FRANKFURT, GERMANY -- Sales at Germany region PCB manufacturers fell 6.3% year-over-year in May. 

On a per working day basis, sales rose 3.6%, reports the ZVEI PCB and Electronic Systems trade association.

Orders fell 22% from a year ago, and were down 14.2% on a per-working-day basis.

Year-to-date sales are up 5% over 2107, while orders are down 2%.

"The reasons for the 2017 boom were orders shifted from Asia to Europe due to the shortage of copper foil and laminates in the Far East. [The current data] points to a wait-and-see ordering behavior of the mounters due to persistent component shortages," ZVEI said.

The book-to-bill ratio fell 140 basis points sequentially to 0.90, the lowest mark in over a year.

Despite the current uncertainty, the number of employees in May rose 3% versus the previous year.

Register now for PCB WEST, the leading trade show for the printed circuit design and electronics manufacturing industry! Coming Sept. 11-13 to the Santa Clara Convention Center.