Combined North American orders for circuit boards and flexible circuits drop for seventh straight month

BANNOCKBURN, Ill., 4 Sept. 2011. North American combined orders and shipments of rigid printed circuit boards and flexible circuits were down in July, compared to the same month one year ago. Year-over combined orders of circuit boards and flexible circuits have been down for seven straight months. This electronics industry health report comes from , report officials of IPC -- the Association Connecting Electronics Industries -- in Bannockburn, Ill.Board and flexible circuit orders in the U.S. and Canada were down 16 percent in July, compared to orders the same month in 2010, while shipments decreased 12.1 percent over the same period. In June combined orders were down 4.2 percent from the same month the previous year, while shipments were up 4.4 percent.Previous to the July's year-over drop in combined shipments of boards and flexible circuits, had posted monthly year-over increases since last April.

Compared to the previous month, combined industry orders decreased 20.8 percent, and shipments were down 24.2 percent. June saw combined order increases of 11.5 percent compared to the previous month, and monthly shipments were up 14.4 percent, IPC officials report.

In July rigid circuit board shipments were down 10.2 percent and bookings were down 17.0 percent from July 2010. Year to date, rigid circuit board shipments increased 2.3 percent and bookings declined 10.0 percent. Compared to the previous month, rigid circuit board shipments decreased 24.8 percent and rigid bookings decreased 19.0 percent, IPC analysts say.

Flexible circuit shipments in July 2011 were down 28.3 percent and bookings declined 4.5 percent compared to July 2010. Year to date, flexible circuit shipments increased 3.2 percent and bookings also increased 8 percent. Compared to the previous month, flexible circuit shipments decreased 17.8 percent and flex bookings fell 34.9 percent.

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

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