-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- design007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueCreating the Ideal Data Package
Why is it so difficult to create the ideal data package? Many of these simple errors can be alleviated by paying attention to detail—and knowing what issues to look out for. So, this month, our experts weigh in on the best practices for creating the ideal design data package for your design.
Designing Through the Noise
Our experts discuss the constantly evolving world of RF design, including the many tradeoffs, material considerations, and design tips and techniques that designers and design engineers need to know to succeed in this high-frequency realm.
Learning to Speak ‘Fab’
Our expert contributors clear up many of the miscommunication problems between PCB designers and their fab and assembly stakeholders. As you will see, a little extra planning early in the design cycle can go a long way toward maintaining open lines of communication with the fab and assembly folks.
- Articles
- Columns
Search Console
- Links
- Media kit
||| MENU - design007 Magazine
North American PCB Industry Sales up 7 Percent in September
October 29, 2020 | IPCEstimated reading time: 1 minute

IPC announced the September 2020 findings from its North American Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Statistical Program. The book-to-bill ratio stands at 0.93.
Total North American PCB shipments in September 2020 were up 7 percent compared to the same month last year. Compared to the preceding month, September shipments grew 21.3 percent.
PCB bookings in September grew 17.2 percent year-over-year and increased 59.1 percent from the previous month.
“Monthly PCB orders and shipments were up sharply in September, near their respective highs for the year. Some of the gains in September were likely the result of month-to-month variations that naturally exist in the PCB market,” said Shawn DuBravac, IPC’s chief economist. “Orders and shipments continue to cool following a large jump in the immediate aftermath of the pandemic. Shipments over the last three months are just below the prior three months, while bookings are off 16.7 percent.”
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
Tax Policy Update from IPC: The House Tax Bill, and What It Means for Electronics Manufacturers
05/20/2025 | IPCOn May 13, the House Ways and Means Committee advanced a major tax package that includes several provisions supported by IPC. These provisions—including restoring bonus depreciation, immediate R&D expensing, and strengthening the pass-through deduction—were identified by IPC members as key tools that would help them invest, grow, and compete more effectively.
Trouble in Your Tank: Yield Improvement and Reliability
05/22/2025 | Michael Carano -- Column: Trouble in Your TankThere’s a simple rule of business in manufacturing: “It is all about yields.” Higher yields for your products allow for increased profits and satisfied customers. When there are lower yields, overall cost to manufacture increases, and the additional time and strain on the factory floor affect the entire operation. Lower yields are often the result of “process drift,” when critical process parameters and specialized plating additives fall outside their acceptable ranges.
Recognizing IPC Scholarships, Awards, and Opportunities
05/21/2025 | Charlene Gunter du Plessis, IPC Education FoundationThere was no better way to end our year in 2024 than by recognizing hard-working and driven students and educators for their involvement and interests in the electronics manufacturing industry. Through the IPC Scholarship and Awards program, we can help students invest in their future and reward their hardworking and dedicated accomplishments.
IPC Report Recaps Imperatives in Global Chip Race
05/19/2025 | IPCWith funding awards under the U.S. CHIPS and Science Act currently under review, IPC just shared a new Industry Intelligence Report focused on the issues and players involved.
IPC-CFX, 2.0: Expanding the Digital Backbone of Electronics Manufacturing
05/21/2025 | Chris Jorgensen, IPCSince its initial release in March 2019, IPC Connected Factory Exchange (CFX), the global standard for plug-and-play, machine-to-machine, and machine-to-system communication serving as the backbone for digital manufacturing, has seen continuous enhancement through multiple version updates. In 2024, the standard matured as adoption spread, with a global committee of EMS, OEM, machine vendors, and software solution providers twice releasing version updates to build on the standard's base framework and enhance its usability in industry.