Electronic components experienced sales slump in the EMEA region in 2008

For 2009, the German ZVEI association forecasts - due to the worldwide recession - a further sales decline of 15% to a market volume of around €40 billion ($54 billion; down 22% compared to 2008). For the year 2009, a lower euro exchange rate is expected and - with that - offsetting exchange rate effects. The ZVEI-analysts expect to see a slight sales increase for the EMEA markets only in 2010; with a small turnover increase of around 4%, which represents a turnover of around €42 billion ($57 billion). World market sliding down in 2009 While the world market for electronic components showed an increase of slightly more than 5% in 2007 (to $404 billion), a decline in turnover of moderate 1.5% was recorded in 2008. (In euro, that would be a 8.3% decline to €271 billion). During the current year, the world market will decline by 16% to $333 billion (In euro, a decline of 9% to €246 billion). Only in 2010, the association expects to see an increase of 5.5% to $351 billion. This slightly positive development is mainly due to the expected increase in sales by 6% for semiconductor devices; as it already records a share of well over 60% of all electronic components worldwide. The forecast is based on a moderate recovery in the global economy. Even for the world markets for passive components and PCBs, a moderate growth of at least 5% is seen for 2010.