Dan’s Biz Bookshelf: ‘The New Age of Innovation’
It’s Only Common Sense: The Customer Isn’t Always Right
The Marketing Minute: Building Connections in the Electronics Industry
North American PCB Industry Sales Down 11.1% in October
November 22, 2024 | IPCEstimated reading time: 1 minute
IPC announced today the October 2024 findings from its North American Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Statistical Program. The book-to-bill ratio stands at 1.09.
Total North American PCB shipments in October 2024 were down 11.1 percent compared to the same month last year. Compared to the preceding month, October shipments were up 20.4 percent.
PCB bookings in October were up 3.5 percent compared to the same month last year. October bookings were down 3.7 percent compared to the preceding month.
“The October book-to-bill ratio for the North American PCB industry increased 3.1 percent compared to September, driven by strong bookings over the past three months and subdued shipments,” said Shawn DuBravac, Ph.D., IPC’s chief economist. “Year-to-date, order volume remains slightly positive, significantly outpacing the high single-digit decline in shipments.”
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:
Suggested Items
Fueling the Workforce Pipeline: January PCB007 Magazine
01/22/2025 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamWorkforce is a topic of conversation in manufacturing businesses that occurs nearly as often today as discussing quality and reliability. In this issue of PCB007 Magazine, we look at fueling the workforce pipeline, specifically at the early introduction of manufacturing to young people. It’s a unique, somewhat unconventional, and long-term perspective aimed at filling the skilled labor gap.
The Promising Future for CEE PCB in Thailand
01/22/2025 | Nolan Johnson, SMT007 MagazineTom Yang, CEO of CEE PCB, understands the importance of collaboration between U.S. and Chinese fabricators. He believes that to understand the current political and economic conditions between the two countries, we must maintain a level of international business cooperation. In this interview, we discuss market conditions under a new U.S. administration, how companies like CEE are responding to potential changes, and CEE’s strategic move into Thailand.
Beyond Design: Electro-optical Circuit Boards
01/22/2025 | Barry Olney -- Column: Beyond DesignPredicting the role of PCB designers in 10 years is a challenge. If only I had a crystal ball. However, we know that as technology progresses, the limitations of copper PCBs are increasingly apparent, particularly regarding speed, bandwidth, and signal integrity. Innovations such as optical interconnects and photonic integrated circuits are setting the stage for the next generation of PCBs, delivering higher performance and efficiency. The future of PCB design will probably incorporate these new technologies to address the challenges of traditional copper-based designs.
The Pulse: Ultra Upgrade Unknowns—What’s Coming for UHDI?
01/21/2025 | Martyn Gaudion -- Column: The PulseAs we enter the second quarter of the 21st century, there appears to be a new chapter in PCB technology. Ultra high density interconnect (UHDI) has become a buzzword, but it’s actually not that new; many of the processes were already established in the high-volume production of Asian cell phones and tablets. What is new and challenging, however, is migrating the line widths and stackups—once the domain of handheld consumer products—into the lower volume specialized environment of the commercial world.
Technica USA and Renex Reach Agreement to Distibute REECO Brand of Products
01/21/2025 | Technica USATechnica is pleased to announce that we have entered into an exclusive distribution agreement with Renex for the REECO brand of ESD and cleanroom products. Technica will distribute the REECO products in the territories of California, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming, as well as Washington and Utah (non-exclusively).