North American PCB book-to-bill ratio bounced back in August

Total North American PCB shipments in August 2016 were 4.1 percent below the same month last year. Year-to-date as of August, however, shipment growth remains positive at 4.2 percent. Compared to the preceding month, August shipments declined 3.1 percent. PCB bookings in August increased 2.4 percent year-on-year, but this growth was not enough to bring year-to-date bookings back to positive territory. Year-to-date bookings as of August registered -0.7 percent growth. Compared to the previous month, however, orders in August 2016 increased sharply, by 37.1 percent. “A year-on-year decrease in August sales growth for the North American PCB industry, combined with a modest year-on-year increase in orders, contributed to a return to positive territory for the industry’s book-to-bill ratio,” said Sharon Starr, IPC’s director of market research. “Growth rates for different segments of the industry continue to be mixed,” she added, “with some extreme differences between rigid PCB and flexible circuit producers.”