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ICT platforms to showcase the digital convergence landscape
Digital convergence has transformed the way of carrying out business, while our evolving lifestyles are driving continuous innovations in convergence applications. The CommunicAsia2009 Summit in Singapore together with Enterprise IT & InteractiveDME, which are both being held from 16-19 June, will spotlight the complete convergence of technology through the value chain and its commercial implications for the telecommunications market. 
The event will cover popular topics like broadband access technologies, fixed and wireless broadband, WiMAX / LTE / HSPA / WiBro, mobile backhaul, FTTH and GPON / GEPON, mobile interactive services and technologies, mobile Internet, LBS, messaging, mobile advertising and NGMN, and next generation networks including service delivery platforms, IMS, VoIP, video over IP, triple play / quad play, and Web 2.0. Professionals from industry-leading enterprises worldwide, PTT/ communications authorities/ regulators, and telco operators will attend the event to explore solutions for both their current business activities and the next wave of innovative ideas. More than 600 people from 33 countries attended the 4 day CommunicAsia2008 Summit in 2008.
Environmental management is still an important issue for the telecommunications industry, and most practitioners try every effort to be environmentally responsible. Operators, vendors, and systems integrators have been trying to minimize their environmental impact by revising their business models, integrating green strategies across product categories, or developing energy efficient solutions. ”Green Telecoms” will be one of the key features in the forum to help evaluate ways to control energy consumption and minimize carbon footprint, as well as to examine the ethical and commercial benefits of going green.
As an EMS company that specializes in the communications technology industry, Elcoteq has been instituting green strategies and practices for several years and working with its customers and stakeholders to help them with their green initiatives. Elcoteq’s helps customer being successful by providing eco friendly manufacturing methods to comply with today and future regulations and to improve its environmental performance throughout the whole supply chain. Let us know how we can work with you to achieve a greener environment.
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Topics:
After Market Services, CommunicAsia, ems, Green Telecoms, HSPA, IEMS, IMS, Infrastructure, Integrated EMS, IP, LTE, mobile, mobile advertising, VoIP, Web, WiBro, WiMax
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EMS Lean Sigma Shortens Cycle Time, Reduces Costs, and Improves Quality for the Entire Supply Chain
By Maths E. Andersson, Global Quality & Processes Director, Elcoteq
Lean Sigma, an approach that has been in practice for several years, mixes the Lean Manufacturing concept and problem solving approach with Six Sigma for a more efficient manufacturing process. Lean Sigma is combined with a company’s strategic objectives to make sure every project and activity benefits these strategic objectives and always has a positive affect on net profit. By implementing Lean Sigma, Elcoteq has shortened cycle time, reduced costs, and improved quality for its entire supply chain.
A Lean Manufacturing Case History
Because Lean Sigma is an adaptation of two well-documented and used concepts, many companies individualize their approach, incorporating the aspects of each concept they find to be successful for their company. This Lean Sigma program is unique to Elcoteq and these techniques have been applied throughout Elcoteq’s plants globally to gain consistency in manufacturing operations and structure. To better monitor the project and improve the results, implementation was divided into phases.
Phase 1: To improve demand flow in the manufacture of semiconductor products in the surface mount (SMT) line, the inventory level for the SMT and final assembly (FA) lines were defined based on a process map to maintain an optimal buffer level to improve cash flow and reduce warehouse space.
Phase 2: To transform the final assembly to a demand-driven flow assembly. To share use of the general and common parts of the test and assembly operations in individual production lines to increase total production line capacity.
Phase 3: To align material and capacity available with flexibility targets set towards fluctuations in the customer’s demand. To apply a computerized software system to closely monitor the daily requirements of materials from the customer and execute quick changeover.
Benchmarking and sharing best practices were conducted after the project was completed. The result was that line capacity increased about 40% and the plant’s operation could respond daily to the changes in the customer’s demand more efficiently.
