<

publicité

br> The strong technology ramp-up continues in the Czech Republic with news that Hitachi, Panasonic, Toshiba and Hewlett-Packard are investing millions of euros in new production facilities in the central European nation.

IPS Alpha, a strategic alliance between Hitachi, Panasonic and Toshiba, announced it will invest over 90 million euros and employ up to 2,000 people in a new Czech liquid crystal display (LCD) production facility. IPS Alpha plans to begin production in its new facility in Bohemia summer 2007 and will supply Matsushita and Hitachi plants in Europe.

In total, 166 Japanese companies have operations in the Czech Republic. According to the Japan External Trade Organization, Japanese manufacturers operated 65 production bases in the Czech Republic as of year-end 2005 -- the fourth-highest number for a European country.

Meanwhile, Hewlett-Packard also announced the opening of its Czech-based computer technology supply chain headquarters for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The new facility near Prague supports HP's European headquarters in Grenoble, France. Some 100 new jobs will be created by the expansion.

Foreign direct investment (FDI) in the Czech Republic doubled between 2004 to 2005, from $4.9 billion to $11 billion. CzechInvest, the Czech Republic's business and development agency, mediated a record of 154 new foreign and domestic investment projects in 2005. CzechInvest projects contributed $3.2 billion to the Czech economy.

The Pilot Scientific and Technical Center of Excellence for Nanotechnology Development opens officially in Moscow on June 3, 2006. The multi-million dollar center is being funded by the Russian Federation. It is anticipated that Russia's overall investment in nanotechnology development will exceed $400 million in 2007. Globally, combined government investment in nanotechnology development is expected to reach $5 billion in 2006. Private investments by corporations are expected to exceed the government number for the first time ever, reaching nearly $6 billion this year.

As worldwide subscriptions to 3G networks exceed 100 million, industry association The UMTS Forum has confirmed that WCDMA is the world's most popular 3G technology by a factor that is fast approaching three to one.

The 100 million subscriber milestone represents almost 75 million UMTS/WCDMA customers and more than 25 million CDMA2000 1x EV-DO customers.

In the first quarter of the year, WCMDA represented no less than 95% of total net subscriber additions (WCDMA+GSM) in Europe.

As of May 2006, there were more than 110 WCDMA networks operational in 48 countries. In addition there were 40 operators providing both EDGE and WCDMA coverage in 27 countries worldwide. Within Europe, 28 operators providing complementary EDGE/WCDMA coverage in 18 countries. The UMTS Forum predicts that global 3G/UMTS subscriptions will reach 100 million during the fourth quarter of this calendar year. Moreover, the second phase of 3G/UMTS is now progressing with more than 25 HSDPA networks deployed in May 2006 - enabling 3G customers to experience the full capabilities of mobile broadband.

Western Europe represents just over half of the world's total WCDMA subscribers. The region currently holds 50.4% of the global WCDMA subscriber base, with Asia Pacific contributing 47.8%. The remainder - less than 2% - is contributed by subscribers in the Middle East, Eastern Europe, USA/Canada and Africa.

Matsushita announces plans to discontinue operations at its subsidiary Panasonic AVC Networks Germany at the end of March 2007, after which it will begin closing/liquidation procedures.

Panasonic AVC Networks (151 employees) mainly responsible for the manufacture and product development for the European DVD recorder market, currently faces ever-intensifying global competition and severe price declines. Under these circumstances, Matsushita decided this closing as part of the company’s global restructuring initiatives in the DVD recorder business. Accordingly, future product development of DVD recorders for the European market will be shifted to Japan. Matsushita will continue production for the European DVD recorder market at Panasonic AVC Networks Slovakia its consolidated subsidiary.

This transaction represents the creation of a new world leader in smart cards and digital security, with 2005 pro forma revenues of approximately EUR 1.7 billion ($ 2.2 billion), operations in 120 countries, large operational centers in the Paris and Marseille areas, and 11,000 employees including 1,500 R&D engineers. After further review, Axalto and Gemplus have reconfirmed their initial estimate of the synergies arising from this transaction, expected to amount to EUR85 million (US$100 million) per year on a fully-phased basis.

Saab is acquiring Ericsson Microwave Systems (EMW) which has approximately 1250 employees in Gothenburg, Sweden. The acquisition adds radar and sensor operations to Saab's product portfolio in defence, aviation, space and civil security. The purchase sum is SEK 3,8 billion. The purchase also includes the Ericsson 40 percent share in Saab Ericsson Space, a subcontractor for equipments to commercial satellites.

Saab and EMW have been working closely together for a long time. EMW currently delivers the radar for the Gripen fighter. The acquisition enables Saab to create scope of action to secure the Gripen's long-term development.

EMW's defence operation has supplied more than 3000 radar systems in over 30 countries. EMW's operations within National Security and Personal Safety as well as Power Systems, with a total of 300 employees, will remain part of Ericsson.
The defence operation within EMW has sales of approximately 2 billion SEK and at the start of 2006 had order backlog of approximately 3.5 billion SEK. Exports make up approximately 65 percent of turnover.

In an other deal, Ericsson offered €30 million to buy the IP-telephony and communication specialist Netwise.