Fine, Fast and Flexible: Ruwel at Pfullingen invests in HDI, rush production

RUWEL plant in Pfullingen invests in HDI multilayer and rush production Fine, Fast and Flexible It is not always the case that big is better - often, the winning point is to be fast rather than slow. For this reason, an impressive amount has now been invested in the Pfullingen plant of Ruwel AG to make it into a "rapid reaction" member of the large Ruwel Group. This means that rush production jobs, including those for multilayers, can now be completed in as little as three days. At present, six…

RF & HYPER Europe - Mar. 30 - Apr. 1, Paris

Communications Equipment Warning Signs From USA

Communications Equipment Warning Signs From USA By Walt Custer February 9, 2004 Global communications equipment (datacom and telecom) production totaled just short of $220 billion in 2003 (Chart 1), with Europe the largest producer (final assembly). However, as we know, an increasing share of the electronic content is now made in Southeast Asia. Chart 2 shows the $-denominated 2000-2003 global sales of the seven largest communications companies. Only Nokia has grown since the 2000 "bubble."…

CPCA Show: Mar. 10-12, Shanghai

What share of the global upturn can Europe retain?

Zero growth for the German printed board industry?

Top 16 U.S. PCB Companies: 1995 & 2003 (updated)

2004 We're Off!

The Holiday celebrations are over and now it's time to get back to business.  2003 certainly finished with positive momentum Ð improving global economic conditions, increasing electronic equipment demand and higher volumes and firmer prices throughout the electronic's food chain.  Most forecasters now see 2004 as a year of broad global growth (barring some world catastrophe).

PCB-Making in France in 2002 - A Year to Forget?

Another year of decrease for the whole PCB sector. International competition was felt even for medium runs, and French makers fought for their lives.

Here We Go Again: Be Prudent in the Upturn

The year 2003 is closing with positive global growth for all sectors (Chart 1), and 2004 looks even more encouraging (Chart 2). Although the largest expansions are (and will continue to be) in Southeast Asia, in this time of expansion all areas of the world will enjoy growth.

INTERNEPCON Japan: January 28-30, Tokyo

Virtual PCB Manufacturing: A Virtual Advantage?

VIRTUAL PCB MANUFACTURING By Jason M Pai    Yang An Electronics ABSTRACT With the advent of new technologies, the industrial landscape of the PCB topographic dynamics is in a state of constant change and consolidation. Therefore, traditional business strategies, where the assumption was the existence of a consistent and stable landscape, are obsolete in the current market environment. Those who adhere to that former frame of mind are the ones that will find themselves unable to change with t…

Asia Pacific May Already Hold 85% of World Flex PCB Production

Flex PCB production: Asia Pacific may already hold 85% of world production   Flex in MUSD Share(%) N.America 739 18,08% S.America 0 0,00% W.Europe 124 3,03% Germany 60 1,47% Italy 22 0,54% U.K. 20 0,49% Austria 2 0,05% France 20 0,49% Asia Pacific 322…

Flexible Printed Circuits: a multitude of innovative applications

Picture 2  LCD application

EIPC Winter Conference 2004: Feb. 12-13, Cannes

Top 30 PCB Manufacturers in China in 2002

Grand China Top 30 PCB Manufacturers Four of the five top-producing PCB manufacturers in China in 2002 were Taiwan-owned businesses and one was US-owned, according to the "Grand China Top 30 PCB Manufacturers," a list distributed at TPCA Show 2003. The table, compiled by the Taiwan Printed Circuit Association (TPCA) and citing information from the CPCA, HKPCA, TPCA and IEK, ranks the firms by revenue and lists their major products and nationality of ownership. Regarding major products, four of…

Productronica Report: PCBs & Materials Recovering Now; Most Process Equipment to Wait Until Mid-2004

Productronica Report: PCBs & Materials Recovering Now; Most Process Equipment to Wait Until Mid-2004 By Walt Custer November 17, 2003 I am writing this week's column on UA931, flying back from a four-day visit to Productronica, Europe's premier electronics tradeshow. This year was upbeat. The tone of both the exhibitors and visitors was decidedly more positive compared to prior industry gatherings. Many (but not all) companies are now seeing a noticeable improvement in business condi…

