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WASHINGTON DC - Charitable organization Goodwill Industries will meet with Congress on June 25, in part to discuss problems related to the disposal of obsolete electronic products it receives as donations.

The organization's complaint is that nonprofit organizations collecting electronic goods are acting for the benefit of the community, and should not have to bear the financial burden of disposal.

According to a release, Goodwill states that it receives more than 27 million pounds of electronics in donations a year, and that up to 30% of this ends up as e-waste. While the agency attempts to refurbish, de-manufacture or resell donated computers and their components, it must dispose of unwanted electronics in landfills or pay to recycle them. The organization states that the cost of recycling or disposing of these products directly impacts their services in many communities.

The organization also states that it is also exploring solutions to the problem through pilot programs with Dell, local governments and other organizations, and has become the first charitable organization to join the Congressional E-waste Working Group, as well as House Energy and Environment Committee to attempt to develop federal electronics product stewardship legislation.

HSINCHU, TAIWAN -- Powertech Technology Inc. has licensed IBM's MPS-C2 (Metal Post Solder-Chip Connection) technology, the company said today. No financial terms were disclosed.

MPS-C2 is a ultra fine pitch flip-chip package technology for chips with bond pad pitches of less than 80 microns.
It is useful in such applications as cell phones and other mobile applications where conventional wire-bond PoP, PiP or SiP packages might not work.

MPS-C2 is used to make bumps on pads with copper posts and SnAg solder. The bumps are formed on aluminum pads through a wafer plating process without redistribution. The bumps can then be connected to an organic substrate’s copper pads using conventional SMT reflow.

PTI is now the leading memory ODM package and testing house in the world.

CANADA – According to a industry reports, a recent survey taken by the organization C-Suite shows that corporate executives in Canada are beginning to show less enthusiasm for carbon taxes, due to economic concerns that will increase the cost of doing business.

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.

The government's emphasis on making electronics a key export earner is pushing Vietnam to migrate to the path of high-tech industry. The country is also experiencing rapid increase in semiconductor consumption. Many investors feel that it is easier to do business in Vietnam than in China due to lesser regulatory hassles and government business-friendly policies, Frost says. The response: The electronics and IT industries are turning in average growth rates of 25 to 35% a year.

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.

SALEM, OR – Electronics manufacturers pursuing individual or group recycling programs in compliance with Oregon's new electronics recycling law must submit plans by July 1.

The Oregon Electronics Recycling Law (ORS 495A.300-.365) mandates all manufacturers of CEDs (covered electronic devices) sold or offered for sale in the state must register with the Department of Environmental Quality and pay an annual registration fee to fund the program’s administrative costs. Manufacturers then choose to manage their own statewide collection programs or participate in a state contractor program that DEQ will establish.

The law covers desktop computers, portable computers, monitors and TVs. Manufacturers cover their own company-run program costs or pay a fee to participate in the state contractor program. All programs must be in operation by Jan. 1, and the disposal of CEDs is prohibited in Oregon as of Jan. 1, 2010. Furthermore, beginning Jan. 1, only registered brands are eligible for sale in or into the state.