INDUSTRY NEWS
* Spacek Labs Inc. , Santa Barbara, CA, has completed its acquisition of the assets of millimeter-wave amplifier manufacturer Sierra Wireless Systems . Financial terms of the cash agreement were not disclosed.
* Gel-Pak ,® Sunnyvale, CA, has acquired Silicon Packaging Technology Inc. (SPT) , San Diego, CA. SPT has been renamed Quik-Pak™ and will operate as a division of Gel-Pak.
* StratEdge , San Diego, CA, has purchased the assets of hermetic glass-to-metal seal, flatpack, Plastic Equivalent Package manufacturer Package Technologies Inc. (PTI) , Taunton, MA. The acquisition expands StratEdge's product offerings from low frequency packages through high speed digital packages up to 50 GHz. Financial terms were not disclosed.
* Automatic test equipment manufacturer Credence Systems Corp. , Fremont, CA, has acquired Modulation Instruments Inc. , Colorado Springs, CO, a specialist in leading-edge RF test technology for the wireless device market. The acquisition will be accounted for under the purchase method of accounting for a purchase price of $20 M.
* Selco Products Co. , Orange, CA, has purchased electronic control manufacturer Electronic Controls Corp. (ECC) , Los Alamitos, CA. The addition of ECC will complement Selco's existing line of thermal management products, including disc thermostats, capillary controls, thermal protectors and cut-offs.
* Lindgren RF Enclosures Inc. , a Chicago-based manufacturer of RF shielding products for electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), medical, industrial and government markets recently acquired by ESCO Technologies Inc. , will integrate its EMC test and measurement operations with another ESCO subsidiary, EMC Test Systems , to form the ETS-Lindgren™ group in Austin, TX.
* Picosecond Pulse Labs Inc. has created a new research and development facility and engineering team. The 8149-square-foot facility is located at 9795 SW Gemini Dr., Beaverton, OR 97008. The engineering team will work on technology and products for the 40 and 160 Gbps optoelectronic component markets.
* Aluminum nitride packaging material manufacturer Crystalline Materials Corp. , Phoenix, AZ, is changing its name to CMC Wireless Components . The company is located at 10409 S. 50th Place, Phoenix, AZ 85044 (480) 496-5027.
* CTS Corp. has established an Application Specific Networks Product Group for its resistor/electrocomponents business headquartered in Berne, IN. The product group will address critical market demand for high frequency data bus termination for both computer equipment as well as communications systems.
* EMS Wireless , a division of EMS Technologies Inc. , is establishing operations in Brazil to offer a complete range of PCS/cellular base station antenna products to the fast-growing South American market. A wholly owned subsidiary, EMS Wireless do Brasil , has been organized, and is expected to begin manufacturing operations in Curitiba, Paranze in January 2001.
* W.C. Heraeus has formed a new worldwide circuit materials division to manage the specific segments of the company that serve the electronic component fabrication industry. The new division is designed to create synergy among the company's various business groups and product lines serving the electronics industry, to respond to multinational customers more effectively and to operate more efficiently in the worldwide marketplace.
* Micro Pulse Inc. , Camarillo, CA, has expanded its present facility location to 19,000 square feet. In related news, the company has been named to Deloitte and Touche's "Los Angeles Fast 50," a ranking of the 50 fastest-growing technology companies in Los Angeles, Riverside, Santa Barbara, San Bernardino and Ventura counties. Rankings are based on the percentage of growth in revenues from 1995 to 1999.
* Advanced Hardware Architectures (AHA) has opened a new design center in Southampton, UK. Record demand for AHA's forward error correction products spurred the expansion decision.
* As part of an effort to enhance customer support throughout the Americas, APLAC Solutions Corp. has established an office in Irving, TX.
* TRW , Redondo Beach, CA, has completed facilities construction and is beginning to install manufacturing equipment for what will become the world's first high volume production line for high performance chips fabricated using indium phosphide (InP). The facility will produce the company's advanced InP for rapidly growing telecommunications market applications.
