Southern Africa
Avitronics, a South African company jointly owned by Grintek and Saab, has successfully concluded a contract in excess of R7m with Abu Dhabi Shipbuilding. The contract is for the delivery of four Integrated Naval Laser Warning Systems to be installed onboard the United Arab Emirates Navy Baynunah-class Corvettes.
SA company, Logtronics, jointly owned by Grintek and Saab, and Eurostep, have entered into a partnership to provide services and solutions in the area of exchanging and sharing product life cycle data for the defence industry, as well as other industries dealing with complex product lifecycle information. The agreement is focused on the African market but is also applicable globally. "Logtronics has impressive knowledge in the domains that our software, Share-A-space, targets and together we will offer state-of-the-art solutions," says Gordon Ishammar, sales director for Eurostep. "South Africa is increasing its presence in global markets and there is significant interest from international companies to do business in South Africa."
Grintek Ewation's Security Systems division has been awarded a contract by Airports of Mauritius Co for the design, supply, installation, configuration, integration and commissioning of a fully integrated security system at the SSR International Airport in Mauritius. The total project, worth more than R10 million, consists of the design and installation of a fully functional access control system with a card-issuing and management system.
Fluke Corporation has appointed Comtest subsidiary, Electest, as its sole distributor in southern Africa. Peter Verwer, the managing director of Electest, said that it is going to the market with an excellent range of world class products that will be supported by a high level of service from people with specialist knowledge and expertise. Electest will concentrate on marketing Fluke products and will be offering the market an expanded range of high quality electrical and industrial products. See "'Measure with confidence', says new Fluke distributor".
DataNet has announced that its new BEE partner will be trading under the name of ICT-SA Distribution. It will be headed up by Yunus Sadick, who is also the major shareholder and investor. All DataNet's products are now available from ICT, although the focus will be primarily on the ModRac range of high quality cabinets, wall boxes and the EnviroRac.
South African banks, Absa and FNB, have begun distributing a new credit and debit card payment system that offers the comfort of high security and better efficiencies for its customers. Imported by Altech Card Solutions (ACS), the new handheld device, based on the DECT radio frequency technology, allows a customer at a restaurant, for example, to pay a bill on-line without leaving the table. Forty of the new payment systems are already in use throughout South Africa, with a full roll-out of the EMV approved system expected during the first quarter of next year.
Spescom is implementing a business model aimed at streamlining its channels to market. The move will see the multimedia transaction recording division, Spescom DataVoice, concentrate its activities on further ongoing R&D of its ground-breaking technology and products, while distributing its products through indirect channels into local and international markets. Spescom DataFusion will continue its drive to grow market share in the contact centre arena, but will now also function as one of several local value-added resellers for DataVoice branded products. This strategy will assist Spescom DataVoice to significantly grow its network of VARs in South Africa and abroad.
ACG Identification, a leading component and technology supplier in the smartcard and RFID markets, has appointed Clyde Technologies of Cape Town as its local representative in South Africa. "Through our agreement with ACG, we bring in a neutral source of vendor-independent advice and make ACG's extensive knowledge of smartcard and RFID components and systems accessible to the local players," said Walter Müller, founder of Clyde Technologies. "Our aim is to respond to the increasing interest in contactless technology and smartcard applications expressed by the South African industries who have already experienced successful implementation of advanced auto ID technology."
Zest Electric Motors and Drives has built a new facility at the company's Linbro Park premises, that comprises an electronics repair and testing facility, a secure high value storage area, a skills development and training centre and dedicated office space. The training centre will be used to train staff as well as distributors, system integrators and customer employees. The centre will run scheduled training courses, both theoretical and practical, aimed at increasing technical skills and will be equipped with eight training benches where training on soft-starters and variable speed drives will take place.
RS South Africa recently donated R551 000 worth of products to the electrical and electronic department of Mangosuthu Technikon in Durban. Committed to and supportive of the national vision to uplift as well as empower young South Africans through education, RS has in the last year donated over R2,7 million in a wide range of products to colleges as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility program. Previous recipients of donations have included the Central Johannesburg College, False Bay College and College of Cape Town in Gugulethu. Pictured are (from left): Gary Johnstone, RS export manager; Craig Hanegraaf, RS territory manager; Michael Ker-Fox, RS territory manager; Stephen Gumede, senior lecturer at Mangosuthu Technikon; Senzo Malinga, H.O.D. Electrical Engineering, Mangosuthu Technikon.
The South African Radio League is holding a lecture on the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project with Prof Justin Jonas of Rhodes University as guest speaker. The lecture is part of the SARL's Radio Technology in Action Programme which focuses on new and emerging communication and electronic technologies. The lecture will be held on 12 February 2005 at the SARL National Amateur Radio Centre at Sender Technology Park in Roodepoort, Johannesburg. To book call the SARL on +27 (0)11 675 2393 or e-mail [email protected].
Electronic Touch Systems has moved to 165 Beyers Naudé Drive, Northcliff, 2195, Johannesburg. New tel: +27 (0)11 782 3346, fax: +27 (0)11 782 3347. Postal address remains the same.
Overseas
Companies
Advanced Power Technology, a supplier of power semiconductors for switching and RF applications, has entered into an agreement to acquire PowerSicel, a Colorado-based company focused on RF power utilising silicon carbide. The purchase provides APT with a centre for technological and innovation excellence for compound semiconductors, starting with silicon carbide, as well as significant capability for commercial devices utilising currently available compound semiconductor technologies.
Cadence Design Systems has signed an agreement to acquire Verisity in a deal estimated to be worth $285 m. Through the acquisition, Cadence will gain Verisity's Specman Elite testbench generation tool to complement its simulation and formal verification tool portfolio.
