Whirlpool

HP/Compaq: Wistron, Compal, Quanta, Inventec
Dell: Quanta, Compal, Wistron
IBM/Lenovo: Wistron, Quanta, Uniwill
Apple: ASUS(iBook), Quanta(PowerBook)
Gateway: Quanta
Toshiba: Compal, Inventec, Quanta, Toshiba(China)
NEC: NEC, FIC, Arima, Mitec, Quanta, Wistron
Sony: Quanta, ASUS, Sony(Japan)
Fujitsu: Quanta, Uniwill
Samsung: ASUS
Acer: Quanta, Compal, Wistron, Inventec
BenQ: Inventec, Mitec

Top 6 biggest notebook manufacturers:
1. Quanta (Q1 2007 est. 5.6 millions)
2. Compal (Q1 2007 est. 4.4 millions)
3. Wistron
4. Inventec
5. ASUS
6. Uniwill

In total > 80% notebooks are manufactured in Taiwan/China

No of notebooks manufactured (in millions):
　　　　　　2004    2005　    2006    2007 est.　
Quanta 　　 11      15             24        30
Compal 　　 7.9     9.8            15        18-20
Wistron　　 4.85    5.9           11        12-13
Inventec　　2.85    4.5-5.0     7.0       8.0-9.0
ASUS          1.5       4.0          5.0       Unknown

Good work. Hopefully a few "knowledgeable" people around here will read this.

Not doubting any of your information as it's all similar (read same) as what I've come across but do you have any links to where you got your information, for the doubting Thomas'.

Good compilation of infos.
Having said this, build quality may still depend on the big brand they make laptop for. It is the branded company that will determine the build strength and quality and the ODM will just make what they wanted.
Thinkpad - whoever made it - is still superior in build quality than, say Dell Inspiron 1501. It may be the same ODM that made both of them.