* ADC Telecommunications Inc. , Minneapolis, MN, has opened a new manufacturing facility in Nanjing, China. The facility will serve as the technology development and product manufacturing center for the company's Broadband Connectivity Group and will be used to manufacture a range of fiber-optic distribution systems and components and RF components and subsystems for the Chinese and Far East regional markets.
* Norsat International Inc. and Fujitsu General Limited have signed a strategic manufacturing and marketing memorandum of understanding. Under the terms of the agreement, Fujitsu will undertake the manufacturing of components based on Norsat's technology and engineering designs. Norsat will market the components globally as part of its broadband network solutions.
* M/A-COM SIGINT Products , Hunt Valley, MD, General Dynamics-Worldwide Telecommunication Systems (GD-WTS) , Chesapeake, VA, and Touchstone Electronics Inc. , Litchfield, NH, have formed a strategic alliance named COLLECTRON . The alliance was created to design, produce, integrate, install, train and service cost-effective signal intelligence electronic support measure/direction-finding, collection, processing and recording systems for approved US and international customers.
* High density modular switch and functional test instrument manufacturer VXI Technology Inc. , Irvine, CA, and high performance data acquisition product manufacturer KineticSystems Co. LLC , Lockport, IL, have entered into a worldwide distribution agreement to supply complete application solutions.
* Channel Master LLC and US Monolithics LLC have agreed to cooperatively market their products as an integrated solution for subscriber outdoor equipment used in interactive satellite delivery systems. Under the terms of the agreement, Channel Master's broadband antenna, antenna subsystems, waveguide components and low noise blockconverter technologies will be combined with US Monolithics' proprietary receiver and transmitter technologies. In related news, Channel Master has received INTELSAT approval of its 0.96 m receive-transmit offset antenna system in classes I and II and its 1.2 m receive-transmit offset antenna system in classes I, II and III. All of these antenna types have been approved under INTELSAT's Standard G for Ku-band applications.
* ANADIGICS Inc. , Warren, NJ, has entered into a strategic agreement to hold a minority equity position in Embedded Wireless Devices Inc. , Pleasanton, CA, and the two companies have agreed to cooperate on the development of future wireless products.
* Agilent Technologies Inc. has introduced the first portable drive test platform for general packet radio service and data networks to help network infrastructure providers and wireless service providers quickly locate and resolve sources of wireless network problems to speed deployment of data services, a necessity to compete in today's growing mobile Internet market.
* International Crystal Manufacturing Co. Inc. (ICM) , Oklahoma City, OK, is providing volunteer firefighters with prompt delivery of high quality Sceptar VHF and UHF synthesized tone and voice pagers. ICM offers a two-year warranty and one-week delivery on in-stock orders.
* TestMart has added ATN Microwave Inc. to its list of distribution partners. ATN Microwave specializes in high frequency/high speed measurement solutions, systems and control components for communications, high speed data and aerospace applications.
* Silicon Wave Inc. has been granted a new position as associate member of the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG). The Bluetooth SIG created this standing to offer innovative companies a greater role in defining the Bluetooth specification.
* Finisar Corp. has delivered the first units of its model FTRJ-1320-1 SONET OC-48 small form factor (SFF) optical transceiver. The device operates at data rates of 2.488 Gbps over single-made fiber and complies with the SFF footprint per the SFF multisource agreement.
* Sprague-Goodman Electronics has received ISO 9000 certification. The certification applies to the design, manufacture and distribution of the company's lines of variable capacitors, fixed ad variable inductors and transformers, tuning elements and tuning tools.
* Electrocube Inc. , Monrovia, CA, has been awarded ISO9001:1994 certification and a certificate of conformance to AS9000:1998.
* MAXRAD Inc. , Hanover Park, IL, has received certification to ISO9001:1994 on its first attempt. In related news, the company presented Jorge Saad with the 2000 George M. Hanus Award.
