PCB market nearly reach 2000 peak

Based on the best data available, the report presents estimates of printed circuit board (PCB) production and laminate market by country and product type worldwide. For the third consecutive year, the report indicated a market expansion—at $42.6 billion, the world PCB market has almost returned to its peak in 2000. Highlights of the report include regional summaries of PCB production covering Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and the Americas; commentary on flexible printed circuits; data on foreign investment in China and overseas investment by U.S. companies; and historical data on world rigid PCB production. As forecasted, Asia has grown to nearly 80 percent of world PCB production, with Europe and North America losing some share. Other valuable data provided showed the United States slipping from fourth to fifth place among PCB-producing countries with 10 percent of world production, and the United Kingdom falling out of the top ten, being replaced by the Philippines. According to Walt Custer, president of Custer Consulting Group and member of the 2005 World Market Consensus Committee that developed the report, IPC's World PCB Production and Laminate Report is the electronics industry's recognized source document covering the PCB industry and laminate markets. "I used this annual IPC report while serving as vice president of sales and marketing at Morton Electronic Materials to identify and quantify global PCB material and process equipment opportunities," Custer says. "Now as both an industry analyst and member of Coretec's Board of Directors, I find this report indispensable. It's useful to all tiers of the world electronics chain." Adds Deborah Mann, market forecasting manager, BPA Consulting Ltd, and member of the Consensus Committee, "In an industry where much of the market data is unpublished, readers of IPC's World PCB Production and Laminate Market Report for the Year 2005 are able to benefit from information freely provided by a panel of experts with a world perspective. The committee members share and discuss all the data they have collected by varied and independent means to put together a picture of PCB production for that year, which represents a joint view not available elsewhere."