October 10, 2014. The North American printed-circuit-board (PCB) market saw a moderate decline in 2013, but moderate growth is forecasted through 2017, according to IPC’s “2013-2014 Analysis and Forecast for the PCB Industry in North America.”
Other key findings include data showing that on-shore PCB production increased slightly in 2013, despite the slight decline in the market. Among PCB product types, HDI/microvia boards experienced the highest growth rate in 2013. Data on vertical markets for PCBs show that communications and military/aerospace are the two largest PCB markets in North America, together accounting for approximately 57% of the North American PCB market in 2013. Among the business metrics shown in the report, it is a positive indicator that R&D spending projections are up substantially for 2014.
The annual survey-based study provides a comprehensive overview of the market and business of PCB manufacturing in North America. It contains current data and analysis covering rigid PCBs and flexible circuits separately, including market size, sales trends, sales growth by product type and by vertical markets, production type (high volume vs. quick-turn vs. prototype), and financial metrics including spending on research and development, labor costs, revenue per employee, and U.S. imports and exports.
Forecasts of PCB productions in the Americas and the world through 2017 from Dr. Hayao Nakahara, a leading industry analyst and consultant to the PCB industry, are included as a special feature of the report.
The 66-page, downloadable report is available to IPC members for $450 and to nonmembers for $900. Companies that participated in the survey receive a complimentary copy of the report.
www.ipc.org/PCB-Study-2014