This approach incorporates Lean Sigma using a kanban pull production model implementation between SMT and final assembly. Operation is based on a daily production plan. There is visualization planning, so there is actual on-site data of what is being used and what needs replenishing. Inventory is reduced because you pull just what is needed, when it’s needed, speeding response time in planning and reducing the wait for materials. Materials are delivered directly into the manufacturing process so some of the component buffer can be removed and manufacturing is done to production instead of stock, resulting in just-in-time delivery with single piece flow. On demand material acquisition minimizes obsolescence and helps to ensure that purchased materials meet the most up-to-date environmental compliance requirements. The cost of capital is reduced. Things happen simultaneously. An MRP system is used for inventory planning and to get materials from the warehouse to the assembly line quickly and as needed.
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Topics:
6 Sigma, 6Sigma, AMS, China, cycle time, ems, FTT, Lean, lean manufacturing, Lean Sigma, material flow, Mexico, Quality, Reduce Cost, SMT, Strategy, supply chain, WIP
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Importance and Development of Supply Chain Management
A major focus of Technology Forecasters’ Quarterly Forum was the rising importance of Supply Chain Management (SCM), its optimization and visibility.
Walldorf, Germany, May 2009.
The Technology Forecasters Inc. (TFI) quarterly forum was hosted by SAP in their headquarters close to Heidelberg. A major focus of this forum was the importance and key success criteria of Supply Chain Management (SCM). Participants from all over the world, representing OEMs, EMS and logistic companies, shared best practices and discussed key issues of today’s SCM activities.
SCM Optimization
Supply Chain Optimization strategies consist of several key areas to be taken into consideration. Lively discussions and examples were kicked around at the event.
As inventory management is facing demand volatility or supply chain disruptions, a negative impact on cash flow is a real risk to business. Inventory optimization is part of the inventory right-sizing strategies of companies; this should be formalized in inventory policy. The connection between target inventory days and product life cycle is a vital factor to be considered. Aspects of the inventory policy are demand, lead times, number of products, objectives (like service levels or minimizing costs) and the general cost structure.
The inventory strategy should be set by the business strategy and can be mapped out in a simple format, as Douglas Kent, President of eKNOWtion, showed in his presentation. It could be composed of competitive requirements, like reliability, responsiveness and flexibility, and also cost requirements and asset management efficiency goals. Each supply chain needs to prioritize these requirements and consider their hierarchy with each specific product life cycle.
As a summary, one could say that each product needs ITS OWN inventory and supply chain strategy.
As a key factor it became clear that not one supply chain strategy fits all organizations. The future can be seen in the concept of supply chain design and optimization, where an optimal business result will be generated from the combination of supply network optimization and inventory optimization.
SC Visibility
What is Supply Chain Visibility? The availability and visibility of the right information to enable the right product, at the right time, at the right place to ensure cost-effective decision-making for efficient product or service delivery, says Hitesh Attri, Supply Chain Consultant at eKNOWtion. To achieve improved customer performance and reduce internal costs, Supply Chain Visibility is needed. A clear SC Visibility roadmap is critical for implementation. Some aspects to consider are: identify the right metrics and define targets, identify root causes for missing information, set up a cross-functional team and involve all stakeholders in the process. A clear process with responsibilities, automation of data acquisition wherever possible and continuous improvement is vital for success. Clear SC Visibility can create value for shareholders and a competitive advantage for the business.
As quoted during the discussions, within the top 25 rated SCM companies, you can find 9 who are rated as top innovative companies as well. During difficult economic times, optimized and visible SCM can help companies to stay flexible, innovative and successful in the market..
Topics:
Electronics Manufacturing Services, ems, Global, IEMS, manufacturing, SCM, supply chain, TFI, World Mobile Congress; Outsourcing; Contract manufactur
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Swine Influenza in Mexico - no impact for Elcoteq’s production in Mexico
According to WHO (World Health Organization), on May 26, 46 countries have officially reported 12,954 cases of influenza A(H1N1) infection, including 92 deaths.
Elcoteq has two plants in Mexico, located in Monterrey and Juarez. These plants are employing approximately 4,000 people.
