Rigid PCB shipments were up 18.3 percent, while bookings increased 3.0 percent in September 2010 from September 2009, according to a newly released report from IPC, the Association Connecting Electronic Industrires. Year to date, rigid PCB shipments were up 20.2 percent and bookings have grown 28.8 percent. Compared to the previous month, rigid PCB shipments increased 14.3 percent and rigid bookings increased 9.3 percent.
Regarding flexible circuits, shipments in September 2010 were up 21percent, but bookings were down 2.9 percent compared to September 2009. Year to date, flexible circuit shipments increased 10.7 percent and bookings were up 18.8 percent. Compared to the previous month, flexible circuit shipments increased 9.5 percent, but flex bookings decreased 11.2 percent.
For rigid PCBs and flexible circuits combined, industry shipments in September 2010 increased 18.5 percent from September 2009, as orders booked increased 2.5 percent from September 2009. Year to date, combined industry shipments were up 19.3 percent and bookings were up 28.0 percent. Compared to the previous month, combined industry shipments for September 2010 increased 13.9 percent and bookings increased 7.4 percent.
The book-to-bill ratio for the North American rigid PCB industry in September 2010 remained positive but continued to slip to 1.03. The North American flexible circuit book-to-bill ratio in September 2010 fell under parity to 0.97.The combined (rigid and flex) industry book-to-bill ratio in September 2010 remained positive but declined to 1.03.
“The growth in orders over the past year has generated corresponding sales growth in the industry,” said Denny McGuirk, IPC president and CEO. “The book-to-bill ratio has turned downward in the past few months primarily because of sales growth, which is a positive reason for the change."
