WASHINGTON, D.C. and
ARLINGTON, VA – The board of
directors of AeA and the Information
Technology Association of America (ITAA) announced
the two trade associations will combine their memberships and programs to form The
Technology Association of America.
The merger is scheduled to be final by the end of the year.
It will bring together technology companies throughout the United States and
provide a stronger voice for the industry. Approximately 2,000 companies will
be represented by the organization. It will advocate on technical issues on the
state level, as well as provide programs.
AeA’s network of regional councils will combine with ITAA’s
alliances with over 16,000 companies through 40 regional associations with the
Technology Councils of North America. The Technology Association of America
will use that network to form a united federal lobbying effort in Washington.
In addition, through an exclusive membership in the World Information Technology
and Services Alliance, there will be a global network of 69 technical
associations.
“For all of its impact on everyday life, the technology
industry has had insufficient clout in Washington and the state capitals –until
now,” said ITAA chairman Hank Steininger. “Together, our associations will
become the clear leader, continuing a chain of consolidation that ITAA began in
January.”
ELK GROVE VILLAGE, IL – EMS provider SigmaTron International Inc. reported second-quarter fiscal 2009 revenues were $41.1 million, down 4% year-over-year.
Net income was $1.5 million, up 54% compared to the same quarter last year.
For the six months ended Oct, 31, revenues were $79.6 million, down nearly 4% year-over-year. Net income for the same period was $2.1 million, up 28.6% year-over-year.
“Unfortunately, starting the first week in November, we have seen our revenue drop approximately 30% from October's run rate. Given the condition of the economy, this slowdown comes as no surprise, and at this point, it will certainly continue for the third quarter and probably beyond. Recently, the company decided to postpone the planned expansion of its China facility, announced in July 2008, in response to the current economic conditions,” said Gary R. Fairhead, president and CEO.
TOKYO – Equipment sales this year are expected to be $30.91 billion, says SEMI. The company’s forecast indicates, following 5.7% market growth in 2007, the equipment market will decline almost 28% in 2008.
SCOTTSDALE, AZ – With economic conditions remaining shaky through most of 2009, personal computer sales are forecast to suffer a rare-but-modest decline next year, and PC unit growth is expected to slow down to about half the rate seen in 2008, according to IC Insights.
In 2009, however, shipments of portable notebook computers are expected to exceed desktop PCs for the first time ever. Notebook PC shipments are projected to rise 13% to 156 million systems in 2009, versus a 3% decline for desktop systems to 143 million, says the research firm. Worldwide shipments of notebook computers are expected to reach 264 million in 2012 compared to 178 million desktop PCs.
Overall PC dollar volumes are forecast to decline 3% next year to $240 billion. While market conditions will remain weak through much of 2009, IC Insights does not believe the PC segment will suffer a protracted downturn, as was the case in the 2001-2002 recession. Supply-chain inventories did not grow out of control in 2008, and PCs are more pervasive than they were at the start of this decade. Growing demand for low-cost systems in developing regions is also helping offset some weakness in the U.S., European, and Japanese markets. PC revenues are now forecast to rebound by more than 9% in 2010 to about $263 million. PC unit growth is also expected to surge back in 2010 with shipments rising 15% to 350 million systems worldwide compared to a projected 5% increase in 2009.
During the 2009 slowdown year, PC integrated circuit sales will fall 6% to $66.4 billion, the firm says. IC sales for PCs dropped 3% in 2008 to an estimated $70.4 billion after slipping 4% in 2007 to $72.3 billion, mainly as a result of price erosion in DRAMs and x86 central microprocessors sold by Intel and rival Advanced Micro Devices. IC sales are expected to rebound in 2010, reaching an annual record high of $83 billion in 2011.
BRUSSELS – The European Commission issued a proposal to revise the EU’s RoHS Directive.
The proposal is expected to enter into force at the end of 2011 and links future assessment of substances under RoHS to the principles behind the EU’s REACH chemicals policy. It does not add any new substances to the restrictions list.
However, the proposal is said to fall short of achieving scientific and regulatory consistency, according to the European Brominated Flame Retardant Industry Panel. The proposal contradicts the EU’s existing chemicals policy by restricting use of the flame retardant Deca-BDE, despite an EU risk assessment concluding there is no need for any such restriction, says EBFRIP.
EBFRIP looks to the parliament and council to address this inconsistency during their consideration of the proposal in 2009 and 2010.
BOONTON, NJ – The worldwide telecommunications industry is expected to continue expanding during the next five years, as continuing growth of wireless services in emerging markets offsets the spending slowdown in the advanced economies, says Insight Research Corp.
Overall telecommunications services revenues are expected to grow at a compounded rate of nearly 10.3% during the next few years, reaching $2.7 trillion by 2013, says the firm.
“Wireless makes the strongest showing, while wireline follows a distant second. Nearly all of the growth in both sectors is expected to occur in broadband services, with wireless broadband service revenues expected to grow at a compounded rate of more than 70% over the forecast period, while wireline broadband services grow at under 10% over the same forecast horizon,” said president Robert Rosenberg.
