North American PCB Industry Shipments Down 22.5% in November
BANNOCKBURN, IL – Total North American PCB shipments in November were down 22.5% compared to the same month last year, according to IPC's North American Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Statistical Program.
Compared to the preceding month, November shipments were down 16.3%. The book-to-bill ratio stands at 0.97.
"PCB shipments were roughly five percent below our expectations for the month. The year-to-date trend fell to its lowest point of the year," said Shawn DuBravac, IPC chief economist. "Weak order flow in November suggests the year will likely end on a flat note."
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.
