Rigid PCB shipments down in December 2012

Year to date, rigid PCB shipments declined 5.5 percent and bookings decreased 1.7 percent. Compared to the previous month, rigid PCB shipments were up 7.1 percent and rigid bookings increased 19.0 percent. The book-to-bill ratio for the North American rigid PCB industry in December 2012 recovered to 0.99. Flexible circuit shipments in December 2012 were up 6.7 percent, and bookings were up 9.4 percent compared to December 2011. Year to date, flexible circuit shipments decreased 1.5 percent and bookings decreased 10.0 percent. Compared to the previous month, flexible circuit shipments decreased 7.4 percent but flex bookings were up 20.2 percent. The North American flexible circuit book-to-bill ratio improved to 0.84. © IPC For rigid PCBs and flexible circuits combined, industry shipments in December 2012 were down 14.5 percent and bookings decreased 7.5 percent, compared to December 2011. Year to date, combined industry shipments were down 5.2 percent and bookings were down 2.4 percent. Compared to the previous month, combined industry shipments for December 2012 increased 5.7 percent and bookings increased 19.1 percent. The combined (rigid and flex) industry book-to-bill ratio in December 2012 rose to 0.98. “North American PCB book-to-bill ratios appear to have begun recovering after a downward trend that began in the second quarter of 2012,” according to Sharon Starr, IPC director of market research. “The industry’s sales ended 2012 at 5.2 percent below 2011.”