Top 30 Japanese PCB Manufacturers in 2002

PCB007 is pleased to present to our readers a list of the "Top 30 PCB manufacturers in Japan" for 1995-2002. The ranking, which covers a national industry known for being protective of its member companies' statistics, appeared in the July 23, 2003 issue of Densan Shinpo. Our thanks to Densan Shinpo for making the list available. Top 30 Japanese PCB Manufacturers unit: JP Million Rank Company 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 20…

Recovery: More Positive Signs, More People Convinced

Recovery: More Positive Signs, More People Convinced By Walt Custer November 10, 2003 Each week, more and more groups join the "recovery is underway" bandwagon. Electronic "food chain" companies are revising their short-term guidances upward, market research firms have increased the personal computer & mobile phone forecasts, the SIA upped its 2003-6 global semiconductor predictions, "buy & sell-side" stock analysts are now interested in the PCB and EMS sectors as sources of "growth…

Top 36 Taiwan PCB Manufacturers in 2002

Compeq, Unimicron, Nan Ya, WUS and Unitech lead a list of “2002 Top 36 Taiwanese PCB Manufacturers” distributed at TPCA Show 2003. The list was compiled by the Taiwan Printed Circuit Association (TPCA). Also displayed is each company’s domestic and overseas output value in NT$ and US$. 2002 Top 36 Taiwanese PCB Manufacturers (Unit: Million dollars) Company Domestic Output Overseas Output Total Output Name NT$    US$ NT$ …

Electronic Industry Growth Resumes

Electronic Industry Growth Resumes By Walt Custer September 22, 2003 After almost a three-year downturn, global business conditions are finally improving. Growing end-market demand and increasing inventory replenishment activity will be coupled this autumn with the normal pre-holiday "seasonal upturn." All these factors combined should ensure that the companies that "survived" the last three years will finally enjoy better business. Per Chart 1, the entire global electronics "food chain" wi…

Short Slot Drilling Without Headaches

VdL (Germany)

MLM & Associates

job; jobs; job search; job service; recruit; recruiting

Intellect (UK) (formerly PCIF, FEI & CSSA)

PCIF; FEI; CSSA; Federation of the Electronics Industry; Federation of Electronics Industry; Computing Services and Software Association; Printed Circuit Industry Federation; Printed Circuit Interconect Federation

ZEV-Leiterplatten (Germany)

Development of the PCB industry in Europe

by Michael Gasch,

North American Market Improving; SARS Scrambling Global Picture (June 2003)

China, including Hong Kong, was likely to be the leading producer of eight of 12 key electronic products in 2003. China was expected to account for 40.5% of global output of DVD-ROM drives, 62.2% of DVD players, 35.2% of notebook personal computers, 30.1% of mobile phones, 26.7% of color TVs, and 36.5% of desktop PCs, among others. (China is a key global electronics supplier)

IPC Annual Meeting & Technical Conf. (Nov. 3-7, New Orleans, USA)

Mild Upturn in Early 2003, But Global Uncertainties Prevail (April 2003)

Mild Upturn in Early 2003, But Global Uncertainties Prevail By Walt Custer April 1, 2003 January electronic equipment and PCB orders brought some guarded smiles. Based upon the "early-warning" Durable Goods release, US "Computers & Electronic Product" orders (Chart 1) jumped 3.2% over December 2002 and 2.8% versus last January. PCB orders followed the same pattern. Quoting Henderson Ventures' February PCI report "After nine successive months of declines, US PWB orders increased by a hardy 4…

Productronica 2003: Nov. 11-14, Munich

North American Electronics Outlook: Double-Dip Recession, Flat 2003 or Hockey Stick Recovery? (May 2003)

Electronic Equipment

EIPC Spring Conference: May 15-16, Prague

JPCA Show 2003: June 4-6, Tokyo Big Sight, Japan

Hannover Messe: April 7-12, Hannover

2003 Wrap Up . . . Little to Cheer About (Mar 2003)

General Business Conditions

2002 North American Wrap Up; 2003-2006 Global Outlook (Feb 2003)

General Business Conditions

CPCA Show 2003: March 12-14, Shanghai

APEX 2003: March 29-April 2, Anaheim, CA

Making A Case for Hope (Jan 2003)

A new name and a New Year. Maybe we are starting out on a positive note.

