Circuits Assembly - December 2008 - (Page 10) NEWS In Brief FCT Solder, a division of FCT Assembly, named Ally Jakusovas its representative in California, Oregon, Washington, Colorado and Utah. EMS firm Enics (enics.com) could lay off more than 185 workers in Varkuas, Finland, as it moves operations to other company factories. The company is engaged in negotiations with workers over the layoffs. It currently employs 500 in Finland and 2,700 worldwide. Adeptron Technologies (adeptron. com) will provide $15 million a year in electronics manufacturing services to an undisclosed Canada-based OEM. The deal also has “the potential to increase significantly.” Full ramp is expected to take place during the first quarter 2009. BPM Microsystems (bpmmicro.com) named Lynxtron Inc. its representative in southern Wisconsin, Indiana and northern Illinois. Vicor Corp. (vicr.com) recently added Koh Young Technology benchtop and inline solder paste inspection capability. EMS provider Scanfil (scanfil.com) has begun a 70,000 sq. ft. expansion to its Hangzhou, China, production facilities. The company’s China subsidiaries account for 36% of its overall sales. PartnerTech’s (partnertech.fi) Norfolk, England, manufacturing facility has received ISO 13485:2003 medical certification. The firm, the largest EMS company in Scandinavia, also reduced headcount by 65 during the September quarter. Flex Interconnect Technologies (fit4flex.com) has received International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) registration from the US Department of State. The Eagle Group named Bliss Industries (blissindustries.com) to represent its line of wire carts for ESD electronics and general material handling. provider achieve a 50% increase in production capabilities over the next two years. “We were at maximum capacity in our previous facility and did not have the space for the new equipment required for advancement of our SMT stencil and metal fabrication divisions,” said Michael Ray, president and owner of IIT. The new plant is located eight miles west of the company’s previous facility in Coeur D’Alene. – Mike Buetow Industry IPC Criticizes TBBPA Inclusion in RoHS Draft BANNOCKBURN, IL – IPC (ipc.org) is taking issue with the inclusion of the flame retardant chemical known as Tetrabromobisphenol A on a draft list of substances that could be added to the EU RoHS Directive, firing off a letter requesting the EU commissioners “reconsider” its potential ban. The trade group had previously made its case to the Öko-Institut (oeko.de), which was charged with drafting the list. TBBPA, a reactive flame retardant used in most printed circuit board laminates, has been reported to be included among five substances for priority assessment and potential inclusion in RoHS by media who claimed to have seen the proposal. It is reportedly used in more than two-thirds of electrical and electronics appliances. Citing the strong body of technical evidence, IPC claims TBBPA is not a risk and should not be included in future RoHS documents. “TBBPA has already undergone a comprehensive EU Risk Assessment and, therefore, is not expected to be subject to authorization under REACH,” IPC said in the letter. “The recommendation for priority review of TBBPA under RoHS seemingly undermines the EU’s emerging chemicals policy and law under REACH. We urge the commission to reconsider the inclusion of TBBPA in its list of ‘priority review’ substances under RoHS.” Following interagency review of the proposal, the EU Commission will present the proposed RoHS Revision to the European Parliament. – Mike Buetow H.I.G. Chemicals Holdings Acquires Petroferm GURNEE IL – H.I.G. Chemicals Holdings Corp. (higcapital.com) has acquired Petroferm Inc. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Petroferm (petroferm.com), a specialty SMT In PICTurES chemical manufacturer and formulator, had been privately held. The acquisition by the private equity firm includes Petroferm’s operations in Gurnee, IL and Fernandina Beach, FL. The Joseph Storey (UK) division will be spun off to Petroferm shareholders. H.I.G. acquired the North American oleochemical business Uniqema Americas earlier this year. The firm plans to maintain the two as distinct operating subsidiaries. The two businesses will have combined sales in excess of $300 million, the firm says. – Chelsey Drysdale Newview EMS Has Shades of Past WOBURN, MA – From the ashes of MassTech EMS and Neo Nano Electronics has come a new electronics manufacturing company, Newview EMS Corp. Paul Walker, former founder and CEO Ovation Product’s Grid-Lok substrate support, shown on an Assembléon MX placement machine. 10 Circuits Assembly DECEMBER 2008 circuitsassembly.com http://www.enics.com http://www.ipc.org http://www.oeko.de http://www.adeptron.com http://www.adeptron.com http://www.bpmmicro.com http://www.vicr.com http://www.higcapital.com http://www.petroferm.com http://www.scanfil.com http://www.partnertech.fi http://www.fit4flex.com http://www.fit4flex.com http://www.blissindustries.com http://www.circuitsassembly.com
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