its Loctite brand electronics adhesives in the South African region. 8 Circuits Assembly OCTOBER 2008 circuitsassembly.com http://www.creationtech.com http://www.circuitservice.com http://www.digikey.com http://www.circuitservice.com http://www.circuitsassembly.com/cms/dems http://www.digikey.com/toolbar http://www.valor.com http://www.kegroup.com http://www.genesismfg.com http://www.jabil.com http://www.bpmmicro.com http://www.virtexassembly.com http://www.virtexassembly.com http://www.kester.com http://www.floritronics.com http://www.kicthermal.com http://www.amtech.cz http://www.gselectronic.de http://www.focalspot.com http://www.circuitsassembly.com/sea http://www.circuitsassembly.com/sea http://www.henkel.com/electronics http://www.circuitsassembly.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Circuits Assembly - October 2008

Circuits Assembly - September 2008 Contents Letters Caveat Lector Industry News Market Watch Talking Heads Global Sourcing Screen Printing Better Manufacturing 'Checking Up' on Medical Electronics Solder Ball Attachment Using Laser Soldering Improving QFN Reliability Reflow Soldering Tech Tips Test and Inspection Process Doctor Pb-Free Lessons Learned Alternative Energies Eastern Advances Product Spotlight Ad Index Assembly Insider Technical Abstracts

Circuits Assembly - October 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.