The Road Ahead: Generally Flat with Some Curves and Potholes (Jan 2003)

General Business Conditions

The European PCB industry defends itself, thanks to technology and proximity (Jan 2003)

European Countries with PCB Companies in the Top 36

IPC Printed Circuits Expo 2003 - Mar. 23-27 (Long Beach, CA)

Intertronic 2003 - March 25-28 (Paris)

Message to North American PCB Makers . . . Focus Your Sales Efforts for Survival (Dec 2002)

General Business Conditions

Internepcon World Japan 2003 (Jan. 22-24)

Year 2003

Calendar of events

Clouds Still Blanket North America & Europe, But Some Clearing Is Evident (Nov 2002)

Computers

TPCA Show 2002 (Oct. 31-Nov. 2)

Singapore and the USA - Both Face Challenges (Oct. 2002)

Thoughts on Singapore

Global Picture Improves . . . North America Still Awaits 'Recovery' (Sept 2002)

However, there are some bright spots:

Wescon North America - Sept. 24-26, 2002, Anaheim, CA

North American 'Recovery' vs. 'Asian Shift' (Aug. 2002)

A Global Perspective

Waiting for the Light (at the End of This Tunnel) (July 2002)

E-mail:  wcuster@mindspring.com

'Value added is Europe's best weapon': interview with Eric Jeanteur, Cire Group (June 2002)

How do the first months of 2002 appear?

Practical Processing of Lead-Free Assemblies (June 2002)

Inventory Replenishment, Future IT Spending Plans Support 2H Recovery (June 2002)

Keep watching the numbers!

HKPCA Show 2002: Sept. 12-14, Dongguan, China

IPC book-to-bill for April 2002: third decline in as many months

www.ipc.org

Some 'Fearless Forecasts' and Why Book/Bill Data Do Not Tell the Whole Story (May 2002)

May 1st, 2002

Momentum Builds for Mid-Year Recovery (April 2002)

April 1st, 2002

FEI's Electronic Design Realisation Centre (UK)

Going the Right Way . . . The Light at the End of the Tunnel Gets Brighter (March 2002)

March 1st, 2002

Circuit Search

job; jobs; job search; job service; recruit; recruiting

Nakahara's Top 200 PCB Shops in 2000 (Feb 2002)

Worlds Top 200 PCB Makers in 2000

A "Wait & See" Recovery (Feb 2002)

February 1st, 2002

CPCA Show (March 12-14)

Looking Forward to Day 2

This is the fifth in a series of articles about APEX, held January 22-24, 2002 in San Diego. It provides a guide to the activities of the second day of the show.

Looking Forward to Day 1

This is the third in a series of articles about APEX, held January 22-24, 2002 in San Diego. It provides a guide to activities taking place during the first day of the show.

So . . . How Long Will This Last? (Jan 2002)

This downturn recession has been around too long. Many of us have lived through multiple "downs" in the business cycle, but this one is awful.

Recovery Delayed: September 11's Impact (Dec. 2001)

Computers

IPC book-to-bill for October 2001: PWB bookings down 49.4% year-to-date (graph included)

www.ipc.org

EPC2002 - Oct. 8-10, Cologne, Germany

Business as usual at Lares Cozzi? Yes--and no (Interview, Nov 2001)

Business as usual at Lares Cozzi? Yesand no (Interview with William Burr, Technical Director)     William Burr       Productronica 2001, held last week in Munich, brought together several thousand members of the electronics industry. Where crowds gather, rumors are bound to arise. One such rumor--that Italian PCB manufacturer Lares Cozzi is experiencing serious difficulties--is addressed in the following interview with William Burr, Technical Director, Lares Cozzi SpA, cond…

Quadruple Whammy: Inventories, Economy, Equipment Orders & September 11 (Nov. 2001)

Electronic Equipment

IPC book-to-bill for September 2001: PWB bookings down 56.1% yoy (chart)

IPC releases book-to-bill ratios for September 2001 IPC today announced that the U.S. Printed Wiring Board Industry Book-to-Bill Ratio for September 2001 was 0.89. Sales billed (shipments) in September 2001 decreased 41.6% over September 2000 and orders booked decreased 56.1% over September 2000. Compared to 2000, bookings of PWBs are down 49.2% year-to-date, while shipments of PWBs are down 25.5% year-to-date. The ratio is calculated by averaging the number of orders booked over the past three…