ST. LOUIS -- Viasystems Group has agreed to buy DDi Corp. for $268 million in cash, a deal that will vault the printed circuit board company into the Top 10 in the industry.

SAN DIEGO – IPC requests 300-word abstracts for the 2013 Apex Expo to be held Feb. 19–21 and professional development courses Feb. 17-18 and Feb. 21.

Awards will be presented for the Best US Paper and the Best International Paper.

Expert presentations are being sought on all relevant design, PCB fabrication and electronics manufacturing topics. Submissions dealing with Pb-free processing, repair and reliability, high-speed PCB laminates, and new research in growing areas such as green technology and printed electronics are encouraged.

Abstracts summarizing original and previously unpublished work must be submitted by May 4.

Submissions should describe significant results from experiments, emphasize new techniques, discuss trends of interest, and contain a summary of technical and/or appropriate test results.

Course proposals are solicited from individuals interested in presenting half-day professional development courses on printed board design and manufacturing, as well as electronics assembly processes and materials.

Technical conference paper abstracts and course proposals are also due May 4.

To submit an abstract or proposal, visit www.IPCAPEXEXPO.org/CFP. For more information, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

For more information about half-day PD courses, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

PETACH TIKVA, ISRAEL – Printed circuit board manufacturer Eltek Ltd. reported total revenue rose 14.6% to $11.47 million year-over-year in the fourth quarter.

Net profit was $228,000, compared to a net loss of $655,000 in the prior year.

Adjusted net income for the quarter was $868,000, compared to an adjusted net loss of $14,000 in the fourth quarter of 2010.

 “The improvements we implemented at the end of 2010 in our manufacturing processes expanded our capacity by approximately 30%,” said Eltek's president and CEO Arieh Reichart.

The firm has received a frame order of $2.1 million for PCBs from a US medical equipment customer for delivery in 2012 and 2013.

LONDON -- Is Cookson considering splitting the company in two?