It’s Only Common Sense: 20 Lessons in 20 Years—A Career in Common Sense
The Marketing Minute: Staying Positive When the Market Isn’t
Marcy’s Musings: Continuing to Invent the Future With SEL
North American PCB Industry Sales Down 6.8% in May
June 24, 2024 | IPCEstimated reading time: 1 minute
IPC announced the May 2024 findings from its North American Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Statistical Program. The book-to-bill ratio stands at 0.95.
Total North American PCB shipments in May 2024 were down 6.8 percent compared to the same month last year. Compared to the preceding month, May shipments were down 16.5 percent.
PCB bookings in May were down 6.4 percent compared to the same month last year. May bookings were down 2.7 percent compared to the preceding month.
“The sluggish growth in the PCB industry reflects broader economic headwinds and likely signals a period of slower growth,” 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.
Share on:
Testimonial
"The I-Connect007 team is outstanding—kind, responsive, and a true marketing partner. Their design team created fresh, eye-catching ads, and their editorial support polished our content to let our brand shine. Thank you all! "
Sweeney Ng - CEE PCBSuggested Items
Gardien Services Installs Customized G93 Flying Probe Tester – Largest Test Area in North America/Europe
08/24/2025 | Gardien GroupGardien Group is proud to announce the successful installation of a customized G93 Flying Probe Test Machine at a major manufacturer in North America. This cutting-edge system features the largest test area of any flying probe tester in North America and Europe, setting a new benchmark for PCB testing capabilities.
Avary Holding, a Subsidiary of Zhen Ding, Board Approves Huai’an Park Investment
08/22/2025 | Zhen DingZhen Ding Technology Holding Limited, a global leading PCB manufacturer, announced on behalf of its subsidiary, Avary Holding (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., that the Board of Directors has approved the Huai’an Park investment plan.
TPCA Establishes Thailand PCB Academy in Bangkok
08/22/2025 | TPCAA distinguished delegation of distinguished guests from industry, government, academia, and research in Taiwan and Thailand, including representatives from the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research, and Innovation (MHESI), the Board of Investment of Thailand (BOI), and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Thailand (TECO), as well as professors from several Thai universities and member companies, attended the historic occasion.
Lessons From a Thousand Columns: Dan Beaulieu on Writing, Selling, and Staying the Course
08/21/2025 | Michelle Te, I-Connect007For 20 years, Dan Beaulieu has been a steady voice in sales and marketing, offering weekly columns that challenge, inspire, and guide professionals in the electronics industry and beyond. Soon, he will reach a remarkable milestone—his 1,000th It’s Only Common Sense weekly column. In this Q&A, we look behind the scenes of Dan’s writing journey, exploring what has kept him motivated, the lessons he’s learned along the way, and how two decades of weekly columns have shaped his career and the industry conversation.
New Episode Drop: MKS’ ESI’s Role in Optimize the Interconnect
08/21/2025 | I-Connect007In this latest episode, Casey Kruger, director of product marketing at MKS’ ESI, joins On the Line With… host Nolan Johnson to share how CO₂ laser technology delivers faster, more accurate vias in a smaller, more energy-efficient footprint.