North American PCB Industry Sales Up 9% in October
November 23, 2022 | IPCEstimated reading time: 1 minute
![](https://iconnect007.com/application/files/7716/9087/0399/IPC_PCB.jpg)
IPC announced the October 2022 findings from its North American Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Statistical Program. The book-to-bill ratio stands at 1.07.
Total North American PCB shipments in October 2022 were up 9.0 percent compared to the same month last year. Compared to the preceding month, October shipments fell 13.3 percent.
PCB year-to-date bookings in October were down 4.5 percent compared to last year. October bookings were down 22.5 percent compared to the same month last year.
“Both order and shipment data in October were relatively weak but these data come on the heels of a strong September which has left the book-to-bill in positive territory,” said Shawn DuBravac, IPC’s chief economist. “Strong bookings in September suggest shipments should remain solid in the month ahead.”
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.
Suggested Items
Calling All California Employers: Harness State Funding for Workforce Training with IPC and ETP
09/05/2024 | IPCIPC, a global industry association dedicated to its member companies' competitive excellence and financial success, announces a pivotal opportunity for California employers under the Employment Training Panel (ETP) program.
WHMA/IPC Issues Call for Participation for Electrical Wire Processing Technology Expo 2025
09/04/2024 | IPCWHMA/IPC invites engineers, researchers, academics, technical experts, and industry leaders to submit proposals for the Electrical Wire Processing Technology Expo (EWPTE), to be held May 6-8, 2025 at Baird Center in Milwaukee, Wis. The deadline for proposals is on November 8, 2024.
Opportunity Knocks
09/04/2024 | Michelle Te, IPC CommunityIPC member DETEX Corporation of New Braunfels, Texas, like so many similar companies, strives to cultivate a highly skilled workforce to meet the growing demand for electronics assembly professionals. But also like many companies, DETEX, which engineers and manufactures security products, has struggled to hire qualified workers. Most employees are hired without certification or experience. Providing on-the-job training (OJT) without technical instruction has been met with limited success.
TRI’s High-Performance Inspection Solutions at SMTAI 2024
08/27/2024 | TRITest Research, Inc. (TRI) is joining the upcoming SMTA International Exposition & Conference on October 22 – 24, 2024, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont, IL, USA.
Give Yourself an Edge at the IPC High Reliability Forum 2024
08/27/2024 | Marcy LaRont, PCB007 MagazineFor those who support military and defense products, few topics are more important than reliability, particularly as we venture into complex packaging requirements that accommodate next-gen chips and electronic systems. Recently, I visited with Teresa Rowe, IPC senior director, assembly and standards technology, to discuss the IPC High Reliability Forum (HRF), Oct. 9-10, at the McKimmon Center, in Raleigh, North Carolina. With topics that cover high-voltage electronics, standardized test methods, and assembly and solder joint X-ray challenges, it is clear that this event needs to be included on your annual conference calendar.