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Elmatica Reports Increased Order Intake and Revenue in 2018
July 13, 2018 | ElmaticaEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
Printed circuit broker Elmatica can report a 26% increase in revenue for 2017. So far 2018 has developed as expected and the component situation is creating challenges and opportunities. Our prognosis is that third and fourth quarter of 2018 will be stronger than we estimated at the beginning of the year.
“We are satisfied with the results for 2017 and a growth in revenue of 26%. The growth in relation to the manufacturing base is evenly distributed between China and others countries. A pleasant indicator that business is growing in Europe for many of our manufacturing partners. Our customer base is stable, yet it increased with 9,3% last year”, says CEO of Elmatica Didrik Bech.
A true crisis might arise
Elmatica closed 2017 with a strong order balance, winning several high profile projects. 2018 will be interesting and we expect, it will be quite stable compared to 2017, once the accounts are closed. This year started strong due to the order balance, then slowed down a little, but it seems to be picking up again now according to Bech.
“We have predicted a stable increase of around 3−8% for 2018. Demand for PCB is steadily increasing, yet the component situation creates disruptions in the supply chain. When the supply shortage of component is solved, one can expect a significant increase in PCB orders. I hope this increase in demand does not lead to the same challenges, as the PCB market was confronted with in late 2016 and early 2017”, says Bech.
Decreasing level of PCB knowledge in many industries
Advanced PCBs with exotic materials and industry compliance is increasing the average complexity of orders. Knowledge and experience are two critical factors in order to efficiently and correctly handle these aspects and people with these skills are for many companies difficult to attract.
“Last year we experienced a 33% growth for boards with 10 layers or higher and a 20% increase in flex and flex-rigid boards. This can be explained by our focus on advanced products with demand for quality and compliance, particularly within the Automotive, Medical, and Defence sector. We see some quite advanced boards for the Automotive industry and this was not the case, just some years ago. Despite this growth, we can also report a 49% growth of 2-layer PCBs”, says Bech.
About Elmatica
Elmatica was established in 1971 and is the oldest broker of PCB in the world. Delivering to five continents and 39 countries with over 10,000 orders per year, to small family businesses and companies listed on the stock exchange. We are honored for being selected to chair several new independent standards in our industry, with organizations as IPC and iNEMI. For more information, click here.
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Top Business Groups Urge Congress to Extend, Expand Successful Semiconductor Tax Credit
05/14/2026 | SIAThe Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) and a broad coalition of 17 other top business and trade groups in a letter urged Congress to extend the Advanced Manufacturing Investment Credit (AMIC) – a highly impactful tax credit for chip production that is set to expire at the end of this year – and expand it to cover semiconductor design and other critical R&D activities.
New Courses: Advance Your Electronics Expertise in June and July
05/14/2026 | Global Electronics AssociationStay current with design, manufacturing, and quality standards by enrolling in one of these online instructor-led courses starting in June and July from ElectronicsU at the Global Electronics Association, designed to help professionals at every level sharpen their skills and advance their careers. These live, expert-led sessions combine flexibility with real-time interaction, allowing participants to learn directly from seasoned industry professionals while collaborating with peers worldwide. Access to all applicable IPC standards is included in the courses.
The Journey from Dilution to Zero Liquid Discharge
05/11/2026 | Richard Nichols, GreenSource EngineeringIf you’re familiar with the PCB industry, and a little long in the tooth like me, you may remember the cry, “The water board is here!” (or an equivalent authority). This was the signal for a frantic but regularly rehearsed exercise to turn on all the rinses. This anecdote demonstrates that in the early days of PCB production, prevailing practices revolved around a “dilution is the solution” mentality, in which manufacturers used copious amounts of water to dilute contaminants before discharging them into regulated municipal wastewater systems or natural water bodies.
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
05/08/2026 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007This week, I’ve selected some outstanding interviews that you’ll want to take note of. First, is a roundtable discussion featuring three dynamic industry cybersecurity experts. Please watch this important discussion that affects us all. Following that, I spotlight the IPC-2581 Consortium, which explains why IPC-2581 is the standard to replace Gerber data for manufacturing. Next, I am including my interview with PCBAA and AAM, who collaborated to release a short documentary on U.S. PCB manufacturing.
Hall of Fame Spotlight Series: Highlighting Karen McConnell
05/07/2026 | Dan Feinberg, I-Connect007In 2021, Karen McConnell was awarded the Raymond E. Pritchard Hall of Fame award in recognition of her contributions to the Association and the electronics industry. As a senior staff member and CAD/CAM engineer at Northrop Grumman Enterprise Services, her primary responsibility was to develop a common, shared EDM (Electronic Document Management) library to support the electrical and PCB design tool initiatives across Northrop Grumman Mission Systems.