PCB industry: order backlog is growing, business expectations are falling
In the second quarter of 2022, order intake for the German PCB industry rose again slightly by 5.7% for the first time, after three consecutive quarters of decline.
After the Corona shock in 2020, sales increased for the sixth time in a row, writes industry association ZVEI. Nevertheless, the business expectations of companies have clouded over, which can be attributed to the difficult economic and political situation.
At the end of the second quarter, business expectations were pessimistic: 29% of companies expect their own economic development to deteriorate (previous quarter 25%). The number of economic optimists halved from 8% to just 4%. 67% of companies believe that the economic situation will remain the same. The causes of the negative expectations are Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine, the ongoing effects of the corona pandemic, the sluggish availability of materials in many areas, rising costs for energy, materials and supplies coupled with rising inflation, as well as consumers' reluctance to buy and companies' investment provisions.
The order backlog increased for the eighth consecutive quarter with a book-to-bill ratio of 1.11 (a new record value). The number of employees remained constant at a record high in a three-year comparison.
