BANNOCKBURN, IL — Three-month shipments by North American electronics manufacturing services companies rose 11.5% year-over-year in April, while falling 11.9% sequentially, IPC said today.

Bookings rose 22.6% year-over-year during the same period but decreased 14% percent from the previous month.

The book-to-bill ratio for the month was 1.62, meaning that for every $100 worth of EMS output, $162 worth of orders were placed. The ratio was up 15 basis points sequentially, reaching its highest point in at least 13 months.

The ratio is 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 1.0 suggests that current demand is ahead of supply, which is a positive indicator for sales growth over the next three to 12 months.

“The North American EMS industry once again hit a new record this month with the book-to-bill ratio hitting another all-time high,” said Shawn DuBravac, chief economist, IPC. “It is clear supply constraints and other disruptions are stymieing production while at the same time orders continue to be very strong. As a result, backlogs continue to build in the electronics supply chain.”

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