Year-to-date the market was up 5.5% compared to 2007. Supply bottlenecks and quality problems in Asia are contributing to the increased volume of orders.

April orders were the second highest (for an April) since 2000. Similarly, 2008 year-to-date overall orders have been up to near record levels. Automotive and industrial electronics are particularly strong. Military and other secure supply orders and low volume runs for the industrial sector are being retained in Europe as companies re-evaluate Asian outsourcing protocols.

The book-to-bill ratio reached a value of 1.04; slightly lower than in previous months but still reflecting growth.