After a disappointing 2001 which brought substantially lower sales volumes, consolidation to core activities, stringent cost cutting and a new management, all arrows are to point up again at Mania of Weilrod, Germany. Harald Frankenbach was appointed to lead the management board. Return to profitability is en-visioned for mid 2002. Nextto its test system business, Mania is one of the leading providers of interconnect carrier outsourcing services for production and quality control worldwide.
Another broadening of Mania’s technology and distribution base is the joint venture with Barco ETS, called ManiaBarco. It was concluded currently (EPPE Europe 9/10-2001), and the venture bundles all of Barco’s PCB resources with a part of Mania’s product portfolio, such as AOI, exposure sys-tems, LDI, photoplotters and software. In the beginning, says ManiaBarco director Karel Tavernier, the joint venture will focus on streamlining distribution activities especially in North America, where Barco will act as a dealer for Mania. The business enterprise will also take into account Barco’s existing access to the Asian markets. A similar form of co-operation is currently being set up in Europe, thereby estab-lishing „one service point for all products,“ Tavernier explains. At this point, the venture is open end: over time, he says. The product ranges of both companies, since they are both into AOI, might be integrated as well.
For example, Nova 200, a non-invasive laser-based electrical test system, saw its debut. Not based on conventional grid technology, the machine offers test-point sizes of 85µm and a minimum pitch of 150µm, at a speed of 100 test points per second. Other good news: the first delivery of the Gemini laser-direct imaging machine took place, and the total or-der volume was reported asup to 16 systems. Meanwhile,ManiaBarco has developed with Valor an ODB++ interface for the Enterprise 3000 DFM PCB design system and ManiaBarco’s Ucam system. (ws)
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