Solectron still optimistic about<br>European manufacturing

"The global economic trend is there, but customers see that we can add value by manufacturing in the West," Solectron´s VP of European operations Hamid Halfaoui told ElectronicsWeekly. "Of course, manufacturing has moved east to make it cheaper, but this is not true for all products," Halfaoui told ElectronicsWeekly. Halfaoui told Electronicsweekly that Solectron´s customers takes a number of issues under consideration to view the overall manufacturing costs. "Labour costs are just the tip of the iceberg, if you miss on any of the cost elements you cannot satisfy the customer," said Halfaoui. "The supply base may be in the Far East but Asia companies have approached use to manufacturer in Europe," said Halfaoui.