You probably know Android is taking over the mobile market. Google’s Linux-based operating system is dominating the smartphone scene in a way that is beginning to look like Windows' and Intel’s Wintel stranglehold on traditional x86 desktop and PC systems, according to IDC’s third quarter smartphone report. What's more, in the first half of 2013,…
DetailsIPC — Association Connecting Electronics Industries® announced today the April findings from its monthly North American Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Statistical Program. Year-on-year sales growth was up slightly in April and the book-to-bill ratio remained positive at 1.01. Sales and Orders Slow but Improving Total North American PCB shipments increased 1.6 percent in April 2014 from…
DetailsManufacturers in China are expected to spend, on average, $34 million on components in 2014, according to a new report by Global Sources and eMedia Asia. That figure represents an increase of 26 percent over 2013 purchases, and more of that spend is going through the distribution channel. By all accounts, the use of the channel…
DetailsOrganizations live and die by brand reputation. A single counterfeit or low-quality part can erode the quality of the whole end product. Criminals follow the cash. This handful of truths sums up the state of the electronics industry and counterfeiting. Counting the cost Although firm figures are hard to come by, it is generally agreed…
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My company’s 30th anniversary in business has given me cause to look back and think about lessons learned. We’ve all been through the industry’s ups and downs over the past 30 years; growth and crisis have shaped us and how we manage our supply chains and the volatility of our industry. While much has…
DetailsLondon, England — According to analysis by Semicast Research, Continental and Robert Bosch maintained their positions as the dominant suppliers of automotive under-the-hood ECU electronics in 2013, considerably ahead of third placed Denso. Collectively these three suppliers are estimated to account for half of the automotive under-the-hood ECU electronics market. Semicast defines automotive under-the-hood ECU…
DetailsMentor, Ohio — Qualtek Electronics, a leading electronics manufacturer of fan and fan accessories, AC receptacles, heat shrink products, power cords and cordsets, power supplies and EMI power line filters, has launched a redesign of their website to provide visitors with more information, faster browsing, easier site navigation and compatibility with smart phones and tablets. The…
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Even if the best anti-counterfeiting measure ever invented could be adopted overnight across every electronic component category, the problem of counterfeit components would be slowed rather than stopped. In reality, the newest parts coming into the supply chain are only half the problem. The other half of incidents include obsolete and end-of-life parts. Adding to…
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It's been said that high-tech manufacturing is experiencing a renaissance, and the US is getting ready to retool its supply chains to compete globally. However, we haven't been able to give our workforce the skills to fill high-tech factory floor positions such as skilled machinists that operate computerized numerical control (CNC) machines. There's plenty of…
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Thanks to two major acquisitions in the past two years, Visual Communications Company, LCC (VCC) is now positioned as one of the broadest product line manufacturers of indicators, expanding its product portfolio beyond LED technologies to include neon and incandescent lamps. The company acquired the indication and illumination product lines from Chicago Miniature Lighting and…
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