Looking back at the year that was, it suffices to say that 2014 wasn’t the best year for the PCB industry. While the industry as a whole is estimated at $3.44 billion, 2014 did not really see a lot of growth. However, IPC’s monthly report on the North American PCB market reveals that 2015 may be the comeback year for the PCB industry.
Growth over the Years
According to IPC’s 2013-2014 Analysis and Forecast for the PCB industry in North America, a number of sectors are showcasing a tremendous increase in terms of growth. Military and aerospace are now making immense progress, and may be touted as new segment leaders, even ahead of communications. Research and development in the rigid PCB segment has improved as well, growing from 3.4% in 2013 to 4.3% in the last year.
The report highlighted an increase in the growth of the flexible PCB segment since 2012. Beginning at a growth rate of 2.2%, the segment reached an estimated 3.5% in 2014. This growth was mainly achieved due to the efforts of rigid flex printed circuit board manufacturers.
How can the Situation be Improved Further?
The main reason for this growth is in-depth research and the manufacturing of quality printed circuit boards. With the continual demand for smaller, smarter, and faster electronic products, the PCB industry needs to keep pace by focusing on the following two points:
- Developing better design solutions
- Utilizing better equipment
Creating better design solutions can help manufacturers to meet requirements of new and improved commercial and industrial electronic products. Quality printed circuit board manufacturing is due in great part to the equipment used to produce the PCBs. More focus on quality will lead to an improved finished PCB output.
While the PCB will continue to experience ups and downs, with a clear focus on the above mentioned points, we may see a brighter future for the PCB industry.
