Posted by John Keller

BANNOCKBURN, Ill., 2 Feb. 2012. Year-over combined orders for rigid printed circuit boards and flexible circuits manufactured in North America dropped for the 12th consecutive month in December, say analysts at IPC, the Association Connecting Electronics Industries in Bannockburn, Ill. Orders of U.S. and Canadian circuit boards and flexible circuits in December decreased 2.8 percent from the same month one year ago. Compared to the previous month, however, combined industry orders of North American circuit boards and flexible circuits in December were up by 8.7 percent, IPC analysts say.

Combined shipments of North American circuit boards and flexible circuits in December, meanwhile, decreased 5.1 percent from the same month last year, yet compared to the previous month, however, combined industry shipments for December 2011 increased 6.9 percent. Year to date, combined industry orders were down 8.1 percent, and shipments were down 1.9 percent, IPC says.

"North American PCB sales ended the year down 5.1 percent over 2010, but current indicators point to a resumption of modest growth in 2012," says Sharon Starr, the IPC market research director.

December orders of North American printed circuit boards alone were up 0.1 percent over the same month last year. Compared to the previous month, however, circuit board orders increased 10.7 percent. Year to date, circuit board orders declined 8.8 percent in December. Shipments of printed circuit boards were down 3.6 percent compared to the same month in 2010, yet compared to the previous month, circuit board shipments increased 7.2 percent. Year to date, rigid PCB shipments decreased 1.9 percent.

Orders of flexible circuits in December decreased 27.7 percent compared to the same month in 2010, yet compared to the previous month, flexible circuit orders were down 10.7 percent. Year to date orders of flexible circuits decreased 0.4 percent in December. Shipments of flexible circuits in December were down 19.8 percent compared to December 2010. Compared to the previous month, December shipments of flexible circuits increased 2.9 percent. Year to date, shipments of flexible circuits decreased 2.5 percent.

For more information contact the IPC online at www.ipc.org.