* A new report from ElectroniCast Corp. , "Internal Optical Interconnect Components and Subsystems Market Forecast," predicts that the global market for optical signal interconnections will climb from $35.5 M in 1999 to $3.06 B by 2008. The components, in turn, will support internal optical interconnect subsystem growth from $349 M in 1999 to $10.1 B in 2008.
* Discovery Semiconductors Inc. , Princeton Junction, NJ, has been named to Deloitte and Touche's "Fast 50" program for New Jersey.
* In April, the University of South Florida hosted more than 100 participants for "Wireless and Microwave Technology 2000: An Industry/Government/Education Forum." The goal of this annual event is to create a stimulating environment for the exchange of information about the status and directions of wireless technology, the educational and research challenges the technology presents and actions being taken by educators to address these challenges. The 2001 event is scheduled for March 24 in Tampa, FL. Details can be found at ee.eng.usf.edu/WAMI.
* Silicon carbide (SiC) semiconducter material and device developer Cree Inc. has made an $11.3 M equity investment in Xemod Inc. , a privately held developer and manufacturer of radio frequency power amplifier components for the wireless communications and networking markets. The companies also announced the signing of a development agreement directed at SiC-based RF devices for use in power amplifier components.
* NEC Corp. and its US semiconductor arm, NEC Electronics Inc. , have announced plans to spend $60 M over the next three years to develop the recently formed Communications Strategic Business Unit (SBU) at NEC Electronics. The Communications SBU will be expanded to include 60 designers and engineers, and will develop and market wired communications technology and products.
FINANCIAL NEWS
* American Technical Ceramics Corp. reports record sales of $21.3 M for the fourth quarter, ended June 30, compared to $10.5 M for the same period last year. Net income was $3.4 M (44¢/share), compared to $729 K (10¢/share) for the fourth quarter of 1999.
* Ansoft Corp. reports sales of $8.7 M for the first quarter, ended July 31, compared to $6.9 M for the same period last year. Net income was $202 K (2¢/share), compared to a net loss of $311 K (3¢/share) for the first quarter of FY 2000.
* RF Micro Devices Inc. (RFMD) has agreed to privately place $250 M aggregate principal amount of 3.75 percent convertible subordinated notes due 2005. The notes will be convertible into RFMD common stock at a conversion price of $90.17 per share. The conversion price was adjusted to $45.085 per share effective at the opening of business August 28 to reflect a two-for-one common stock split.
* Integrated Telecom Express Inc. has announced the sale of an additional 840,000 shares of its common stock at $18 per share, pursuant to the exercise of the underwriters' over-allotment option in connection with the company's recent initial public offering. The initial public offering of 5,600,000 shares on August 18 was also priced at $18 per share.
CONTRACTS
* CTS Corp. , Elkhart, IN, has been awarded a multimillion-dollar contract by one of the world's largest base station infrastructure equipment manufacturers. CTS Interconnect Systems will supply backplane and electronic assemblies for GSM base station infrastructure from its China facility, beginning volume production during the third quarter of this year. The contract's value is expected to exceed $20 M over the next two years. In related news, the company has been selected by Lucent Technologies' Microelectronics Group to supply multilayer, low temperature, co-fired ceramic (LTCC) substrates. Lucent expects to utilize CTS' LTCC technology to package its W7020 Bluetooth radio subsystem as a single integrated component, providing the miniaturization and reliability needed by manufacturers to support today's smaller, high performance mobile electronic products.
* Superconductor Technologies Inc. , Santa Barbara, CA, has received a $7.8 M purchase order for SuperFilter® systems from United States Cellular Corp. The SuperFilter system utilizes high temperature superconducting technology along with proprietary cryogenic cooling to create a front-end filter and amplifier system used to enhance the performance of wireless base stations. The order is scheduled to be deployed over the next nine quarters.
