It’s Only Common Sense: Be the Solution, Not the Problem
American Made Advocacy: Long-time Challenges Confront a New Administration
Marcy's Musings: It's Show Time!
IPC: Supply Chain Challenges Continue to Hamper Electronics Production
December 30, 2021 | IPCEstimated reading time: 1 minute
IPC’s January 2022 Economic Outlook report finds that supply chain challenges remain acute and have improved little from the previous month. Shortages continue to hamper production levels and lead-times remain long. Supply chain challenges will linger well into 2022, and in some instances, into 2023.
Among other data, IPC’s economic outlook report shows:
- Economic growth will be severely muted at the start of the year as Omicron slows economic activity – gross domestic product (GDP) growth in the United States could drop to as low as 2.5 percent in the first quarter of the year.
- Inflation in Europe shot-up to 4.9 percent in November, the highest level since records began in 1997, two years before the euro was launched.
- Consumer sentiment improved marginally in December, but the gains might be short-lived thanks to rising cases of COVID. Consumer sentiment reached lows in November not seen since 2011.
- The reemergence of COVID had stymied Europe’s recovery early in the year, but Europe is quickly getting growth back on track. Growth in the third quarter was 3.7 percent higher than a year ago.
- The number of employed persons increased by 0.9 percent in both the Euro area and in the European Union during the third quarter, but the unemployment rate has declined slowly during the recovery.
“It has been a tumultuous year and many of the risk factors that are prevalent today will continue through at least the first half of 2022, said IPC Chief Economist and report author Shawn DuBravac. “COVID continues to be a major deterrent to economic growth and while the impact of the current outbreak remains unclear, the uncertainty it has created will hinder the recovery in the early months of the new year. While my expectations for growth for 2021 and 2022 are muted from prior months, I still expect the U.S. economy to grow four percent next year.”
Share on:
Suggested Items
IPC Hall of Fame Spotlight Series: Highlighting Denny Fritz
03/13/2025 | Dan Feinberg, I-Connect007This month, the Hall of Fame spotlight features Denny Fritz, a long-time friend and associate of mine. Denny first got involved with IPC in 1978 while working with MacDermid. His first efforts were with the various board fabrication committees, something he believes helped lead to his eventual Hall of Fame award.
IPC Asia’s Talent Development Program Opens Pathways to a More Qualified Workforce
03/14/2025 | Evelyn Cui, IPC AsiaIn Asia, the contradiction between the rapid development of the electronics manufacturing industry and the shortage of talent is particularly evident. The existing talent pool cannot fully meet the market's demand for highly skilled professionals. According to feedback from industry companies, there is an urgent need for professionals with knowledge of IPC standards and practical skills in electronics. However, the reality is that most academic courses are disconnected from the actual needs of the industry, leading to disappointing results when companies recruit from universities and schools.
Ventec International Group Announce Launch of VT-47LT IPC4101 /126 Prepreg for HDI
03/12/2025 | Ventec International GroupVentec International Group announce launch of VT-47LT IPC4101 / 126 Prepreg. Are Microvia Failures Plaguing Your HDI Any Layer Designs? High-density interconnect (HDI) designs are pushing the envelope - higher layer count HDI relies on complex microvia designs: skip vias, staggered microvias, and stacked microvias in sequential laminations.
IPC Releases Latest List of Standards and Revisions
03/12/2025 | IPCEach quarter, IPC releases a list of standards that are new or have been updated. To view a complete list of newly published standards and standards revisions, translations, proposed standards for ballot, final drafts for industry review, working drafts, and project approvals, visit ipc.org/status. These are the latest releases for Q1 2025.
The Test Connection Inc. Promotes Melanie Rutkauskas to Director of Operations for The Training Connection, LLC
03/11/2025 | The Test Connection Inc.The Test Connection Inc. (TTCI), a leading provider of electronic test and manufacturing solutions, is pleased to announce the promotion of Melanie Rutkauskas to Director of Operations for The Training Connection, LLC (TTC-LLC). With her extensive background in operations management, accounting, and customer relations, Melanie brings a wealth of experience and leadership to her new role.