Front End I News
Demand for integrated parts set to drive Bluetooth chip shipment growth
Worldwide shipments of ICs that include Bluetooth technology are set to rise to 3.1 billion units in 2017, up 91 percent from 1.6 billion in 2011, according to a report from IMS Research, now part of IHS. That growth will be driven by demand for wireless combination integrated circuits (ICs) and mobile system-on-chip (MSoC) devices with integrated wireless connectivity that are used in mobile devices like smartphones and media tablets.
While shipments of standalone Bluetooth chips are substantial, the market is currently dominated by combination ICs that incorporate support for multiple wireless technologies in addition to Bluetooth. However, the fastest-growing segment of the Bluetooth chip market is MSoCs, whose shipments are expected to rise by a factor of 18 from 2012 to 2017. By 2017, MSoCs are expected to
declining to 21 percent in 2017, down from 24 percent in 2011. Many of today’s most popular and advanced smartphones and tablets are employing combination connectivity ICs. For example, Apple’s iPad Mini and iPhone 5 employ Broadcom’s BCM4334 single-chip, dual-band combo device. The BCM4334 includes support for Wi-Fi and an FM radio receiver, along with Bluetooth.
account for 23 percent of the market, up from just 2 percent in 2012 and zero
Record growth figures for Axiom
Axiom Manufacturing Services, the contract electronics manufacturer, has reported record turnover and operating profits for the year ending December 2012. Revenues for the year surged by 51 percent to reach £29.9m while operating earnings rose to £1.9m.
Axiom employs
235 people at its 18 acre site in Newbridge. Some 49 new jobs were created in 2012, including a further two apprentices. Commenting David Davies, managing director at Axiom, said: “We are obviously pleased with our results for 2012. The team here at Axiom have continued to deliver year on year growth for the last three years amid a backdrop of very tough market and economic conditions. These results are a testament to what makes us different, our people and our focus on servicing customers”. Davies said that the company’s growth could be attributed to its focus in adding value to the customer supply chains through services that complement its core electronic manufacturing services (EMS) offering. These include the strengthening of its design and development team, the addition of a rapid prototyping centre, its innovative approach to manufacturing and the supply chain, all underpinned by a relentless focus on internal quality and delivery metrics. In its 11th year of trading with a strong history in high reliability and high technology sectors, Axiom serves the medical, industrial, aerospace and defence markets. Despite a touch economic environment the company has continued to invest heavily in staff, processes and equipment. According to Davies,“2012 was a successful year for the company amid a general
downturn in the global manufacturing industry. Our goals for 2013 and beyond are simply to remain focused on our business model, adding value to our customers. Over fifty per cent of the growth we experienced in 2012 was organic; customer accounts grew based on our performance and the value we add. We will continue to refine and adapt our model and offerings and work with our customers on their technology and manufacturing roadmaps to ensure that we stay ahead of the curve.”
6 May 2013 Components in Electronics
in 2011. Standalone devices' share of the market largely will remain flat,
“Smartphones and media tablets are packing increasing capabilities into products that have a lower cost and a thinner form factor,” said Liam Quirke, connectivity analyst at IHS. “All this is driving demand for more highly integrated ICs, including Bluetooth- enabled connectivity chips and MSoCs. Most of the leading smartphone platforms already make use of integrated connectivity ICs, and increasingly will adopt Bluetooth-enabled MSoCs in the future.”
Acal BFi launches new UK Custom Services Centre
Acal BFi - a
division of Acal plc - has consolidated its value-add services from the UK into a new, dedicated UK Custom Services Centre as part of a £2million
David Davies
investment. The new centre will provide customers with what the company has described as a highly responsive and integrated mix of services to stimulate
innovation and accelerate time to market. Based in Wokingham, the Custom Services Centre will offer best-practice & standards-based (ISO 9001:2008) assembly services to support the UK’s electronics manufacturing sector. It will provide a single centre of excellence in the UK and combines a number of Acal BFi’s technology specialists with customisable in- house assembly and test facilities providing customers with a rapid response and end- to-end support for high-quality UK-based design, manufacturing and assembly services.
In addition to specialist design teams and in-house testing for pre-compliance to EMC standards, the centre will assemble and customise connectors, fibre-optics, power supplies and microsystems, as well as handling other electromechanical
assembly projects.
Commenting David Gibbs, General Manager of the new Custom Services Centre, said, “Our experience shows that no two customers are alike. By combining services from around the UK into a single technology-led design and manufacturing facility, the Custom Services Centre will enable Acal BFi to react quickly and comprehensively with a range of highly configurable and scalable services built around individual customer needs.” The UK centre is part of Acal BFi’s
European strategy that has seen similar custom services and competence centres established in France and Germany. The new centre has created 15 highly-skilled jobs with all staff provided with a formal education programme for continued skills development.
www.cieonline.co.uk
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