Keywords
Citation
(1999), "US PWB industry fights to stay even in 1998; better 1999 expected", Circuit World, Vol. 25 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/cw.1999.21725cab.018
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 1999, MCB UP Limited
US PWB industry fights to stay even in 1998; better 1999 expected
USA
US PWB industry fights to stay even in 1998; better 1999 expected
Keywords Book-to-bill, Electronics industry, Printed circuit boards, USA
Early information from IPC's monthly book-to-bill program, in which 40 percent of the US domestic printed wiring board (PWB) market participates, indicates flat printed wiring board sales in 1998 compared to 1997. The December statistics show that the total dollar value for bookings (orders) in 1998 were down 2.0 percent compared to 1997, while the dollar value for billings (shipments) increased marginally (0.7 percent) (Figure 1).
1998 followed on the heels of several strong years for the PWB industry," says IPC President Thom Dammrich. "The demand for PWBs in 1998 remained fairly strong, but pricing deteriorated significantly throughout the year due primarily to the Asian financial crisis and the devaluation of currencies in Taiwan and other Asian countries."
Figure 1 IPC bulletin board for
December 1998
Another factor impacting domestic pricing in 1998 was the strengthening of the dollar, which made imports less expensive. Dammrich notes that while domestic pricing was adversely impacted by the lower prices available from Asian suppliers, the actual amount of imports to the USA did not show a significant increase in 1998.
Dammrich believes that better times lie ahead for the PWB industry. "As the Asian financial crisis situation improves and the dollar begins to weaken against Asian currencies, the semiconductor industry recovers, and shipments of electronic products strengthen, we look forward to a better year in 1999 and an even stronger year in 2000," says Dammrich.
IPC will release its1998 report on the PWB industry at the IPC Technology Market Research Council Meeting June 23-24, 1999, at the J.W. Marriott Hotel in Washington, DC.
For more information on the IPC statistical program, contact IPC Market Research Director Carla Wehrspann at +1 (847) 790 5317, or e-mail CarlaWehrspann@ipc.org