AMD to Sell ZT Systems Manufacturing Business to Sanmina for $3B

SANTA CLARA, CA – AMD has entered into a definitive agreement to divest ZT Systems’ US-based data center infrastructure manufacturing business to Sanmina for $3 billion in cash and stock, including a potential $450 million contingent payment.

As part of the agreement, Sanmina becomes AMD’s preferred new product introduction (NPI) manufacturing partner for rack-scale and cluster-scale AI infrastructure. AMD will retain ZT Systems’ design and customer enablement teams to continue supporting rapid deployment and high-quality AI solutions for cloud providers.

The transaction, expected to close by the end of the year pending regulatory approval, fulfills AMD’s stated intent from its 2024 ZT Systems acquisition to partner out the manufacturing portion of the business.

Siemens to Acquire Wevolver

MUNICH – Siemens Digital Industries Software announced its intent to acquire Wevolver, a move that will enhance its previous acquisition of Supplyframe platform by extending its global reach, adding to its content capabilities and strengthening digital marketing and campaign execution. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

Supplyframe, acquired by Siemens in 2021, delivers real-time insights into design intent, demand, supply, and risk factors for the electronics industry. The addition of Wevolver brings a broader audience of hardware and software engineers to the platform, fostering a deeper connection with professionals involved in early-stage product research and innovation.

“The future of product development starts with smarter design decisions – and that means meeting engineers where innovation begins,” said Steve Flagg, CEO and founder, Supplyframe. “By joining forces with Wevolver, we’re not just expanding our reach; we’re accelerating a new era of design-to-source intelligence that’s collaborative, data-driven and built for the speed of tomorrow’s manufacturing.”

Wevolver’s content platform reaches millions of engineers monthly across web and social media, offering technical resources on semiconductors, robotics, AI and manufacturing processes. The combination with Supplyframe is expected to provide manufacturers and distributors greater visibility for emerging technologies at the crucial stage of research.

“Supplyframe and Wevolver both support engineering professionals throughout their research, development, and supply chain journey,” said Bram Geenen, CEO, Wevolver. “Together we bring an even stronger value proposition to the global technology ecosystem and will be the home for the global engineering community.”

Syrma to Add Bare Board Manufacturing

MUMBAI – Syrma SGS Technology in May approved the incorporation of two wholly owned subsidiaries to manufacture electronic components, bare printed circuit boards, component assembly and manufacturing interface cards and other electronic components.

The measure marks an expansion of the company’s traditional EMS focus.

Syrma’s revenue for the fiscal year ended March 31 was 2.3 million rupees ($269 million), up 23% year-over-year.

MKS Breaks Ground on $40M Thailand Facility

ANDOVER, MA – MKS Instruments has begun construction on a $40 million chemical manufacturing facility and technical center near Bangkok.

The new site aims to support Southeast Asia’s PCB and advanced packaging sectors.

The 27,000 sq. m site will offer chemical production, plating technologies, labs and regional service, with operations expected in 2027

Lacroix to Exit North American Market by End of Year

SAINT-HERBLAIN, FRANCE – Lacroix announced plans to fully exit its North American electronics operations by the end of the year as part of a shift toward higher-potential activities in Europe and environmental solutions.

The company will explore options for its North American operations, including sale, shutdown or liquidation. It will also seek to pare its dependence on the automotive sector.

The exit follows sustained losses and worsening conditions at Lacroix Electronics, which operates in Juarez, Mexico and Grand Rapids, MI.

The division reported an EBITDA loss of approximately $14.5 million on annual revenue of roughly $151.7 million in 2024. Multiple contract losses and geopolitical uncertainty, including the risk of new US import duties, contributed to the decision.

For the first quarter, Lacroix’s electronics revenue fell 15.9% year-over-year to $125.1 million.

Cofactr Acquires Hardware Sourcing Provider Cogbase

NEW YORK – Cofactr has acquired Cogbase, a hardware sourcing platform with a network of over 450,000 suppliers, to strengthen and scale supplier options for US manufacturers. Terms were not disclosed.

The acquisition will permit Cofactr to automate sourcing for complex parts while reducing the average time spent on vetting suppliers.

Cofactr will integrate Cogbase’s automated sourcing capabilities, including 2-D/3-D drawing uploads, specification matching and supplier outreach.

“Going through multiple rounds of searches for new suppliers has often become the norm for hardware procurement teams,” said Phillip Gulley, CSO and cofounder, Cofactr. “With Cogbase, we’re expanding our ability to solve this challenge.”

Cogbase CEO Doug Platz will now serve as Cofactr’s head of supplier network. The deal follows Cofactr’s February acquisition of Factor.io.

Celanese to Divest Electronics Business

DALLAS – Celanese is preparing to sell its Micromax electronic inks and paste unit as part of a broader push to cut debt and raise cash. The business, housed within its engineered materials division, is expected to bring in over $300 million in revenue this year.

The company aims to generate $1 billion from divestitures over the next 30 months, with Micromax positioned as the first in a series of sales.

The company was developed by DuPont and acquired by Celanese during its $11 billion buyout of DuPont’s mobility and materials segment in 2022.

CEO Scott Richardson emphasized the high level of interest in the unit and said that going public with the sale was a strategic move. Additional divestitures may come from both the engineered materials and acetyl chain businesses as Celanese looks to streamline around its core operations and prioritize deleveraging.

TechSearch Warns of Substrate Shortage by 2029

AUSTIN, TX – A supply shortage of build-up substrates is looming, starting in 2029, with tight conditions emerging as early as 2028, according to a new report from tech research firm TechSearch International.

In its latest Advanced Packaging Update, TechSearch says a surge in artificial intelligence hardware, particularly for training and inference workloads, is accelerating demand for high-bandwidth memory stacks and pushing substrate body sizes larger across server CPUs and high-end network switches.

The report, which includes a detailed capacity and demand analysis, emphasizes how this trend will affect the global supply chain for advanced packaging.

Despite sluggish long-term growth in consumer electronics, 2024 saw 5.2% revenue growth for the top 20 OSATs from the previous year, driven by a rebound in smartphone and PC shipments. TechSearch projects limited future growth in PC, smartphone and consumer markets, however, which may constrain unit volumes for ball grid array (BGA) and chip scale packages (CSPs).

Epec Acquires Roca Printed Circuits

DALLAS – Epec Engineered Technologies’ NetVia Group division has acquired Roca Printed Circuits, a move aimed at enhancing both companies’ printed circuit board offerings.

Barry Finberg, president of Dallas-based Roca, said the partnership comes in response to global economic shifts and supply chain pressures: “Epec was the clear choice to uphold the standards of quality, pricing and delivery that Roca customers have come to expect.”

Epec has expanded its manufacturing facilities across the US, UK and Asia. Since acquiring NetVia in 2020, the company has doubled production capacity and now adds Roca’s operations to its Dallas-based footprint.

The acquisition is part of Epec’s broader strategy to strengthen domestic manufacturing.

Kaynes Technology Acquires August Electronics

CALGARY, AB – Kaynes Technology India Limited has announced the acquisition of Canada-based August Electronics through its subsidiary, Kaynes Canada Ltd. The transaction was expected to close by the end of May, pending regulatory approvals.

August will continue to operate under its existing structure, with CEO Tanya Korenda remaining in her role, while Co-Founders Jack Francis and Peter Wilson will step away.

“There is a tremendous alignment between August and Kaynes in terms of culture, capabilities and customer focus,” said Korenda.

Kaynes managing director Ramesh Kannan called the move “a strategic alternative to China-based sourcing” and said it strengthens the company’s reach in North America.