BANNOCKBURN, IL – World PCB production reached an estimated $58.2 billion in 2016, up 2.2% in real terms, while North American PCB production decreased 0.1%, according to IPC.

The North American PCB market also continued its downward trend, but at a slowing rate of 1.7% in 2016.

Based on value, more than half the world’s PCBs are now produced in China, but Taiwanese companies are the leading PCB producers, fabricating most of their PCBs offshore, says IPC. India emerged as having the fastest-growing PCB industry in Asia and has joined the top 10 PCB-producing countries in the world as of 2016.

Rigid PCB production, which has slowed in recent years, was up slightly in 2016, while the previously growing flex segment decreased. The world PCB market overall is expected to continue experiencing modest growth in 2017.