IPC says PCB shipments up in August over 2007

SEPTEMBER 29, 2008--IPC - Association Connecting Electronics Industries (Bannockburn, IL, USA; www.ipc.org) has announced the August findings from its monthly North American Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Statistical Program.

Rigid PCB shipments are up 2.5% and bookings are down 14.9% in August 2008 from August 2007 (see "PCB industry shipments were down in August"). Year-to-date, rigid PCB shipments are up 5.3% and bookings are up 1.7%. Compared to the previous month, rigid PCB shipments increased 5.8% and rigid bookings increased 3.9%. The book-to-bill (B:B) ratio for the North American rigid PCB industry in August 2008 moved up slightly to 0.95.

Flexible circuit shipments in August 2008 are up 18.9% and bookings are down 24.3% compared to August 2007. Year to date, flexible circuit shipments are up 9.0% and bookings are down 8.7%. Compared to the previous month, flexible circuit shipments are down 2.2% and flex bookings declined 21.5%. The North American flexible circuit B:B ratio in August 2008 fell to 0.90.

For rigid PCBs and flexible circuits combined, industry shipments in August 2008 increased 3.5% from August 2007 and orders booked decreased 15.5% from August 2007. Year to date, combined industry shipments are up 5.6% and bookings are up 1.0%. Compared to the previous month, combined industry shipments for August 2008 are up 5.2% and bookings are up 2.0%. The combined (rigid and flex) industry B:B ratio in July 2008 was 0.95.

"Year-on-year shipment growth in August was positive, which follows normal seasonal patterns, but orders are down compared to last year," says IPC president Denny McGuirk. "This has kept the book-to-bill ratio below 1.0, although it improved slightly in August for rigid PCBs."