BANNOCKBURN, IL – Printed circuit board sales growth to the military/aerospace market continues to outpace sales to other vertical markets in North America, says IPC.

Despite cutbacks in the US military budget, cumulative rigid PCB sales to the military market from January through May this year were up 3.4% year-over-year, while rigid PCB sales to other markets were down 9.1% year-to-date.

In the flexible circuit board segment, year-to-date growth rates of sales to the military and other markets were both positive, but military sales growth was higher.

“We estimate that the military/aerospace market accounts for about 27% of the total PCB market in North America,” said Sharon Starr, IPC director of market research. “Based on new data, IPC is updating its market size estimates for rigid PCBs, flexible circuits, the mil/aero and medical vertical markets, and the prototype market.”