AUGUST 26--IPC-Association Connecting Electronics Industries (Bannockburn, IL; www.ipc.org), a trade association of more than 2200 member companies representing all facets of the electronic interconnection industry, including design, printed-circuit-board manufacturing, and electronics assembly, has announced its findings from its monthly Interconnect Manufacturing Services (IMS)/Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Statistical Program. The North American rigid PCB industry book-to-bill ratio for July 2005 declined to 0.99, while the North American flexible circuit book-to-bill ratio continued to climb to 1.71.
These ratios are based on monthly data collected from PCB producers that participate in IPC's monthly PCB Statistical Program. The combined (rigid and flex) industry book-to-bill ratio in July 2005 increased to 1.16. This combined ratio has become less relevant to analysts, however, due to the divergence between the rigid PCB and flexible circuit segments of the industry in growth rates and book-to-bill patterns.
Rigid PCB shipments are down 2.7% and bookings are down 11.9% in July 2005 from July 2004. Year to date, rigid PCB shipments are down 5.9% and bookings are down 4.9%. Rigid PCB shipments from the survey sample decreased 19.4% from the previous month and rigid bookings decreased 19.0% from the previous month.
Flexible circuit shipments are up 32.7% and bookings are up 53.3% in July 2005 from July 2004. Year to date, flexible circuits shipments are up 25.6% and bookings are up 16.1%. Compared to the previous month, flexible circuit shipments from the survey sample decreased 6.7% and flex bookings decreased 37.9%.
For rigid PCBs and flexible circuits combined, industry sales billed (shipments) in July 2005 increased 4.7% from July 2004, and orders booked increased 4.1% from July 2004. Year to date, combined industry shipments are down 0.2% and bookings are up 0.1%. Combined industry shipments for July 2005 are down 16.4% over the previous month, and bookings are down 27.0% over the previous month.