At the moment, no cases of influenza A(H1N1) infection have been reported on Elcoteq’s plants in Monterrey and Juarez, Mexico. The manufacturing has continued normally in both plants. Elcoteq has taken several precautions to secure its employees health and safety in Mexico to minimize the risk of infection with disease..
Topics:
ems, H1N1, influenza, Juarez, manufacturing, Mexico, MTY, production, Swine Influenza, WHO
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Elcoteq: Flat Panel TV in China
It is expected that the market for flat panel TVs (including LCD and PDP) in China will grow significantly, with a compound annual growth rate of 26.7% from 2008 to 2012, according to DisplaySearch. There is an installed base of approximately 400 million CRT TVs available to be replaced by flat panel TVs. DisplaySearch believes that the Chinese TV market is entering the flat panel TV era in 2009. DisplaySearch stated that flat panel TVs will replace CRT TVs when its price is approximately twice that of a similar-sized CRT. This has already occurred in the 30 to 34-inch size range, and the trend is moving down in screen size. From 2008 to 2012, unit shipments and share of flat panel TVs in China will grow from 13million to 37million and 32% to 80% respectively.
Elcoteq is ready to support the OEMs to address this immense opportunity. The company considers flat panel TVs to be a strategic product segment for one of its business, Home Communications. Maintaining a reasonable inventory for large screen flat panel TVs is always extremely costly and puts a strain on facility space. It’s very expensive to control the logistics flow of such product on a just-in-time basis. The manufacturing capacities with proximity to vast markets and favourable costs are essential to better the OEMs’ profitable growth in the market.
Elcoteq Beijing, provides assembly manufacturing for handheld and infrastructure equipments of communications products, is so flexible to extend its service offering to cater for the OEMs’ needs in the region. In the first quarter of 2009, the plant started to provide service solutions for printed circuit board assemblies (PCBA) and various subassemblies for flat panel TVs, including related supply chain management and sourcing services. The manufacturing was ramped up according to schedule in second quarter to fulfill the customer’s requirement. Along with the progressive elimination of analog TV broadcasts in various markets and development of digitalization support for high definition TV, the set-top box market is inferred to grow following the track of the flat panel TVs.
Likewise, Elcoteq Beijing has managed to prepare for manufacturing set-top box. The plant has obtained the license to manufacture satellite television reception equipment from the Ministry of Commerce of China. This license enables Elcoteq Beijing to provide its customers with life-cycle support and full turnkey assembly services for set-top boxes. Besides Elcoteq Beijing, the Elcoteq Juarez, Mexico plant also supports OEMs in the flat panel TV and set-top box markets. By leveraging its global sourcing network, Elcoteq can develop products more efficiently with competitive cost and delivers more value to the OEMs in the business segmentt
Elcoteq Receives Membership in the Kempen/SNS Smaller SRI Europe Index for the 6th Consecutive Year
The focus on corporate responsibility is being intensified by increasing scrutiny from stakeholders, investors, customers, employers, governments and the media alike. The level of responsibility demanded will only increase and, according to Kempen, the level of Elcoteq′s recent reporting shows that the company is well placed for the future.
Kempen has updated its environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting screen on Elcoteq and has renewed Elcoteq’s its membership in the Kempen/ SNS Smaller SRI (Social Responsible Investment) Europe Index. Elcoteq has been included in the index since the index was launched in October 2003.
ESG factors contribute to long term financial performance and investment returns. There are a growing number of investors who include sustainability and ESG considerations within their decision making processes according to a KPMG’s report. The report indicates that the term ESG is used in the investment community to describe value drivers such as access to capital, innovation, access to new markets, license to operate, strengthened reputation, talent attraction and retention and the ability to work in partnership with key stakeholders. ESG screening has been integrated into the investor decision.
European companies that meet or exceed high ethical, social and environmental performance standards are included in the Kempen SRI universe. Elcoteq passed the exacting standards imposed by Kempen which included a thorough analysis of the material published by Elcoteq and responses to an extensive questionnaire. Elcoteq has been recognized for its demonstration of good SRI practice.
