The Marketing Minute: Staying Positive When the Market Isn’t
Marcy’s Musings: Continuing to Invent the Future With SEL
It’s Only Common Sense: Why Failure Is an Opportunity for Growth
North American PCB Industry Sales Up 6% in April
May 26, 2021 | IPCEstimated reading time: 1 minute
IPC announced the April 2021 findings from its North American Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Statistical Program. The book-to-bill ratio stands at 1.16.
Total North American PCB shipments in April 2021 were up 6.0 percent compared to the same month last year. Compared to the preceding month, April shipments fell 18.1 percent.
PCB bookings in April fell 10.2 percent year-over-year. Bookings in April decreased 27.8 percent from the previous month.
“After strong orders in March, April PCB shipments were constrained by ongoing supply chain disruptions,” said Shawn DuBravac, IPC’s chief economist. “The coming months will likely show volatile order and shipment flows.”
Detailed Data Available
Companies that participate in IPC’s North American PCB Statistical Program have access to detailed findings on rigid PCB and flexible circuit sales and orders, including separate rigid and flex book-to-bill ratios, growth trends by product types and company size tiers, demand for prototypes, sales growth to military and medical markets, and other timely data.
Interpreting the Data
The book-to-bill ratios are calculated by dividing the value of orders booked over the past three months by the value of sales billed during the same period from companies in IPC’s survey sample. A ratio of more than 1.00 suggests that current demand is ahead of supply, which is a positive indicator for sales growth over the next three to twelve months. A ratio of less than 1.00 indicates the reverse.
Year-on-year and year-to-date growth rates provide the most meaningful view of industry growth. Month-to-month comparisons should be made with caution as they reflect seasonal effects and short-term volatility. Because bookings tend to be more volatile than shipments, changes in the book-to-bill ratios from month to month might not be significant unless a trend of more than three consecutive months is apparent. It is also important to consider changes in both bookings and shipments to understand what is driving changes in the book-to-bill ratio.
IPC’s monthly PCB industry statistics are based on data provided by a representative sample of both rigid PCB and flexible circuit manufacturers selling in the USA and Canada. IPC publishes the PCB book-to-bill ratio by the end of each month.
Share on:
Testimonial
"Our marketing partnership with I-Connect007 is already delivering. Just a day after our press release went live, we received a direct inquiry about our updated products!"
Rachael Temple - AlltematedSuggested Items
Lessons From a Thousand Columns: Dan Beaulieu on Writing, Selling, and Staying the Course
08/21/2025 | Michelle Te, I-Connect007For 20 years, Dan Beaulieu has been a steady voice in sales and marketing, offering weekly columns that challenge, inspire, and guide professionals in the electronics industry and beyond. Soon, he will reach a remarkable milestone—his 1,000th It’s Only Common Sense weekly column. In this Q&A, we look behind the scenes of Dan’s writing journey, exploring what has kept him motivated, the lessons he’s learned along the way, and how two decades of weekly columns have shaped his career and the industry conversation.
New Episode Drop: MKS’ ESI’s Role in Optimize the Interconnect
08/21/2025 | I-Connect007In this latest episode, Casey Kruger, director of product marketing at MKS’ ESI, joins On the Line With… host Nolan Johnson to share how CO₂ laser technology delivers faster, more accurate vias in a smaller, more energy-efficient footprint.
SEL: Revolutionizing PCB Production Through MES, Partnerships, and Vision
08/21/2025 | Barry Matties, I-Connect007Two years ago, we visited Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL) to better understand its new captive greenfield PCB facility. We recently returned, this time to discuss how this bold vision has transformed the industry. Barry Matties met with John Hendrickson, engineering director, and Jessi Hall, vice president of vertical integration, to discuss the transformative capabilities of Factory Core, SEL’s custom manufacturing execution system (MES), which allows for real-time monitoring of workflow and machine performance, and has led to impressive improvements in quality and cost efficiency.
How Good Design Enables Sustainable PCBs
08/21/2025 | Gerry Partida, Summit InterconnectSustainability has become a key focus for PCB companies seeking to reduce waste, conserve energy, and optimize resources. While many discussions on sustainability center around materials or energy-efficient processes, PCB design is an often overlooked factor that lies at the heart of manufacturing. Good design practices, especially those based on established IPC standards, play a central role in enabling sustainable PCB production. By ensuring designs are manufacturable and reliable, engineers can significantly reduce the environmental impact of their products.
Polar Instruments Announces Additive Transmission Line Support for Si9000e
08/20/2025 | Polar InstrumentsTransmission lines embedded into the PCB surface are a feature of UHDI constructions. The 2025 fall release of Polar's Si9000e PCB impedance & insertion loss transmission line field solver incorporates eight new single ended, differential and coplanar transmission line structures.