EUROPE - Recent industry reports indicate that while the German PCB industry saw orders rise in the fourth quarter 2007 and early 2008, the situation is different for the majority of the European PCB market.

The German Electric and Electronic Manufacturer’s Association (ZVEI) has reported that overall European PCB production has fallen from $7.6 million to $4.36 million since 2000, a 42.6% decline over the last 8 years.

The report states that In 2006, only five countries in Europe; Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium and Italy, were able to increase their PCB production.

While it is common knowledge that volume PCB production is moving to Asian, Indian and Eastern European countries that offer lower business costs, some industry reports suggest that manufacturers in Europe may need to broaden their portfolio of products and increase capacity to reverse the trend. Reportedly, many European companies specialize in specific products, and may need to add further specialties and expertise to their portfolio to increase market share and profitability.

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