Steve DeCollibus, Managing Editor, Semiconductor Packaging News

Today the show closes. A few things I will remember about this week will be the incredible blues band playing outside the North and West halls, the weather, which has been spectacular and unfortunately what appeared to be the doubling of the homeless community in the last year. The show itself I will remember and mark as the year packaging was seen as a technology everyone was involved in.

The key technology enabler at this stage is not the ability to create form factors and technologies capable of pushing performance and functionality to the next level, it is the ability to test the packages themselves that will slow things down.

Blues Band playing in the lobby of Semicon West

This is also the year Photo Voltaic /Solar technology came into its own within the industry in the Solar Hall in Moscone West.

I spent a few minutes catching up with Jim Quinn, who had flown in from France to meet with editors and potential investors to help Replisaurus complete development of their new metallization process. This is a company to watch for the next year or two as they implement their strategy.

A lot of the innovation at Semicon West requires that the attendee take the time to seek it out. The reward is finding a company like Global Solar displaying an amazing array of fabric like solar cells that will charge communications components for soldiers in the battle field.

Erick Fuentes unfolds Globalsolar's fabric like battery charger

This company has been making and generating portable solar energy since 1996 and has proven products in the field, capable of charging field communications equipment in as little as 20% exposure to sun. The fabric can be folded down to fit in your pocket. Erick Fuentes, International Sales Manager gave me a demo and you could almost feel his personal pride and sense of accomplishment for the company.

Final attendance numbers are not available, my bet is that it was down significantly, the next few weeks will bring the explanation as to why. The economic news still coming from a parallel universe is telling me as I write this that oil prices fell the past few days by fifteen dollars a barrel. Jeesh!

Entry way of Semicon West

As the day wore on the crowd dwindled down and exhibitors were ready to pack and head out at the 4:00 PM show closing.