BANNOCKBURN, IL – Total North American PCB shipments in May were down 6.8% compared to the same month last year, IPC announced. The book-to-bill ratio stands at 0.95.

Compared to the preceding month, May shipments were down 16.5%.

PCB bookings in May were down 6.4% compared to the same month last year. May bookings were down 2.7% compared to the preceding month.

“The sluggish growth in the PCB industry reflects broader economic headwinds and likely signals a period of slower growth,” said Shawn DuBravac, IPC’s chief economist.

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.