Rigid PCB shipments down YoY in November 2012

Year to date, rigid PCB shipments declined 4.5 percent and bookings decreased 0.9 percent. Compared to the previous month, rigid PCB shipments were down 5.6 percent and rigid bookings fell 2.1 percent. The book-to-bill ratio for the North American rigid PCB industry in November 2012 fell to 0.95. Flexible circuit shipments in November 2012 were up 18.0 percent, and bookings were down 21.6 percent compared to November 2011. Year to date, flexible circuit shipments decreased 2.2 percent and bookings decreased 11.5 percent. Compared to the previous month, flexible circuit shipments increased 10.2 percent and flex bookings were up 9.9 percent. The North American flexible circuit book-to-bill ratio remained at 0.74. For rigid PCBs and flexible circuits combined, industry shipments in November 2012 were down 3.5 percent and bookings decreased 9.9 percent, compared to November 2011. Year to date, combined industry shipments were down 4.3 percent and bookings were down 1.9 percent. Compared to the previous month, combined industry shipments for November 2012 decreased 4.2 percent and bookings decreased 1.3 percent. The combined (rigid and flex) industry book-to-bill ratio in November 2012 declined to 0.93. “Once again, the bright spot in North American PCB sales was in the flexible circuit segment,” said Sharon Starr, IPC director of market research. “Orders were weak in both rigid and flex segments of the industry, however, putting downward pressure on the book-to-bill ratio. Lower bookings portend a slow first quarter in 2013.”