PCB industry results down for October 2012

Year to date, rigid PCB shipments declined 4.4 percent and bookings decreased 0.2 percent. Compared to the previous month, rigid PCB shipments were down 12.4 percent and rigid bookings fell 14.3 percent. The book-to-bill ratio for the North American rigid PCB industry in October 2012 slipped below parity to 0.98. Flexible circuit shipments in October 2012 were up 15.6 percent, and bookings were down 18.9 percent compared to October 2011. Year to date, flexible circuit shipments decreased 4.0 percent and bookings decreased 10.5 percent. Compared to the previous month, flexible circuit shipments decreased 10.3 percent and flex bookings were down 0.5 percent. The North American flexible circuit book-to-bill ratio remained low at 0.74. For rigid PCBs and flexible circuits combined, industry shipments in October 2012 were up 0.1 percent and bookings decreased 10.0 percent, compared to October 2011. Year to date, combined industry shipments were down 4.4 percent and bookings were down 1.1 percent. Compared to the previous month, combined industry shipments for October 2012 decreased 12.2 percent and bookings decreased 13.4 percent. The combined (rigid and flex) industry book-to-bill ratio in October 2012 remained slightly below parity at 0.96.

“Although the book-to-bill ratios continued below parity in October, sales rebounded in the flexible circuit segment,” according to Sharon Starr, IPC director of market research. “The industry’s recovery is expected to resume in the near term, but possibly not until early 2013. Action by the U.S. Congress to deal with the ‘fiscal cliff’ will have a significant impact on economic growth and business confidence.” All images © IPC