* EMS Technologies , Atlanta, GA, has been awarded a firm, fixed-price contract from Canada's Department of National Defense to redesign the Search and Rescue Satellite Aided Tracking (SARSAT) radio frequency payload. The SARSAT payload is a radio repeater that flies aboard meteorological satellites and receives distress signals from ships, hikers, campers and downed aircraft. The contract is valued at more than $6 M.
* RF Micro Devices Inc. , Greensboro, NC, has received production orders to supply power amplifiers for Sanyo's latest dual-band CDMA PCS handset. Volume shipments have begun and are expected to ramp to a multimillion-dollar level this calendar year.
* Novas Software Inc. has signed a multiyear agreement with AMD under which AMD will use Novas' Debussy Total Debug system throughout AMD worldwide. Debussy improves an electronic design engineer's productivity by reducing the time required to understand complex designs at the register transfer, gate and behavioral levels and by automating the location and isolation of design bugs. Financial terms of the contract were not disclosed.
* Excellon Automation and PPC Electronic AG have booked two more XLP drilling machines. The order represents the latest in a series of eight new Excellon drilling machines purchased by PPC Electronic AG this year.
* EMS Technologies Inc. has announced a second order from P-Com to supply antennas for P-Com's point-to-multipoint wireless telecommunications network. These fixed-wireless networks connect a central hub to several points over a shared wireless spectrum. The EMS Wireless division of EMS Technologies will manufacture and distribute the antennas. The value of the contract was not disclosed.
PERSONNEL
* Marconi Applied Technologies Inc. has appointed Steve Darr president. Previously, Darr served as president at APW McLean Group.
* Insulated Wire Inc. (IW) has named Saverio "Sal" Bruno president. Previously, Bruno served as the VP/general manager of IW's Microwave Products Division. In related news, the company named Aurthur Nixon VP, sales and marketing; Michael Brewster VP, engineering and manufacturing; Peter Weigel VP, finance and quality control; and Kristen Schretzenmayer VP, operations-Microwave Products Division.
* Illinois Superconductor Corp. has appointed Charles F. Willes chief financial officer. Most recently, Willes served as CFO and co-president of Hallcrest Holdings Inc.
* Axis Systems Inc. has named Mark Voll chief financial officer. Voll most recently served as CFO at MoSys Inc.
* Technical Research and Manufacturing Inc. (TRM) has named Don Riley chief operations officer. Previously, Riley was with General Systems Co., where he worked with a team of consultants designing and installing TQM-based quality and management systems globally.
* Andrew Corp. has named Guy M. Campbell chief executive officer. Campbell joined the company in February 1999 as group president, Wireless Products and Distributed Communications Systems and was made president in February 2000.
* Tality Corp., formerly the Electronic Design Services group of Cadence Design Systems Inc., has appointed Michael G. Keith and Kenneth Levy to its board of directors. Keith has served as president and CEO, AT&T Fixed Wireless Services of the AT&T Wireless Group since January. Levy co-founded KLA Instruments and served as its president and CEO from 1976 until the company's merger with Tencor in 1997. He then became CEO and a director of the merged company, and currently serves as its chairman of the board.
* Dielectric Laboratories Inc. (DLI), a subsidiary of Dover Technologies, has named 
Brian DuPell executive VP and general manager. Most recently, DuPell was senior VP and general manager of TAM Ceramics. In related news, the company has appointed Walt Dollman director of sales and marketing. Previously, Dollman was the business unit manager of CeramTec North America Electronic Applications.
* Simpod Inc. has promoted Jason Andrews to VP of marketing. Previously, Andrews was a member of the company's technical staff.
* Elanix Inc. has appointed Michael Farris director of business development. Prior to joining the company, Farris served as senior scientist and department manager for the Advanced Technologies Department at Arete Associates, Sherman Oaks, CA.
* Advanced Hardware Architectures (AHA) has named Garegin Markarian VP, coding technology and managing director of its new UK design center.
