Flextronics purchasing Solectron for $3.6 billion

Don't feel bad if you've never heard of Flextronics, Solectron or both -- we polled our mom on the subject, and she asked when we were going to give up this "blogging nonsense" for a real job -- but these two fairly low-profile contract electronics manufacturers churn out massive amounts of product for other little companies you might have heard of: like HP, Dell, Sony, Ericsson, Cisco, Motorola and Microsoft. Now Flextronics is ending this bitter rivalry in a Coke buys Pepsi-type shocker, forking over $3.6 billion in cash and stock for Solectron. Flextronics will operate Solectron as a subsidiary, and claims the purchase will help it expand scale and market reach, while saving on costs, with the deal to add about 15 percent to earnings, claims the manufacturer.

[Matt B @ Jun 4th 2007 4:12PM]

Verizon wireless in store techs are actually Solectron employees. It's kind of funny that the Solectron employees are the only people in the store that have to wear VZW branded uniforms while actual VZW employees could just dress nice with a name tag. We were also told we were never allowed to tell a customer that we were not a VZW employee yet our badges clearly have contractor on it.
The techs are also the only other workers besides salesmen with a sales quota, but no commission.

Glad I don't work there anymore.

[M Burke @ Jun 4th 2007 4:35PM]

Dig those hats. Reminds me of the movie "Toys" or Willy Wonka... they have umpa loompas working there?

[John MadDog @ Jun 4th 2007 8:10PM]

What will this mean for current Solectron employees?

[3rdsun @ Jun 4th 2007 9:52PM]

U should listen to ur moms and get a real job. She knows best

[Robert @ Jun 4th 2007 10:37PM]

$3.6 Bill for that excuse of a sweatshop?

[Ken @ Jun 5th 2007 8:22AM]

"we polled our mom on the subject"

The plurality of engadget writers share one single mom? This might explain a few things.