Littelfuse to Buy C&K as IP&E Mergers Continue
Littelfuse Inc., a $2.1 billion manufacturer of circuit protection products, electronic switches and automotive sensors, has announced it will acquire switch maker C&K Switches for $540 million
Tech Leads August U.S. Manufacturing Expansion
U.S. manufacturing powered through supply chain constraints in August to maintain a 15-month streak of expansion. New order and production levels underlined sustained demand while factories continued to struggle to find components, materials and workers. Tech companies led growth in August despite semiconductor and other supply shortages. The Institute for Supply Management’s PMI increased 0.4…
MLCC Supply Threatened by Malaysia Lockdown
The indefinite extension of Malaysia’s pandemic-related movement control order (MCO) 3.0 has posed severe challenges for the global MLCC market, according to TrendForce. The high-end MLCC segment, in particular, is expected to suffer the most severe shortage, and products that feature high-end MLCC, such as smartphones, notebooks, networking products, server, and 5G base station components,…
Demand Surges, Supply Tightens at U.S. Factories
Demand remains high for U.S.- made products even as manufacturers contend with price increases, labor shortages and supply constraints. The Institute for Supply Management’s PMI reached a three-year high in February to 60.8, an increase of 2.1 percentage points from the January reading. Signs for future demand remain strong, but supply chain pressures are unlikely…
Yageo Completes Kemet Buy; Restocks for Recovery
Kemet Corp., on June 15, announced the completion of its $1.6 billion acquisition by Taiwan’s Yageo Corp. In accordance with the terms of the agreement, Yageo has acquired all of the outstanding shares of Kemet’s common stock for US $27.20 per share in an all-cash transaction. As a result of the deal, Kemet is now…
ECIA: CY19 Global Passive Sales Decline 13.7% From 2018
ECIA reports CY19 global passive sales (capacitors, inductors, and resistors) declined 13.7% in dollars and down 27.7% in units. Average selling price improved 19.3%. Units sales were 5.4 trillion units totaling $27.7 billion. Key changes between 2018 and 2019 for the major categories were: Capacitors: Sales were down 18.6% in units and 12.6% in dollars;…
Covid-19 Impacts MLCC, Resistor, Smartphone and 5G Supplies
Editor’s note: Our colleagues in China, Taiwan and other regions in Southeast Asia continue to report, from the ground, on the coronavirus’s impact on the electronics industry. ESMChina shared the following update. At least 30 countries around the world have declared a state of emergency, according to EPSNews sister publication ESMChina, as Covid-19 continues to…
Yageo-Kemet Builds $3 Billion IP&E Powerhouse
Yageo Corp.’s $1.8 billion acquisition of Kemet Corp. will unite two leading component makers into a $3 billion powerhouse in the interconnect, passives and electromechanical (IP&E) market. The move will expand both companies’ global footprint, market penetration and product portfolios. “Together with Yageo, we will have an enhanced global footprint and be better able to…
7 Strategies for Mitigating the Impact of Tariffs
Editor’s note: This is one of two articles focusing on strategies that mitigate the impact of tariffs on imported goods. Tax and business advisory firm KPMG identified seven successful tactics in its webinar TradeWatch: Section 301 Tariffs; What we’ve Learned in Year One. This article covers recommendations one through three. Tariffs, according to leading tax…
U.S.-China Trade War: Supply Chain Crisis or Opportunity?
Editor’s note on Special Project U.S.-China Trade War Damages Done: A permanent trade war with China has already thrust the supply chain in a mad scramble. Procurement costs have increased; partnerships have been severed; and companies have been forced to relocate manufacturing. Still, some companies see the conflict as a path toward differentiation President Trump’s…