IPC has announced that rigid PCB shipments in North America were down 14.2% and bookings were down 24.5% on year in December 2008. For 2008, rigid PCB shipments were up 0.9%and bookings down 5.5%. Compared to the previous month, rigid PCB shipments in December decreased 0.9% and bookings decreased 4.6%. The book-to-bill ratio for the North American rigid PCB industry in December 2008 fell to 0.89.
Flexible circuit shipments in North America in December 2008 were down 17.1%, but bookings were up 23.8% on year. Year to date, flexible circuit shipments were up 3.4% and bookings were down 3.1%. Compared to the previous month, flexible circuit shipments in December were up 23.7% and bookings nearly doubled, up 99.9%. The North American flexible circuit book-to-bill ratio in December 2008 jumped to 1.08.
For rigid PCBs and flexible circuits combined in North America, industry shipments in December 2008 decreased 14.5% from December 2007 and orders booked decreased 21.1% from December 2007. Year to date, combined industry shipments were up 1.1 % and bookings down 5.3%. Compared to the previous month, combined industry shipments for December 2008 were up 0.6% and bookings were up 1.3%. The combined (rigid and flex) industry book-to-bill ratio in December 2008 dipped to 0.90.
"Rigid PCB orders have trailed shipments for nine straight months now, and that is reflected in a declining book-to-bill rate," said IPC president Denny McGuirk. "Strong orders have been keeping the flexible circuit segment growing, but the whole industry's December sales were weaker than in prior years. However, the industry ended the year about 1% ahead of 2007."
Article translated by Meiling Chen
