Summary

• Actionable sustainability guidance for electronics manufacturers, addressing product carbon footprints, GHG reporting, Scope 3 emissions, and supply chain transparency
• Hands-on carbon accounting and standards-focused education at APEX EXPO 2026, including new industry guidance and a preview of IPC-1783-CO₂e
• Engineering-driven sustainability sessions and show-floor solutions, covering materials tradeoffs, manufacturing impacts, lifecycle tools, and ESG reporting technologies
• A practical forum to align on shared methods and prepare for evolving sustainability expectations across the electronics value chain

By Kelly Scanlon, Lead Sustainability Strategist, Global Electronics Association

Sustainability in electronics isn't theoretical anymore. Companies are being asked for product carbon footprints, greenhouse gas data, materials disclosures, and supply chain transparency often without clear guidance on how to deliver it.

That's why the sustainability programming at APEX EXPO 2026 is worth your attention and attendance, even if sustainability isn't in your job title.

Professional Development: Carbon Accounting Fundamentals

APEX EXPO offers hands-on courses on greenhouse gas accounting and calculations, including new industry guidance document and information about the forthcoming standard IPC-1783-CO₂e. These sessions are valuable for teams that need to explain how they calculate their numbers. 

If Scope 3 emissions feel unclear, these sessions can help.

Technical Sessions: Sustainability Meets Engineering Reality

Wednesday, March 28, includes four presentations focused on materials tradeoffs, manufacturing considerations, data credibility, and cross-functional alignment.

This is where you'll hear how others are navigating the same challenges you're facing.

On the Show Floor: Solutions in Action

Sustainability runs through the show floor, from additive and printed electronics to recycling, ESG reporting tools, and lifecycle software. The Learning Lounge and the Design Village and Technology Pavilion connect sustainability to design and manufacturing decisions, showing how early choices affect and improve carbon impact, compliance, and cost.

Why it Matters

Sustainability expectations are high for the electronics industry. APEX EXPO 2026 is where the industry works through shared methods, tools, and approaches. Being part of those conversations now means you're better positioned to respond as requirements evolve.

For registration options, visit 2026 Registration Options | APEX EXPO 2026.

See you in Anaheim! 

Key Summary

• This final Industry Intelligence Insights edition transitions ongoing coverage to the Global Electronics Association Substack channel.
• AI-driven electronics and capital goods lead growth while broader goods manufacturing remains under pressure globally.
• Recent data highlight strong AI infrastructure demand across South Korea and Taiwan through exports, production, and GDP growth.
  Governments expanded upstream interventions, targeting critical minerals, strategic components, stockpiles, export controls, and industrial capacity.
• Regional manufacturing sentiment shows cautious optimism with uneven recoveries across the United States, Europe, China, and broader Asia.

This edition of Industry Intelligence Insights is our last, but don’t worry we will continue to deliver insights into the trends shaping the global electronics manufacturing ecosystem via the Global Electronics Association’s new Substack channel.  Please visit that site now and subscribe so you don’t miss anything.

In this final issue, Global Electronics Association Chief Economist Shawn DuBravac examines an increasingly uneven manufacturing landscape, where AI-driven electronics and capital goods continue to lead growth while broader goods production remains under pressure.  

You’ll also find the latest PCB and EMS Book-to-Bill results, updated global sentiment data pointing to cautious optimism, and regional insights on how manufacturers across the U.S., Europe, and Asia are navigating diverging recovery paths.

We round out the issue with new articles and resources exploring AI, skills, supply chains, and the forces shaping the electronics industry outlook for 2026.

Please follow us on Substack to stay connected as these issues continue to evolve and read on for more timely insights. 

Thiago Guimarães 
Director of Industry Intelligence, Global Electronics Association

Market Analysis from Global Electronics Chief Economist Shawn DuBravac

Over the past month, global manufacturing has settled into a familiar but uneven pattern. Electronics and AI-linked supply chains continue to accelerate, while broad-based goods manufacturing remains soft. Three themes stand out. First, electronics and capital goods tied to AI infrastructure remain the clearest sources of momentum. Second, governments are intervening further upstream, increasingly treating minerals, components, and industrial capacity as strategic assets. Third, the gap between headline production data and survey-based measures continues to widen, pointing to isolated pockets of strength rather than a broad-based recovery.

Some of the strongest recent data points are directly tied to AI infrastructure investment. For example, South Korea reported January exports up 33.9% year over year, with semiconductor exports surging 102.7%. Taiwan showed a similarly strong signal. Manufacturing production rose 22.98% year over year in December 2025, and fourth-quarter GDP grew 12.68% year over year. Across the globe, exporters appear to be benefiting disproportionately from demand linked to AI hardware and related capital investment.

