All equipment sectors to show growth in connectors over 2004

11 August 2004 News Infrastructure

Bishop & Associates publishes quarterly connector forecasts. Each report provides an in-depth, and detailed forecast of the worldwide connector industry. In its latest it reports that all end-use equipment sectors are recording growth. Bishop & Associates believes connectors will achieve excellent growth in all end-use equipment sectors in 2004. After two consecutive years of decline, the connector industry achieved a growth of 11,2% in 2003 and is forecast to grow 13,1% in 2004.

The following are some highlights:

* Computer and peripheral: PC sales are expected to jump nearly 14% this year as US businesses upgrade and consumers purchase systems that support WiFi, SFF memory cards, WXGA and other features. PC shipments are expected to top 187 million units in 2004, a 13,9% increase over 2003. Connectors are forecast to grow 15,5% in 2004.

* Automotive: The worldwide market for automotive connectors reached $7,4 bn in 2003, an increase of +13,0%. Currency fluctuations accounted for a significant amount of the increase. Automotive connector real growth in local currencies was 6,5%. It projects a 10,7% connector growth in automotive in 2004.

* Consumer: The consumer market remains a relative bright spot, one that has helped the electronics industry overcome sluggish business spending in 2002 and 2003, and is now also helping Japan pull out of its long recession. There are many new 'upscale' applications, and the line between consumer electronics and computer and peripherals continues to blur. This is evident with I/O interfaces such as USB, 1394, DVI, HDMI, SATA, HAVI and others. Connectors will grow 19,5% in 2004.

* Telecom: carriers are looking for increased operating efficiencies and scale with rapid return on investment. Sales growth will be in equipment and systems that achieve these values. More specifically, it anticipates the build-out of new broadband access architectures exploiting fibre-optics and Ethernet technologies. It projects telecom connectors to grow 11,2% in 2004, after declines of -28,6% and -4,3% in 2002 and 2003 respectively.

The table provides its current 2004 end-use equipment forecast for connectors.

For more information see www.bishopinc.com

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