“Elcoteq has systematically developed its Corporate Responsibility activities for several years. Recognition of our efforts is always an important motivation for even further improvement.”, said Minna Aila, Director Investor Relations and Corporate Responsibility, Elcoteq SE..
Topics:
Communication Technology, Corporate Responsibility, CR, ESG, green, Kempen, SNS, Social Responsible Investment, SRI
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Two of the world’s foremost experts on strategy in one seminar
Professor C.K. Prahalad, one of the world’s most influential experts in corporate strategy and the most successful chess player of all time Garry Kasparov appeared in KPMG Finland’s executive seminar. KPMG’s exclusive event on Strategy took place on 11th May 2009 at the Helsinki Exhibition and Convention Centre. C.K. Prahalad and Garry Kasparov shared their latest views and thoughts on successful strategy and competitiveness on the tough and global battlefields of the 21st century business.
Approximately 200 hundred participants received the thinking tools needed to build and implement a strategy and compete successfully in today’s turbulent times and economic downturn.
Elcoteq was one of the sponsors of the seminar.
Elcoteq was represented by Tommi Pettersson (President, Communications Networks Business Area), Tomi Saario (Vice President, Strategy & M&A), Minna Aila (Director, Corporate Responsibility and Investor Relations), Olli-Pekka Vanhanen (Vice President, Business Control & Accounting), Juha Toivola (member of the Board of Directors) and Group Communications.
C.K. Prahalad has authored several international bestsellers and he has been a top ten management thinker in every major survey for over ten years. He was winner of the latest Thinkers 50 2007, the global ranking of business thinkers produced by Suntop Media.
Garry Kasparov has been the highest-rated chess player in the world for twenty years and is widely considered the greatest chess player of all time. Kasparov will take you inside his brilliant strategic mind and he will share the powerful secrets of strategy he has learned from dominating the world’s most intellectually challenging game..
Topics:
Brand Protection, Elcoteq, Electronics Manufacturing Services, ems, Finland, Helsinki, Kasparov, Prahalad, Strategy
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SMT/HYBRID/PACKAGING 2009, Nuremberg, Germany
The 2009 SMT/Hybrid/Packaging show did take place in the Nuremberg trade show center from May 5 to 7. The show is Europe’s no.1 special interest event for System Integration in Micro Electronics. From design and development to PCB production, components, packaging and test systems - SMT/HYBRID/PACKAGING offers a comprehensive and compact presentation of products.
The SMT/Hybrid/Packaging is since years a forum for the industry. Among other things the show presents the latest trends and developments as well as up-to-date solutions. The international show with more than 500 exhibitors had over 25.000 visitors form over 50 countries.
The focus of this years show was the manufacturing of electronic components on flexible printed circuit boards.
The EMS focus was highlighted at the VDI/VDE-IT joint booth in Hall 6, demonstrating the innovative approaches for PCB development as a basis for complex electronic systems. The fast development in the communications technology is driving towards miniturization and embedded compontents leading to more integrated PCBs.
The results in short:
26.500 sqm exhibition space
553 exhibitors + 38 represented companies
Apprx. 22.000 trade visitors
335 conference attendees
Find more info at:
www.mesago-online.de/en/SMT/main.htm
www.smt-exhibition.com>
Topics:
After Market Services, ems, Global SMT and Packaging, IEMS, Integrated EMS, PCB, PCBA, SMT, SMT/Hybrid/Packaging
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Not going green is not an option on the infrastructure side
By Elina Kokko
Advanced communication technology can play a significant role in creating a sustainable future. Green thinking is already reducing the running costs of data centers and rural base stations. The ICT (Information and communication technologies) sector currently generates approximately 2% of global carbon emissions, more than 2/3 of which are generated by the network.
On the network side green thinking in base stations has extended from materials used in base station build, to the efficiency of the operation and the maintenance and energy management solutions of the base stations themselves. Technical developments are increasing the efficiency of base stations, reducing the effect on the environment, and reducing costs. The energy consumption of a base station site can be reduced up to 70 percent by using the latest technology and in this way reduce the CO2 Emission. Alternative energy sources are being investigated, with solar power, wind power and biofuels used to extend mobile coverage in rural areas.
