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I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
April 30, 2021 | Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
This week’s biggest news came in the form of industry briefings—there were a lot of them and the news was universally positive. The news you need to read for this week includes three reports from IPC detailing: the strength and risks in the global economic recovery; a strong EMS book-to-bill ratio; and strong North American PCB sales. Zeroing in on a single company, Apple reported a significant jump in revenue. On the governmental issues front, SEMI offered its support to the introduction of the Endless Frontier Act, intending to improve U.S.-based semiconductor development. We round off the list with Pete Starkey’s report on the EIPC Technical Snapshot session, this time analyzing material pricing pressures and supply chain issues.
Count carefully, and you’ll find that the Top 5 actually contains six news items this week. That’s by intent. To our thinking, the EMS and PCB reports from IPC represented one story told in two parts.
Enjoy!
IPC: Global Economic Recovery is Picking Up Speed, but Risks Remain
Published April 28
The United States should see first quarter growth eclipse 6% (seasonally adjusted annual rate), led by additional fiscal stimulus and the broad lifting of COVID-related restrictions. Monetary policy remains accommodative, which should help to further growth. Finally, consumer and business confidence is roaring back as vaccination rates increase and consumers appear anxious to spend. The United States is set to grow 6.3% during the year.
SEMI Lauds Introduction of Endless Frontier Act to Boost U.S. Technology Innovation
Published April 23
SEMI, the industry association serving the global electronics design and manufacturing supply chain, applauded the introduction of the Endless Frontier Act (S. 1260) to bolster U.S. semiconductor innovation. This bipartisan legislation calls for the investment of more than $100 billion in science and technology initiatives to strengthen U.S. capabilities to develop critical technologies, expand the U.S. workforce, and foster federally funded research. The legislation was introduced in the Senate by Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.) and a bipartisan group of cosponsors.
Apple Reports Revenue Up 54% to New March Quarter Record
Published April 29
Tim Cook’s quote captures it well: “This quarter reflects both the enduring ways our products have helped our users meet this moment in their own lives, as well as the optimism consumers seem to feel about better days ahead for all of us.”
North American EMS Industry Down 3.6% in March
Published April 23
“EMS shipments bounced back sharply in March, following a February marked by severe weather that hindered production,” said Shawn DuBravac, IPC’s chief economist. “Order flow slowed during the month but remains near historical levels. In fact, the three-month EMS book-to-bill has never been higher. With book-to-bill at 1.43, the EMS industry hit a second record in as many months.”
EIPC Technical Snapshot: Supply Chain and Material Price Pressures
Published April 26
EIPC’s seventh Technical Snapshot webinar on April 14 was timely and appropriate. In the context of current supply chain issues and material price pressures facing the PCB industry, particularly in Europe, the EIPC team brought together an outstanding group of experts—each a leading authority in his field—to analyse and comment upon the areas of concern and to respond to questions raised by a capacity audience.
North American PCB Industry Sales Up 4.7% in March
Published April 26
“March was a strong month for the PCB industry. Record shipments and strong bookings pushed the book-to-bill to near all-time highs,” said Shawn DuBravac, IPC’s chief economist. “Only May 2000, with a book-to-bill of 1.23, was higher.”
Suggested Items
The New Industry: Will the Growth Continue?
04/30/2024 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamHow sustainable are the primary financial models in the United States regarding PCB fabrication shops? In this interview with economic experts Shawn DuBravac and Tom Kastner, we explore what’s happening with U.S. printed circuit board shops in today’s market, how consolidation affects the industry, and what can be done.
TTM’s High Tech Expansion and Industry Innovation
04/30/2024 | Marcy LaRont, PCB007 MagazineTom Edman has been the CEO of TTM Technologies since 2014 and has an extensive background in electronics and manufacturing. TTM is a leading global manufacturer of technology solutions, including mission systems, RF component and RF microwave microelectronics assemblies, and quick turn and advanced technology printed circuit boards.
U.S. Companies Invest Heavily in Robots
04/30/2024 | IFRManufacturing companies in the United States have invested heavily in more automation: total installations of industrial robots rose by 12% and reached 44,303 units in 2023. Number one adopter is the car industry followed by the electrical and electronics sector.
USPAE to Springboard U.S. Technology Forward
04/30/2024 | Marcy LaRont, PCB007 MagazineThe U.S. Partnership for Assured Electronics (USPAE) was launched as a nonprofit subsidiary of IPC in 2020, specifically to manage the DoD relationship and access to funding, and to develop a cooperative facility to develop UHDI capabilities in the U.S., not only for the defense sector, but for the whole of the U.S. electronics industry. It is a tall order, but industry veteran Joe O'Neil believes it will happen. Having been tasked with making the UHDI Capable Cooperative Production Facility (UCCPF) a reality, he provides an update on this important project for U.S. electronics manufacturing.
Samsung Electronics Begins Industry’s First Mass Production of 9th-Gen V-NAND
04/29/2024 | Samsung ElectronicsSamsung Electronics, the world leader in advanced memory technology, today announced that it has begun mass production for its one-terabit (Tb) triple-level cell (TLC) 9th-generation vertical NAND (V-NAND), solidifying its leadership in the NAND flash market.