Over the last month, a number of governments around the world have extended or worked to formalized policies to secure key upstream inputs, particularly critical minerals and strategically sensitive components. In the United States, a bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced legislation on January 15 to create a $2.5B critical minerals stockpile aimed at stabilizing markets and supporting domestic mining and refining. On February 2, President Donald Trump announced Project Vault, a $12B initiative designed to build roughly a 60-day emergency supply. Europe is moving along a parallel track. The European Commission said the second call for strategic projects under the Critical Raw Materials Act drew more than 160 applications, highlighting strong demand for faster permitting and funding. At the same time, the European Court of Auditors reported that the EU has yet to make measurable progress toward its CRMA targets to extract 10%, process 40%, and recycle 15% of strategic raw materials by 2030. China continues to tighten export controls as well. Its 2026 catalogue of dual-use items subject to export licensing expanded to 846 items, up from 765 in 2025.

In the United States, the Federal Reserve held rates steady at its January 28 meeting, noting that economic activity is expanding at a solid pace while inflation remains somewhat elevated. January brought a sharp rebound in the Institute for Supply Management manufacturing PMI, which rose to 52.6 from 47.9 in December, pushing the sector back into expansion territory for the first time in roughly a year. The increase was driven by stronger new orders and production. However, part of the lift could reflect post-holiday reordering and a continued pull-forward of orders ahead of tariff-related price concerns, rather than a clear inflection. Industrial production did rise 0.4% in December 2025, and manufacturing output increased 0.2%. However, manufacturing output declined at a 0.7% annual rate in the fourth quarter, underscoring the uneven nature production.

Europe continues to grow, but manufacturing remains the weak link. Euro area GDP rose 0.3% quarter over quarter in Q4 2025, a resilient result heading into 2026. Inflation has continued to ease, with euro area inflation at 1.9% in December 2025, although energy-driven input costs are beginning to reappear in factory surveys. Manufacturing indicators remain mixed. The January S&P Global HCOB eurozone manufacturing PMI rose to 49.5 from 48.8, still below the expansion threshold. The output sub-index, however, moved above 50 to 50.5, suggesting modest production growth even as new orders continue to contract. Employment remains in contraction, though at the slowest pace in several months. Performance also continues to diverge by country. France moved into expansion at 51.2, while Germany, Italy, and Spain remained in contraction.

China's economy appears to remain split between external demand and domestic weakness. Official data show 2025 GDP growth of 5%, meeting the government’s target, with policymakers signaling a 2026 focus on supporting demand and advancing manufacturing. Still, the January 2026 official manufacturing PMI slipped back into contraction at 49.3 from 50.1, with both new orders and export orders below 50. Private-sector data present a slightly more resilient picture. The China RatingDog Manufacturing PMI registered 50.3 in January, indicating mild expansion among more market-oriented manufacturers. This supports the view that smaller exporters integrated into regional supply chains can perform reasonably well even as domestic demand remains soft. Fiscal data underscore ongoing strain at home. Fiscal revenue fell 1.7% in 2025, the first decline since 2020, reflecting property sector weakness and subdued consumption.

Outside of China, much of Asia remains a manufacturing bright spot. Japan’s manufacturing PMI rose to 51.5, its first expansion since mid-2025, supported by renewed growth in new orders and foreign sales. South Korea’s PMI climbed to 51.2, the highest reading since August 2024, with improving orders and output. Indonesia’s PMI rose to 52.6, pointing to broader regional momentum beyond semiconductors and electronics.

India continues to post strong manufacturing readings. The HSBC India manufacturing PMI increased to 55.4 in January from 55, signaling solid expansion as output and domestic orders improved. Business optimism, however, remains muted, with only 15% of firms expecting higher output over the coming year. Rising input costs and limited pricing power continue to weigh on sentiment. Vietnam also entered 2026 with a healthy manufacturing backdrop. The January PMI came in at 52.5, slightly below December but still firmly expansionary, extending a run of improving operating conditions. Vietnam’s General Statistics Office estimates 2025 GDP growth at 8.02%.

One of the key question over the next few months is whether this strength reflects a durable capital expenditure and inventory cycle, or a short-lived restocking phase that fades if U.S. and European end demand softens. 
 

Book to Bill

PCB: North American PCB Industry Ends 2025 with Strong Book-to-Bill and Double-Digit Shipment Growth

EMS: EMS Industry Sees Year-end Bookings Surge, Signaling Stronger Demand Ahead

Global Sentiment

The Current Sentiment of the Global Electronics Manufacturing Supply Chain

The January 2026 Global Sentiment Report shows electronics manufacturers are operating in a high-cost, margin-compressed environment, but they expect demand and activity to improve over the next six months even as cost and recruiting pressures persist.
 

Articles 

A Global Perspective on the Future of Electronics: Skills, AI, and Supply Chain Transformation

     A new blog from the Global Electronics Association, Gaurab Majumdar 
 

Navigating the Shift: Key Trends Shaping Growth in AI and Electronics Through 2026

     A new blog from the Global Electronics Association, Shawn DuBravac 

How Technology, Materials, and Manufacturing Will Redefine 2026

     A new blog from the Global Electronics Association, Matt Kelly 

What’s Next for Global Electronics: A 2026 Outlook from East Asia

     A new blog from the Global Electronics Association, Sydney Xiao  

Resilience Through Adaptation: What to Expect from the Electronics Industry in 2026

     Predictions for 2026 from John W. Mitchell 

Social Media

The December Global Sentiment Report is in, and industry confidence in AI is high, for good reason. 