Eagleware announced that its name has changed to Eagleware-Elanix Corporation to reflect Eagleware's recent acquisition of Elanix.
Temex is restructuring to fuel future company growth. The new company structure is simplified and articulated around three business groups - Filters and Sensors, Time and Frequency, and Ceramics. As part of the restructuring, the company also announced the spin-off of its Microwave and Diodes activities to the Chelton Group (Cobham Group), a leader in military and space industries in France and in Europe.
International Rectifier and Memec have signed a global distribution agreement. Memec will provide technical sales, marketing, distribution and logistics globally as an extension of IR's existing sales and support channels. Memec has offices in more than 30 countries.
Infineon Technologies announced it is simplifying its organisation this year, to create shorter and faster decision paths across the entire company, a stronger customer orientation, as well as greater efficiency and flexibility. Business responsibilities on the Managing Board will be reallocated, with one Managing Board member presiding over each of the now three business groups. Mobile and wireline communications will be combined in the new Communication business group, and the security and chip card activities will be integrated into the extended business group: Automotive, Industrial and Multimarket.
Memec has joined the LSI Logic RapidChip Partner Program. The program reduces time-to-revenue, design risks and system costs by providing platform ASIC designers with third-party development capabilities.
Industry
RFID tags are poised to become the most far-reaching wireless technology since the cellphone, according to research firm, In-Stat. Worldwide revenues from RFID tags will jump from $300m in 2004 to $2,8 bn in 2009. During this period, the technology will appear in many industries with significant impact on the efficiency of business processes, it says. By far the biggest RFID segment in coming years will be cartons/supply chain, according to analyst Allen Nogee, with this segment alone forecast to account for the largest number of tags/labels from 2005 through 2009.
Digital television (DTV) has finally gained brisk momentum in the market, according to iSuppli. After going through various phases of scepticism, rejection, casual interest and finally genuine acceptance, DTV is now on the path of market success because governments worldwide have set mandates and deadlines to convert all analog transmission to digital and because content and service providers are finally delivering compelling DTV programming. DTV shipments will enjoy a CAGR of 46% from 17,2 million units in 2004 to 77,5 million units in 2008, it states.
VoIP IC revenue will rise from $137,6m in 2003 to $938,4m in 2008, according to In-Stat. The main driver for this rapid growth will be the integration of VoIP functionality with many 'dual-mode' cellular/VoIP (over WLAN) handsets, it believes, gaining mainstream traction in 2006 and ramping up extremely quickly in 2007 and beyond.
ABI Research has released the results of an industry survey of the freight container security tracking industry. This industry, still in its infancy, is set to grow dramatically due to increasing security concerns worldwide and, as survey respondents noted, gains from supply chain optimisation. The results are available at www.abiresearch.com/download_CSTsurvey.jsp.
Infineon Technology has terminated the Amended and Restated Master Sale and Purchase Agreement with Finisar.
The ITU is launching an initiative to establish a network of at least 100 Multipurpose Community Telecentres (MCTs) in 20 African countries. The MCTs will provide critical access for communities to information and communication technologies (ICT), to help ensure these communities can obtain the social and economic benefits that come with participation in the information society.
Siemens-owned Roke Manor Research, has invested £200 000 in the UK's first mobile antenna testing facility to be accredited capable of meeting the Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association (CTIA) testing requirements.
The Development Gateway Foundation is seeking nominations for the second Development Gateway Award. The $100 000 award will recognise outstanding achievement in using information and communication technologies (ICT) to improve people's lives in developing countries. An independent foundation launched by the World Bank, the Development Gateway operates a global Web portal of development information. In launching the competition, the Development Gateway aims to help advance the use of ICT for development by recognising leaders and innovative initiatives in the field. See www.developmentgateway.org/award.
Global semiconductor distributor, Memec, was named 'Global Distributor of the Year' for C&D Technologies' Power Electronics division. Memec said it received the award for its commitment to growing sales across the full C&D Power Electronics product portfolio on a global basis.
RF Micro Devices has announced it is the first company to ship one million EDGE cellular transceiver chipsets.
Royal Philips Electronics has announced it has set an industry record with the shipment of one billion mobile displays. Mobile Display Systems (MDS), a business unit within Philips Semiconductors, customises display technologies for OEMs in the telecommunications, automotive and avionics markets.
Technology
IBM has announced that it will give open source developers free access to 500 of its software patents, a significant shift in the way it manages its huge IP portfolio. IBM said its offer is available to any individual, group or company working on or using software complying with an industry initiative's definition of open source software.
Samsung Electronics developed a digital TV receiver chip for terrestrial (VSB) and cable (QAM) digital TV broadcasting. The S5H1406 enables digital TV receivers to acquire and track signals in harsh environments such as multipath channel conditions, dynamic conditions with multiple signal variations and where reception is weak, said Samsung.
Panasonic announced plans at the Consumer Electronics Show to sell and license its in-house powerline technology. The company has allied with Mitsubishi and Sony to ensure competing powerline approaches will not interfere with each other.
Infineon Technologies researchers claim to have constructed the world's smallest nanotube transistor, with a channel length of only 18 nm. The most advanced transistors today are almost four times this size. To build their nanotransistor, the researchers grew carbon nanotubes, each one measuring only 0,7 to 1,1 nm in diameter, in a controlled process. Carbon nanotubes carry electrical current virtually without friction on their surface thanks to 'ballistic' electron transport and can therefore handle 1000 times more than copper wire. They can also be both conducting and semiconducting. Infineon says that this transistor can deliver currents over 15 μA at a supply voltage of only 0,4 V.
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