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It is the ‘flat’ world that is luring the SMT equipment manufacturers; as the electronic gadgets get smarter and intelligent with smaller and lighter ‘brains’, rapid growth is projected in the SMT equipment market over the next few years, according to a report by research firm Global Industry Analysts. Growing consumer demand for flatter electronic appliances with smaller footprint, incorporating more and more electronic modules that wake up to newer responsibilities of enhancing the performance and efficiency of the systems, is resulting in heightened demand for compactly packed printed circuit board assemblies. This in turn, is resulting in hiked demand for efficient electronics packaging technologies that offer cost-effective placement of electronic components onto the progressively miniaturizing estate of the printedcircuit board. Global market for surface mount technology (SMT) equipment is poised to exceed $5.6 billion by the end of the year 2010. Asia-Pacific offers the brightest opportunities for the global SMT industry, entirely on account of the burgeoning domestic economy and growing manufacturing representation from western countries. Annual sales of SMT equipment in Asia- Pacific (excluding Japan) are projected to grow at a compounded annual rate of 13.3 percent over the years 2001 through 2010. SMT equipment sales in the United States totaled an estimated $718 million in 2006, while sales in Latin America are projected to exceed $146 million in 2009. Key players listed in the report include Agilent Technologies Inc., FeinFocus USA Inc., Glenbrook Technologies Inc., Phoenix X-Ray Systems & Services Inc., Teradyne Inc., and Universal Instruments, among others. Total companies profiled by geographical region are shown in the table. Analytical estimates and projections are presented in terms of annual sales in US dollars over the years 2001 through 2010. Long-term projections are provided over the years 2011 through 2015. Product groups and segments independently analyzed include screen print equipment (manual, semiautomatic, and automatic), placement equipment (gantry robot, turret, high-, medium-, and low-speed), soldering equipment (reflow oven and wave oven), cleaning equipment, inspection equipment (optical, x-ray, and laser), and repair and rework equipment (manual and semiautomatic). www.strategyr.com Table | 
