North American circuit board shipments up, orders down in March over same month last year, IPC says

BANNOCKBURN, Ill., 28 April 2011. U.S. and Canadian shipments of rigid printed circuit boards were up 5.1 percent in March over the same month one year ago, but orders booked decreased 10.1 percent during the same period, say market analysts at IPC Association Connecting Electronics Industries in Bannockburn, Ill.

March flexible circuit shipments were up 9.1 percent, yet orders booked declined 7.4 percent during the same period, IPC analysts say. Combined circuit board and flexible circuit shipments, meanwhile were up 5.4 percent in March, and orders booked decreased 9.9 percent during the same period, IPC analysts say.

Year-to-date, North American circuit board shipments are up 6.7 percent, while orders booked dropped 8.5 percent; shipments of flexible circuits in March were up 9.3 percent and orders booked were increased 9.6 percent; and shipments of circuit boards and flexible circuits combined year-to-date shipments were up 6.9 percent and orders booked were down 7.1 percent, IPC analysts say.

IPC experts announced these market numbers as part of the organization's monthly North American Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Statistical Program for March.

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