IPC — Association Connecting Electronics Industries® launched a new series of monthly market research reports this spring with the publication of the IPC North American EMS Market Report. The May 2013 edition is now available. Previously available only to participants in IPC’s North American EMS Statistical Program, the aggregate findings are being made publicly available for the first time through subscription.
Estimates of total size, business performance and one-year sales forecasts for the North American EMS market are detailed in the 27-page report. Trends in sales of PCB assembly, box build and other production are tracked monthly. The EMS industry book-to-bill ratio is also included in the report.
IPC findings indicate that EMS market growth has been volatile in response to economic trends. It is expected to continue growing slightly faster than most other segments of the electronics supply chain due to increasing OEM outsourcing, with modest growth expected to continue this year. The total forecasted North American EMS market size for 2013 is $69 billion.
The North American EMS report details trends and offers commentaries on EMS sales, orders, and growth rates, provides graphs on sales volume history, and gives monthly statistical updates for direct labor and direct materials as a percent of sales. Also provided are historical index tables that track sales and orders over time.
“IPC recognized that its North American EMS industry findings offer valuable insights to the entire EMS supply chain, which led to the decision to make the reports available by subscription,” explained Sharon Starr, director of market research, IPC. “Companies can see market trends as they develop, track changes in their company’s market share and compare their company’s performance to industry averages.”