-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- pcb007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueIn Pursuit of Perfection: Defect Reduction
For bare PCB board fabrication, defect reduction is a critical aspect of a company's bottom line profitability. In this issue, we examine how imaging, etching, and plating processes can provide information and insight into reducing defects and increasing yields.
Voices of the Industry
We take the pulse of the PCB industry by sharing insights from leading fabricators and suppliers in this month's issue. We've gathered their thoughts on the new U.S. administration, spending, the war in Ukraine, and their most pressing needs. It’s an eye-opening and enlightening look behind the curtain.
The Essential Guide to Surface Finishes
We go back to basics this month with a recount of a little history, and look forward to addressing the many challenges that high density, high frequency, adhesion, SI, and corrosion concerns for harsh environments bring to the fore. We compare and contrast surface finishes by type and application, take a hard look at the many iterations of gold plating, and address palladium as a surface finish.
- Articles
- Columns
Search Console
- Links
- Media kit
||| MENU - pcb007 Magazine
North American PCB Industry Shipments Down 18.3% in December
January 29, 2024 | IPCEstimated reading time: 1 minute
IPC announced the December 2023 findings from its North American Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Statistical Program. The book-to-bill ratio stands at 0.90.
Total North American PCB shipments in December 2023 were down 18.3 percent compared to the same month last year. Compared to the preceding month, December shipments were up 1.0 percent.
PCB bookings in December were down 28.7 percent compared to the same month last year. December bookings were down 14.1 percent compared to the preceding month.
“PCB orders fell in the final month of 2023, dropping the Book-to-Bill to the lowest level since May 2023. Orders were down 10 percent in 2023,” said Shawn DuBravac, IPC’s chief economist.
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.
Suggested Items
Elma Electronic Bolsters Quality Management Company-wide with Added AS9100:D and ISO9001:2015 Certifications
06/02/2025 | Elma ElectronicElma Electronic now includes AS9100:D and ISO 9001:2015 certifications at its Horsham, Pa. manufacturing facility, earning the company a multiple site accreditation designation.
Maxar Space Systems Selected to Build High-Power EchoStar XXVI Satellite Share
06/02/2025 | BUSINESS WIREMaxar Space Systems, a trusted partner in satellite design and manufacturing, today announced it has been awarded a contract by EchoStar Corporation to manufacture EchoStar XXVI, a high-power geostationary communications satellite based on the Maxar 1300™ platform.
ispace Completes Success 8 of Mission 2 Milestones
06/02/2025 | ispaceispace, inc. (ispace) (TOKYO: 9348), a global lunar exploration company, announced that the RESILIENCE lunar lander has successfully completed all orbital maneuvers while in lunar orbit and is now being prepared for its landing attempt on June 6, 2025.
Strategic Materials Conference 2025 Spotlights Materials Innovation to Advance Semiconductor Manufacturing
06/02/2025 | SEMIWith materials innovation at the core of next-generation semiconductor technologies, the Strategic Materials Conference (SMC) 2025 brings together top executives and technology leaders from the semiconductor manufacturing industry for exclusive insights into the latest trends and advancements.
IDC Increases its PC and Tablet Forecasts Despite Tariff Uncertainty
06/02/2025 | IDCAfter recording strong results in the first quarter of 2025, IDC is increasing its traditional PC forecast for 2025 — this comes despite the significant impact that US tariffs have had on its trading partners’ market sentiment.