* Stellex Electronics Inc. has appointed Ron Piercey director of sales and marketing for its Stellex Communications operation. Most recently, Piercey was the sales manager at Communication Techniques Inc.
* Stanford Microdevices has appointed Norm Hildreth director of Fixed Wireless Products. Previously, Hildreth held key sales, marketing and business development positions at Hittite Microwave Corp.
* American Microsystems Inc. (AMI) has appointed Andrew Broom director of field technology. Broom will lead design center expansion in AMI's key ASIC design centers and markets, including San Jose, CA and Boston, MA.
* In conjunction with the opening of its new sales offices in Austin, TX and Wellesley, MA, Ultima Interconnect Technology Inc., Sunnyvale, CA, has appointed Mark Viglione and David Perejda regional sales managers for the central and eastern regions, respectively. Both Viglione and Perejda have 15 years of sales and electronic design automation experience.
* Everett Charles Technologies has named Keith Wheeler operations manager of its TTI Kit Division in Woonsocket, RI. Most recently, Wheeler served as general manager for Texas Instruments' Interconnection Business Unit. In addition, the company named Brian Crisp district sales manager, southwest region for its Semiconductor Test Group. Crisp will be responsible for sales of BantamPak™ sockets, performance boards and PrimeYield contractors.
* ITT Industries, Cannon has named Lee Han private branding manager. Previously, Han was the staff project engineer at Bourns Inc.
* Channel Master LLC has named Martin Pfrommer sales manager for Channel Master International, Pforzheim, Germany. Most recently, Pfrommer served as sales and marketing manager for WISI in Germany.
* Aeroflex Laboratories has named James R. Guinaw to the marketing and sales staff for Instrument Products. Guinaw will support the company's new business thrust in the Western region, coupled with select strategic accounts in the Baltimore/Washington DC area.
* Brush Wellman's Electronic Products Division has named Renaud de Langlade European marketing manager. Previously, de Langlade held a similar position at Kyocera's Microelectronics Division.
* Taconic has named John Bushie technical service and application engineering manager for North America and Asia, and Rich Trine technical service engineer for the Advanced Dielectric Division (ADD). Previously, Bushie served as sales manager and technical service manager with the company; Trine worked with Taconic as ADD manufacturing manager.
REP APPOINTMENTS
* Coleman Microwave Corp. , Edinburg, VA, has announced a series of sales representation appointments. Sierra Technical Group Inc. , Scottsdale, AZ, will cover Arizona and New Mexico; Vincent Pirro Industries (VPI) , Dayton, MD, will cover Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia; and TX Sales Inc. , Fort Wayne, IN, will cover Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan and Kentucky.
* Emerson & Cuming Microwave Products Inc. , Randolph, MA, has appointed Spartech South , Palm Bay, FL, and PhaseCom Inc. , Grapevine, TX, as its exclusive sales and technical representatives for the ECCOSORB,® ECCOSTOCK® and ECCOSHIELD® product lines. Spartech will cover Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Alabama; PhaseCom will cover Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana.
WEB SITES
* Texas Instruments has redesigned its TIRIS™ Web site, www.tiris.com, making the one-stop informational site more comprehensive and user friendly. The site contains complete downloadable brochures, reference guides and application notes, as well as company facts, contact information, downloadable graphic images and recent press releases.
* The International Microwave Power Institute (IMPI) has made its database of peer-reviewed papers on industrial, commercial and consumer microwave heating technology available for online research at www.impi.org. Spanning more than 35 years of IMPI publications and almost 3000 literature citations, the database offers researchers, educators and product developers a quick, easy method of browsing microwave heating literature.
* Heraeus Inc. is launching a new global Web site, www.4cmd.com, which contains extensive information on all products and systems in the company's recently renamed Circuit Materials Division. The site includes items such as data sheets and technical information in PDF format that previously have not been available online.