What's next in ATE shakeout?

SAN FRANCISCO -- The shakeout in the automatic test equipment (ATE) business is over. Or is it? At the Semicon West trade show here, there were rumors that Japan's Yokogawa Electric Corp. may put its semiconductor ATE business on the block. Yokogawa also sells industrial automation equipment, instruments and other products, but those lines are apparently not for sale, according to sources. Yokogawa has a strong presence in Asia, but the company has been nearly invisible in the U.S. market, according to analysts. For its fiscal year, the company's test and measurement group posted an operating loss of 1.9 billion on sales of 67.8 billion yen. This compares to a operating profit of 1.1 billion yen on sales of 78.5 billion yen the previous year. ''As you know, market conditions are tough right now. Hence, what we are struggling... [read full story]