North American PCB Shipments Down 24% in September
BANNOCKBURN, IL – North American PCB shipments in September were down 24.1% year-over-year, according to IPC's North American PCB Statistical Program. The book-to-bill ratio stands at 1.08.
Compared to the preceding month, September shipments were down 23.8%.
PCB bookings in September were down 4.4% compared to the same month last year and down 2.8% compared to the preceding month.
“The North American PCB book-to-bill rose notably in September, but this rise masks overall weakness in the sector. The decline is primarily driven by a steep decline in shipments that outpaced a drop in orders,” said Shawn DuBravac, IPC’s chief economist. “Year-to-date trends highlight a negative trajectory in shipments alongside a narrowly positive trend in orders.”
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.
