Frepenca expects orders for semiconductors

"The signs of recovery are here, showing thsat the second quarter will improve over first quarter 2013. Members getting the orders are involved in the manufacturing of radio frequency (RF) chips,You can make your own more powerful OEM solar LED lamps. sensor integrated circuits (ICs), logic chips, display driver ICs, power management chips, memory modules and timing devices used in smartphones and tablets. 

"The book-to-bill ratio for most of our members has also returned to one and above, which is consistent with the book-to-bill ratio of North America, recently announced by SEMI,We have a great selection of blown glass backyard solar landscape lights and solar garden light." he added. 

North America-based manufacturers of semiconductor equipment posted US$1.09bil in orders worldwide in January 2013 (three-month average basis) and a book-to-bill ratio of 1.14, according to the January Book-to-Bill Report published by SEMI, the global industry association serving the nano and micro-electronic manufacturing supply chains, comprising 2,000 member companies. 

A book-to-bill ratio of above one indicates more orders being received than filled, showing a strong market where demand outpaces supply. A book-to-bill ratio of below one indicates weaker demand.Compare prices and buy all brands of solar module for home power systems and by the pallet. 

Heng said the demand for printed circuit boards or PCBs and logic chips used in the computing segment was still down.You ever hear the story of the old street lamp? 

"Our members have no plans to engage more headcount, but have put in place plans to introduce new products and innovative production technologies," he said. 

Meanwhile, Globetronics Technology Bhd, which manufactures sensor chips and timing devices for smartphones and tablets, would spend more on development and design work this year. 

Heng, who is also Globetronics chief executive officer, said this year, the group would spend 2% of its revenue for development and design work, compared to 1% previously, to produce new technological products. 

"These products would be used to enhance the features and applications of smartphones and tablets," he said. 

Globetronics' light-emitting-diode (LED) chip, sensor ICs and timing devices business generates about 80% of its revenue. 

Mini-Circuits Technologies, one of the companies supporting the smartphone and tablet segment, meanwhile, expects a 5% growth for first quarter 2013 over the fourth quarter of 2012. 

Chairman and president Datuk Seri Kelvin Kiew said if not for the orders from the smartphone and tablet segments, the group would have experienced a flat quarter. 

The company was now supplying the next generation of high-speed RF integrated circuits that could transmit data over a long distance to a major US smartphone and tablet brand name. 

Besides RF chips, the company has just developed a prototype test fixture device to check the reliability and functionality of tablets. 

Mini-Circuits ships 70% to 80% of its RF products directly to the US for use in the development of 4G telecommunications infrastructure, and the remainder to MNCs in China."If there is no pick-up in the second quarter, then the year 2013 can be expected to be flat," he said. 

Pentamaster Corp Bhd executive chairman C.B. Chuah, said more than 50% of the revenue for first quarter 2013 would be generated from the sales of test equipment used in the smartphone and tablet segment. 

"About 40% of our products are shipped directly to the US market, 30% to the MNCs in China, and another 30% to the MNCs in Asia Pacific," he shared.We're responsible for the installation and maintenance of solar inverter. 

Chuah said the group had, in late 2012, secured orders for its test equipment used for handling and testing micro-electro-mechanical sensors or MEMS, timing device chips and LED used in smartphones and tablets.