BANNOCKBURN, IL – Total North American PCB shipments in April were up 12.1% compared to the same month last year, IPC’s North American Printed Circuit Board Statistical Program reported. Compared to the preceding month, April shipments were down 18.4%.
PCB bookings in April were down 9.8 percent compared to the same month last year. April bookings were down 0.3 percent compared to the preceding month. The book-to-bill ratio stands at 0.89.
“Weak demand for electronics has kept PCB orders in check,” said Shawn DuBravac, IPC’s chief economist. “Shipments are up over 7% year to date while orders are down nearly 8%.”
The book-to-bill ratios are calculated by dividing the value of orders booked over the past three months by the value of sales billed during the same period from companies in IPC’s survey sample. A ratio of more than 1.00 suggests that current demand is ahead of supply, which is a positive indicator for sales growth over the next three to twelve months. A ratio of less than 1.00 indicates the reverse.