IPC, the Consumer Technology Association™ (CTA) and Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) filed a joint comment to the Environmental Protection Agency reinstating the importance of an articles exemption to proposed Significant New Use Rules (SNUR) on three flame retardants, TCEP, TBBPA, and TPP.

Despite numerous risks – higher interest rates, tight monetary policy, persistent core inflation -- the U.S. economy continues to surpass expectations this year. The narrative is a bit cloudier in Europe. While inflation remains high, the underlying economy appears weaker which will cause the European Central Bank to move more cautiously, per IPC’s July 2023 Economic Outlook report. 

Current conditions have receded with Shipments Index, Orders Index, and Capacity Utilization Index all weakening in July, but at the same time, the outlook for shipments, orders, and utilization all improved per IPC’s July 2023 Global Sentiment of the Electronics Supply Chain Report.

IPC and the Printed Circuit Board Association of America (PCBAA) are calling on the U.S. Department of Commerce to clarify its plans for bolstering the domestic development and fabrication of advanced printed circuit boards (PCBs) as a key part of the CHIPS for America program.  

IPC announced today the June 2023 findings from its North American Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Statistical Program. The book-to-bill ratio stands at 0.98.

IPC announced today the June 2023 findings from its North American Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) Statistical Program. The book-to-bill ratio stands at 1.24.

Key segments of the European electronics manufacturing industry face significant challenges and require more support, considering their vital role in Europe’s strategic autonomy and the “twin transitions” to a greener, more digital economy.  

IPC, working together with other electronics stakeholders and end-user industries, have launched a follow-up survey to collect data on where industry see the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in the electronics value chain, and to collect ideas from stakeholders for concrete policy initiatives.

In light of the growing need to understand and address environmental sustainability challenges in the electronics manufacturing industry, the IPC Chief Technologist Council this week published a white paper that serves as an educational primer and a guide to further action for electronics manufacturing companies. 

Per IPC’s June 2023 Economic Outlook report, the U.S. economy has remained resilient through the first half of the year, despite significant headwinds from stubbornly high inflation, aggressive interest rates hikes and a number of high-profile bank failures.