PCB industry will not surpass past highs before 2004 - ABI

29 January 2003 News

The printed circuit board market reached a bottom in 2001, with worldwide sales expected to increase slightly in 2002. However, exceeding the levels posted in 2000, when global revenues topped $42 bn, will not happen for some time. Weaknesses in several tech sectors are to blame, including telecom, medical and the broader information technology industry, according to research conducted by Allied Business Intelligence (ABI).

"Given current market conditions, the PCB industry will take about four or five years to reach the level attained in 2000," states Edward Rerisi, Director of Research at ABI. "The PCB market is strongly correlated with the electronic equipment industry. As this industry recovers, so will the PCB market," he adds.

With nearly 2000 companies actively engaged in PCB production, ABI contends that only the most technically advanced will weather this storm. Smaller companies may be pushed out of the market unless they successfully cater to a niche application.

www.alliedworld.com

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