Cost efficiency as important driver
Reducing global carbon emissions also has financial drivers. One important driver for energy efficiency is the growing cost of energy and raw materials which is driving recycling and material use efficiency.
In addition to financial benefits environmental legislation and regulations are driving the communications network industry towards a more environmental sustainable future. Environmental legislation often originates in Europe, but is adopted in worldwide markets. A good example of this is the European Union’s new chemical regulation, REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals) that came into force in June 2007. The regulation aims to ensure the highest possible level of safety in chemical handling with regard to both human health and the environment.
EMS companies in important role
Customers of an EMS company must always be able to rest assured that the company’s operations are sustainable and ethical. Elcoteq is following the environmental impact at all stages of the product life cycle: design, NPI, manufacturing, after market services. For years now Elcoteq’s global environmental targets have been to lower energy consumption, reduce the amount of waste generated and increase waste recycling. All Elcoteq units comply with national and international legislation, regulations and generally approved principles concerning environmental matters. In 2008 Elcoteq introduced a carbon footprint measurement as one of the company’s continually monitored environmental indicators.
Product’s recyclability
Elcoteq uses a global application developed for internal material data management. This tool can be used to store, analyze and report the chemical content of all components and materials included in the product. This system also makes it easier to report on product recyclability and will be an important element to help with meeting future requirements, such as the EuP Directive, a framework for setting eco-design and development requirements for energy-using products.
Elcoteq uses the Design for Environment (DfE) process in its R&D projects. In order to ensure that, for example, product recyclability is improved and the use of hazardous substances, energy consumption and material amounts are minimized at the design phase, Elcoteq has created a DfE plan that includes the project schedule and a checklist of environmental criteria.
In the very end, there is huge capacity on the infrastructure side to reduce the carbon emissions percentage by improving over-all energy efficiency and decreasing power consumption. Meaning simply, that not going green is not an option for the industry..
Topics:
Base Stations, basestations, CN, Communication, Communication Technology, Communications, networks
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What’s the next deployment of WiMAX and LTE?
WiMAX remains one of the fastest-growing wireless broadband technologies, although its growth rate has not been as high as expected earlier. WiMAX investments by operators are expected to rise, especially in developing markets. An industry organization, the WiMAX Forum, sees the biggest growth in subscribers in the Asia Pacific region.
WiMAX deployment is continuously increasing in the market, but the overall state of the market does not match predictions. It is forecast that long term evolution technology (LTE) is coming slowly, but it won’t impact the telecom infrastructure market in the short term. At the moment, LTE products are in or at the end of the R&D phase, to be followed by field trials and then commercial deployments a few years later. In the meantime, high speed downlink packed access (HSDPA) has become a popular wireless broadband technology.
WiMAX Forum Congress Asia 09
WiMAX is still perceived as the wireless broadband technology of choice. The theme of the WiMAX Forum Congress Asia 09 this year is “WiMAX Leads the 4G Race – APAC’s First-To-Business Transformation”. WiMAX Asia 2009, a major WiMAX focused event for the region, will take place in Singapore from April 28th to 29th. Thousands of attendees will be able to learn about the latest WiMAX technology and solutions from speakers who are experts in the industry and to interact with global professionals. The focus of the WiMAX Spectrum Workshop will be on optimizing the use of the broadband
spectrum that is now widely available across Asia. Regulators, operators and vendors will look at clearing the residual barriers to WiMAX deployment and ways to develop practical implementation strategies that will satisfy the needs of all stakeholders.
LTE World Summit
LTE is expected to be adopted as the next generation technology to offer true mobile broadband. The upcoming LTE World Summit, running from May18th to 20th in Berlin, Germany will highlight the impact of LTE on mobile broadband and its future deployments. High level speakers will share the latest technical and strategic challenges as well as the opportunities that LTE presents with international operators, device manufacturers and application developers..
Topics:
Communication Technology, Communications, Communications Networks, Computer, Contract manufacturing, Corporate Responsibility, LTE, WiMax
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