S&P comments on Solectron

DEK has welcomed sales figures from its Asia-Pacific, European and American businesses showing month on month growth in unit sales for the first half of 2003, and promising improvements in a market that has been plagued by sagging economics and gross overcapacity for an unprecedented period of time. “Activity levels are building world-wide,” said Rich Heimsch, president of DEK International GmbH, “and we will be positioned to service this upswing while simultaneously safeguarding profitability.”While growth in Asia is in part due to the continued migration of high volume assembly for consumer markets, the automotive electronics, NPI and prototyping, and ISM sectors are driving American and European sales. “Having introduced new machines, process technologies and the Process Support Products division since 2000, we can deliver an entirely unique new level of process support to customers in each territory, whatever their production demands,” added Heimsch.In China and South East Asia, DEK sees overall market levels reminiscent of 1999 and is pleased with its share growth through the period. Peland Koh, General Manager, DEK Asia Pty Ltd, said, “There is strong growth in China, and post-SARS we notice that customers are keen to spread there manufacturing activities over a wider geographic area. One of our strengths has been to maintain continuity in key aspects of the business, which has inspired confidence among our customers.”Mike Besant, European General Manager reported 25% higher machines bookings across the whole of Europe in the first two quarters compared to the same period last year. Source: PCBnewsline