American Made Advocacy: A Growing Presence in Washington in Turbulent Times
Punching Out: M&A North American PCB and EMS Deals for the First Half of 2025
Electronics Industry Sentiment Rises in March
March 27, 2024 | IPCEstimated reading time: 1 minute
Sentiment among electronics manufacturers remains positive, with demand reaching the highest level in a year, according to IPC’s March Sentiment of the Global Electronics Manufacturing Supply Chain Report.
When asked about how the current interest rate environment impacts their businesses, firms that rely on borrowed capital indicated they are seeing an impact on material costs, inventories, and orders as a result of higher interest rates, which then filters down to reduced CAPEX spend and ability to grow and invest in other areas of the business. Among firms operating in markets outside of the United States exchange rates can also be negatively impacted by higher U.S. interest rates.
In regards to outlook for next six months, electronics manufacturers expect labor costs to come down slightly, with material costs holding steady. While profit margins and backlogs are expected to improve, ease of recruitment is likely to remain challenging.
Additional survey data show:
- Cost pressures remain consistent: The Material Cost Index rose three points, but was offset by a three-point decline in the Labor Costs Index.
- The New Orders Index rose to the highest level since July 2022.
- Industry Outlook improves: The Demand Outlook Index approached an all-time high while the outlook for Profit Margin also hit an all-time high.
- Orders, shipments and capacity utilization are all expected to rise significantly in the near-term.
These results are based upon the findings of IPC’s Current State of Electronics Manufacturing Survey, fielded between February 14 and February 29, 2024.
Read the full report here.
Share on:
Testimonial
"Advertising in PCB007 Magazine has been a great way to showcase our bare board testers to the right audience. The I-Connect007 team makes the process smooth and professional. We’re proud to be featured in such a trusted publication."
Klaus Koziol - atgSuggested Items
Considering the Future of Impending Copper Tariffs
07/30/2025 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamThe Global Electronics Association is alerting industry members that a potential 50% tariff on copper could hit U.S. electronics manufacturers where it hurts.
Foxconn, TECO Announce Strategic Alliance Targeting AI Data Center Capabilities
07/30/2025 | PRNewswireHon Hai Technology Group (Foxconn) and TECO Electric & Machinery Co Ltd Ltd (TECO) on Wednesday announced a share exchange, strategic alliance that will strengthen their AI infrastructure capabilities and propel the two Taiwanese tech majors into key markets in the global super-computing race.
Sypris Wins Awards to Support Subsea Cable Systems
07/29/2025 | BUSINESS WIRESypris Electronics, LLC, a subsidiary of Sypris Solutions, Inc., announced it has secured follow-on contract awards from a leading global provider of subsea cable systems. Under the terms of the agreement,
Creating Connections in Mexico
07/30/2025 | Michelle Te, Community MagazineA concerted effort by the Global Electronics Association—Mexico team over the past year has created inroads for the Global Electronics Association (formerly IPC) with leading electronics companies, government offices, and academic institutions in Mexico. “Our goal is to bring more awareness to what the Global Electronics Association is and what it offers,” says Lorena Villanueva, senior director. “We also aim to increase our membership. Of 3,200 members of the Global Electronics Association, only 180 are in Mexico.”
North American EMS Industry Down 8.9% in June
07/29/2025 | Global Electronics AssociationThe Global Electronics Association announced today the June 2025 findings from its North American Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) Statistical Program. The book-to-bill ratio stands at 1.28.