Printed Circuit Design & Fab Online Magazine - Market News

Market News

BEIJING – China’s mobile phone sales increased 11.6% sequentially to 13.04 million units in March, according to a report published by CCID Consulting and reported by DigiTimes.

LONDON – Revenues for semiconductors in the industrial sector exceeded those in the automotive sector for the first time in 2008, says Semicast Research.

TAIPEI, TAIWAN – Although the handset PCB market saw orders improve slightly in the second quarter, manufacturers remain cautious. Orders are expected to remain level in May, with a minor drop in June, reports DigiTimes.

Compeq Manufacturing reported consolidated revenues for April dropped 12%, shipping 34 million handset PCBs in the first quarter. May and June revenues are forecast to fall slightly.

Unitech Printed Circuit Board reported April revenues increased 3.38% to NT$643 million (US$19.57 million). The utilization rate at its Taiwan facility has grown to 75% on demand for smartphones. May revenue is forecast to remain level, with a 10% decrease in June, says DigiTimes.

BEIJING – A report by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) reports that March exports of electronics and IT products fell 24.6% from last year to $87.2 billion.

THE WOODLANDS, TX – Huntsman Corp. reported first-quarter revenues fell 33% from last year to $1.7 billion.

Net loss for the quarter was $290 million, compared to a profit of $7 million last year.

The Advanced Materials segment reported first-quarter sales dropped 32.2% from last year to $257 million, including an 8% reduction in the average selling price for products. Sales volumes decreased due to lower demand in all regions.

Earlier this year, the company announced that it would reduce costs across all divisions. A work force reduction of 1,250 positions (10%) and an additional reduction of 490 full-time contractors are expected to result in an annualized savings of $150 million.

President and CEO Peter R. Huntsman commented that the company saw positive order patterns in the first quarter and exited the quarter in a position of higher demand.

Huntsman’s Advanced Materials segment supplies solder mask and primary imaging materials to the PCB industry.

ANAHEIM, CA – Multi-Fineline Electronix Inc. (MFLEX) reported second-quarter net sales rose 6% year-over-year to $174.1 million on an increase in sales to two of its major customers.