IPC - international electronics industry join association today released in April in North America, printed circuit board (PCB) statistical research report.
PCB industry growth rate and book-to-bill ratio
Rigid PCB shipments fell 3.6% year-on-year in April 2012, the order is decreased by 8.6% year-on-year. As of the release date, rigid PCB shipments fell by 5.8% in 2012, the order is increased by 1.2%. Compared with last month, the rigid PCB shipments fell by 10.5% month-on-month, rigid PCB orders fell 13.0%. In April 2012 in North America, rigid PCB industry book-to-bill ratio in a 1.03.
Flexible circuit board shipments fell 13.8% year on year in April, 2012, and orders fell 5.2% year on year, as of the release date, flexible circuit board shipments fell by 8.9% this year, orders fell by 2.4%. Compared with last month, flexible circuit board shipments fell by 10.9% month-on-month, flexible circuit board orders fell 18.8%. In April 2012 in North America, flexible circuit board book-to-bill ratio remains at a higher value of 1.16.
Just flexible combination plate shipments fell by 4.5% year-on-year in April 2012, decreased in the order of 8.3%. Year-to-date, just flexible combination plate shipments fell by 6.0%, 0.8% rise in orders. Compared with last month, just flexible combination plate shipments fell 10.6%, month-on-month also reduced by 13.5%. In April 2012 just flexible combination of plate book-to-bill ratio fell slightly but still is 1.04.
IPC market research director Sharon Starr said: "North America PCB sales and orders in April was slightly lower than last year's level, the response to the normal seasonal effect. The good news is that the order shipment has maintained a higher level than the fifth consecutive month. Orders exceed sales also herald the next three to six months of sales growth positive."
Book-to-bill ratio is involved in the investigation of the IPC company as sample, in addition to the same period in the past three months sales order amount is calculated. Ratio greater than 1.00 illustrates the current demand greater than supply, signal in the next two or three months, good sales trend.
Just flexible combination plate book-to-bill ratio and growth rate are greatly influenced by the rigid PCB. According to the IPC global PCB production report: in North America, rigid PCB accounted for about 89% share of the PCB industry.
The role of domestic production
IPC monthly survey data of the north American PCB industry production enterprises from the United States and Canada order and shipments, according to the needs of the region. These data and can't measure in the United States and Canada PCB production. In order to grasp the production performance of the region, the IPC for companies involved in the investigation and research to provide the percentage of shipments in the United States, Canada, local production. , according to data submitted in April 2012, PCB and 83% of total shipments are produced by local companies. Rigid PCB by IPC, April shipments of 82% is produced by local enterprises, flexible PCB shipments 85% locally. These data clearly affected by the sample companies participating in the IPC research integrated, a slight change of data in January, but the rest of the month will remain constant.
Compared with the assembly of the bare board
Bare plate, flexible circuit board sales, in addition to include some value-added services, such as assembly. In April, the IPC for flexible circuit board manufacturers, according to the sample of bare plate accounted for about 36% of the total cost of the shipment. Assembly and other services in the flexible circuit manufacturers occupy a considerable share of the business and gradually increase. This number is also sensitive to the change of the sample, it may be produced in each year to start.
GDP
The growth rate of year-on-year comparisons and year-to-date for very has a guiding significance to explore the development trend of industry. And months between the comparison should be careful, because they may reflect the periodic, short-term variable factors affect the outcome. Because the order data compared with the data delivery more unstable, and months between book-to-bill ratio change may not be important, unless there is a more than three consecutive months have obvious change trend. To explore the cause of the change of the order and delivery and understanding book-to-bill ratio changes are equally important.