How is AI changing PCB design? That's the question behind "The Transformation of AI-Driven Electronics Design," a new white paper from the Global Electronics Association. It was developed by our Design Leadership Council, led by Peter Tranitz, head of the Association's Design Initiative. 

Upcoming Events:

• March 16–19, 2026 — APEX EXPO, Anaheim, California: The Global Electronics Association’s flagship event will feature keynote addresses from IBM Quantum’s David Lokken-Toyli, futurist Zack Kass, and Association President & CEO John W. Mitchell, offering bold insights on quantum computing, artificial intelligence, and the future of global electronics innovation. Register HERE
• April 15–16, 2026 — Elektronikmässan, Gothenburg: Christoph Solka, Director of Industry Intelligence Europe at the Global Electronics Association, will speak on “Key Developments Shaping the EMS Industry in Europe,” examining the market, policy, and supply-chain forces influencing Europe’s electronics manufacturing services sector.  

By Peter Tranitz, Senior Director, Technology Solutions, Europe

Key Summary

PEDC 2026 delivered a non-commercial, pan-European technical conference built by and for Europe’s electronics design community, focused purely on education and engineering excellence.

The event brought together 130 participants from 23 countries for two days of deep technical exchange across three tracks, 36 presentations, and three keynotes.

Strong engagement centered on silicon-to-systems design, multi-physics simulation, UHDI PCBs, IC substrates, and Design for Excellence, reflecting real-world design complexity.

Sustainability and AI-enabled decision-making were integrated throughout the program, with practical insights on lifecycle impact, CO₂e reporting, and emerging tools.

The Pan-European Electronics Design Conference (PEDC) was developed to provide Europe’s electronics design community with a non-commercial, Pan-European, technologically advanced forum. PEDC 2026 delivered exactly that. 

This second edition of the conference brought together 130 participants from 23 countries across Europe and beyond for two days of technical exchange, discussion, and connection. Hosted by the Global Electronics Association and Fachverband Elektroniksdesign und-fertigung e.V. (F.E.D)., and supported by Altium, Siemens, and Zuken, the event featured three technical tracks, 36 presentations, three keynotes, and a group of exhibitors.

Day 1 included keynote presentations from Tomide Adesanmi, Circuit Mind, UK; Alexander Gerfer, Würth Elektronik eiSos, Germany; Simon Seereiner, Weidmüller Interface GmbH & Co. KG, Germany; and Thomas Keller Rosenberger Hochfrequenztechnik GmbH & Co. KG, Germany. Their presentations aligned with panel discussions on key issues such as AI in product development, energy management for high-performance systems, silicon-to-systems design and simulation, among others. 

On the second day, from the first sessions onward, the rooms were full, and the discussions were active. The Silicon-to-Systems track drew strong interest. Designers are dealing with increasing complexity every day, and sessions on multi-physics simulation, UHDI PCBs, and IC substrates clearly resonated

Design for Excellence was another area where we saw strong engagement. Topics ranging from compliance and cost to manufacturing and assembly reflected the real, practical challenges design teams across Europe face. These discussions were grounded, honest, and relevant.

Sustainability also played an important role throughout the program. What stood out was the focus on practical application, how AI tools can support sustainability decisions across the product lifecycle. New companies and startups brought fresh perspectives, including thoughtful contributions around IPC-1783 CO₂e and new approaches to faster, more informed decision-making.

Equally important was the conference's atmosphere. The size and format created space for meaningful interaction. Designers, OEMs, ODMs, EMS providers, PCB manufacturers, printed electronics equipment manufacturers, and design houses from both small and medium-sized companies and larger organizations mixed naturally. PEDC provided a space to speak openly with peers, exchange experiences, and see the full electronics ecosystem represented in one place.

This kind of environment is exactly what the European design community needs.

Europe is diverse in its markets, industries, and company sizes. That diversity makes it even more important to have a neutral, pan-European platform focused purely on education and technical excellence. PEDC was designed to be non-commercial, with sales activity clearly separated from the technical program, and conducted in English to ensure open exchange across borders.

The Global Electronics Association chose to lead this effort because we believe it is our responsibility to be visible from a technical perspective. As the voice of the European EMS and PCB industries and a trusted partner to policymakers, we want to be recognized not only for advocacy but also for technical leadership and high-quality content. PEDC is a natural extension of that role.

The feedback we received was encouraging and constructive. Participants clearly value the conference and are already looking ahead. At the same time, we heard where we can improve, particularly in high-frequency design and next-generation materials, and we are taking that input seriously.

Based on the response to PEDC 2026, we are already planning the next technical conference in 2027, with the same goal: to build a conference that serves the community, reflects real technical needs, and supports collaboration across Europe’s electronics ecosystem.