TOYKO – Japanese production of electronics equipment and components slipped in April, falling 4.3% year-over-year, according to preliminary data released by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

Consumer and industrial equipment were down 8% and 12%, respectively. Computers were off 8.5%. Telecom was the only major end-product to buck the trend, rising 6.6% year-over-year.
 
ICs were off 4.1%, while bare boards were down 7.1%.
 
For the year, equipment and components are down 0.8%.

NEW YORK – Vietnam’s January 2007 entry into the World Trade Organization set in motion what’s become a fast-growing electronics manufacturing locale. The Southeast Asian nation’s low labor cost, availability of trainable local population and favorable government policies are attracting global EMS/ODM companies to set up operations, says research firm Frost & Sullivan.

According to Frost, the main products are printers, computer and mobile phone parts, and PCBs. Vietnam's electronics industry is targeting domestic production of $5 billion to $6 billion by 2010.

As such, Vietnam will soon emerge as a tough competitor to other well-established neighbors in Asia, Frost says. It is to be seen if Vietnam will emerge as a viable alternative.

Frost research analyst Akkaraju Venkata Sridevi says, "The electronics industry in Vietnam is very young and rapidly developing due to high priority in the government's development strategy. Vietnam has also become a heaven for investors from Korea and China. Intel has tripled its investment in Vietnam to $1 billion.”

Vietnam is also an emerging destination for investments, after China and India, she says. "The economic growth rates spell success for the country. Vietnam's economy is the fastest growing economy, second only to China, in the Asian region. Government support to establish industry parks, good physical infrastructure, the availability of English-speaking workforce and low labor costs are all factors that make Vietnam an attractive destination." 

The firm will provide a briefing on Vietnam’s EMS/ODM and semiconductor industries, education system and labor force, semiconductor consumption, leading OEMs and macroeconomic indicators. Email Donna Jeremiah at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for info.