BANNOCKBURN, IL – North American printed circuit board orders grew 24.1% year-over-year in August, increasing year-to-date order growth to 6.2%. Orders were up 11.3% sequentially, says IPC.

North American PCB shipments increased 1.5% year-over-year during the month. Year-to-date shipments were down 0.1%. Sequentially, PCB shipments were up 3.6%.

The book-to-bill ratio climbed to 1.13, its highest level in more than five years. A ratio of more than one suggests current demand is ahead of supply, a positive indicator for sales growth over the next three to six months.

“Growth in North American PCB sales and orders continued in August, and orders were especially strong,” said Sharon Starr, IPC’s director of market research. “The book-to-bill ratio reached its highest level since May 2010, which is a strong indicator of positive sales growth in the fourth quarter of this year and into next year.”

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