The technical program registrations fell 49.3% to 1407, IPC said, while attendance for the exhibition dropped 34.4% to 3,350. Overall registration – including those persons who register as exhibitors – was 6,077, a drop of 34.5% and the lowest in the show’s 10-year history.

Compared to 2007, overall attendance fell 36.8%; exhibits registrations dropped 34.2%, and the technical program attendance fell 25.5%.

Overall, 380 companies exhibited, down 14% from 442 last year and 14.8% from 2007.

The economy clearly played a big role in keeping engineers at home this year. Even as the economy recovers, however, it’s unclear what the impact of the show’s timing will be next year, as Apex opens the Tuesday following Easter Sunday.