Standard of Excellence: Speed vs. Quality in Customer Service
Knocking Down the Bone Pile: Revamp Your Components with BGA Reballing
Global Sourcing Spotlight: Balancing Speed and Flexibility Without Sacrificing Control
IPC Releases December 2023 Global Sentiment of the Electronics Supply Chain Report
January 3, 2024 | IPCEstimated reading time: 1 minute
Electronics industry sentiment took a dip in December with New Order, Shipment, and Backlog Indices falling, with only Capacity Utilization Index holding steady. Despite the dip, overall demand sentiment remained in positive territory, per IPC’s December 2023 Global Sentiment of the Electronics Supply Chain Report.
And though materials costs continue to improve, labor costs remain a pain point. Three-fifths (58 percent) of electronics manufacturers say they are currently experiencing rising labor costs.
“In the December survey, IPC asked industry executives what they believed would happen to printed circuit board (PCB) demand for domestically produced PCBs if prices were to decline by 25 percent,” noted Shawn DuBravac, IPC chief economist. “On average, respondents predicted demand would rise by 16 percent. Notably, manufacturers in North America predicted demand would rise by 20 percent on average, higher than in both Europe and APAC.”
Additional survey data show:
- The New Order Index fell four points after rising five points in November 2023.
- The Labor Costs Index fell two points to 128, the lowest level recorded for this metric.
- Over the next six months, electronics manufacturers expect to see continued increase in both labor and material costs, while also anticipating a notable increase in both orders and shipments.
- Profit margins are expected to improve somewhat, while ease of recruitment and backlogs are likely to remain challenging.
For the report, IPC surveyed hundreds of companies from around the world, including a wide range of company sizes representing the full electronics manufacturing value chain.
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
Henger Microelectronics Expands Global Footprint with Major Equipment Shipment to Southeast Asia
10/31/2025 |Henger Microelectronics has reached a major milestone in its global expansion strategy with the successful shipment of advanced plasma etching and cleaning systems, along with automation equipment, to multiple countries and regions across Southeast Asia. This achievement marks a significant step forward in the company’s international growth and reinforces its position as a leading force in the global plasma equipment industry.
TTCI Brings Hands-On Test Engineering and IPC Training Expertise to PCB Carolina 2025
10/31/2025 | The Test Connection Inc.The Test Connection Inc. (TTCI), a trusted provider of electronic test and manufacturing solutions, and The Training Connection LLC (TTC-LLC) will exhibit at PCB Carolina on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, at the McKimmon Center at NC State University in Raleigh, North Carolina. Attendees can visit Table 4 to say hello to Bert Horner and Bill Graver, and learn more about their test engineering services and technical training programs.
Cephia Secures $4M Seed Funding to Revolutionize Multimodal Sensing with Metasurface Technology
10/31/2025 | PRNewswireCephia, a startup building products using advanced AI computational imaging technologies and silicon sensors made from advanced metamaterials, formally launched with several pilot customers and $4 million in seed venture capital funding.
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
10/31/2025 | Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007Last week, the IMPACT conference took place in Taipei, bringing together advanced packaging experts from around the globe to share their knowledge. We’ll be bringing you post-conference coverage over the next few weeks, so look for that in our newsletters, and in the Advanced Electronic Packaging Digest. Other news seemed to have the U.S. at the center of the global discussions. My picks start in Phoenix, where TSMC, NVIDIA, and Amkor are all scrambling to establish new capabilities. There’s nothing like a strong demand signal to cause build-out, and AI chips are doing exactly that.
NEDME 2025 Draws Strong Northwest Crowd, Builds on Tradition of Regional Collaboration
10/31/2025 | NEDMEThe NW Electronics Design & Manufacturing Expo (NEDME) 2025 once again brought together the Pacific Northwest community for a full day of learning, networking, and industry connections.