SMT, PCB Electronics Industry News

North American PCB Industry Growth Continues Upward

Apr 26, 2018

IPC Releases PCB Industry Results for March 2018

IPC - Association Connecting Electronics Industries® announced today the March 2018 findings from its North American Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Statistical Program. Industry shipments and orders continued to grow at a brisk pace in March. The book-to-bill ratio retreated from its peak but remained strong at 1.13.

Total North American PCB shipments in March 2018 were up 10.4 percent compared to the same month last year. This year to date, shipments are 9.6 percent above the same period last year. Compared to the preceding month, March shipments increased 15.0 percent.

PCB bookings in March increased 13.8 percent year-over-year. Year-to-date order growth was 16.8 percent above the same period last year. Bookings in March were up 8.5 percent compared to the previous month.

"The North American PCB industry’s robust recovery continued in March,” said Sharon Starr, IPC’s director of market research. “Year-over-year growth has been consistently positive for sales in the last seven months and for bookings in the last 10 months. The outlook for this year is also encouraging, based on strong order growth in recent months and a book-to-bill ratio that has been above parity (1.0) for more than a year.

Detailed Data Available

The next edition of IPC’s North American PCB Market Report, containing detailed first-quarter 2018 data from IPC’s PCB Statistical Program, will be available next month. The quarterly report presents detailed findings on rigid PCB and flexible circuit sales and orders, including separate rigid and flex book-to-bill ratios, growth trends by company size tiers, demand for prototypes, sales growth to military and medical markets, and other timely data. This report is available free to current participants in IPC’s PCB Statistical Program and by subscription to others. More information about this report can be found at www.ipc.org/market-research-reports.

Interpreting the Data

The book-to-bill ratios are calculated by dividing the value of orders booked over the past three months by the value of sales billed during the same period from companies in IPC’s survey sample. A ratio of more than 1.00 suggests that current demand is ahead of supply, which is a positive indicator for sales growth over the next three to twelve months. A ratio of less than 1.00 indicates the reverse.

Year-on-year and year-to-date growth rates provide the most meaningful view of industry growth. Month-to-month comparisons should be made with caution as they reflect seasonal effects and short-term volatility. Because bookings tend to be more volatile than shipments, changes in the book-to-bill ratios from month to month might not be significant unless a trend of more than three consecutive months is apparent. It is also important to consider changes in both bookings and shipments to understand what is driving changes in the book-to-bill ratio.

IPC’s monthly PCB industry statistics are based on data provided by a representative sample of both rigid PCB and flexible circuit manufacturers selling in the USA and Canada. IPC publishes the PCB book-to-bill ratio at the end of each month. Statistics for the current month are normally available in the last week of the following month.


IPC (www.IPC.org) is a global industry association based in Bannockburn, Ill., dedicated to the competitive excellence and financial success of its 4,300 member companies which represent all facets of the electronics industry, including design, printed board manufacturing, electronics assembly and test. As a member-driven organization and leading source for industry standards, training, market research and public policy advocacy, IPC supports programs to meet the needs of an estimated $2 trillion global electronics industry. IPC maintains additional offices in Taos, N.M.; Washington, D.C.; Atlanta, Ga.; Stockholm, Sweden; Brussels, Belgium; Moscow, Russia; Bangalore and New Delhi, India; Bangkok, Thailand; and Qingdao, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Suzhou and Beijing, China.

Sep 16, 2024 -

IPC White Paper Calls for Comprehensive Roadmap to Address Advanced Packaging to Board-Level Integration Challenges

Sep 09, 2024 -

Calling All California Employers: Harness State Funding for Workforce Training with IPC and ETP

Sep 09, 2024 -

WHMA/IPC Issues Call for Participation for Electrical Wire Processing Technology Expo 2025

Sep 02, 2024 -

IPC's Road to Reliability Webinar Series Covers New e-Mobility Technologies

Sep 02, 2024 -

North American PCB Industry Sales Down 21.2 Percent in July

Aug 26, 2024 -

North American EMS Industry Up 1.9 Percent in July

Aug 26, 2024 -

IPC Partners with Stephen F. Austin State University's CARRI and the IPC Education Foundation for Workforce Development in Electronics Manufacturing

Aug 19, 2024 -

Electronics Industry Sentiment Rebounds in August After Three-Month Decline

Aug 19, 2024 -

Latest Advancements in High-Reliability Electronics Focus of 2024 IPC High Reliability Forum

Aug 07, 2024 -

Diana Radovan Joins IPC as New Sustainability Policy Director

1512 more news from Association Connecting Electronics Industries (IPC) »

Sep 18, 2024 -

Auction Closing Today

Sep 17, 2024 -

ViTrox Showcases Cutting-Edge VisionXpert Smart Code Readers at SMTA Penang 2024

Sep 16, 2024 -

Essemtec Wins 2024 Mexico Technology Award for Excellence in Dispensing Technology

Sep 16, 2024 -

Impossible Objects' Flagship Industrial 3D Printer, The CBAM-25 Wins 2024 Mexico Technology Award for 3D Printing

Sep 16, 2024 -

Impossible Objects' Flagship Industrial 3D Printer, The CBAM-25 Wins 2024 Mexico Technology Award for 3D Printing

Sep 16, 2024 -

IPC White Paper Calls for Comprehensive Roadmap to Address Advanced Packaging to Board-Level Integration Challenges

Sep 16, 2024 -

Stannol Wins Two Mexico Technology Awards for Flux and Solder Wire Innovations

Sep 16, 2024 -

Author Jairek Robbins to Discuss Leadership and Legacy in the Manufacturing Industry During the Keynote Address at SMTA International and The ASSEMBLY Show

Sep 16, 2024 -

Nordson Test & Inspection Honored with Technology Award for SQ3000M2

Sep 16, 2024 -

Apollo Seiko Mexico Triumphs with the STARGATE Laser Soldering Unit at the 2024 Mexico Technology Awards

See electronics manufacturing industry news »

North American PCB Industry Growth Continues Upward news release has been viewed 1004 times

Win Source Online Electronic parts

Circuit Board, PCB Assembly & electronics manufacturing service provider