The U.S. Partnership for Assured Electronics (USPAE) is entering a new phase of rapid growth to better connect the electronics industry with government needs and opportunities. Effective immediately, membership dues are reduced to $1,000 for all organizations, and the process to join is streamlined.

Leaders of top semiconductor, microelectronic, IC-Substrate, PCB, EMS, and OSAT companies along with the U.S. government and European Commission are gathering in Washington, D.C. this week to discuss "the next big thing" in CHIPS Act implementation: expanding "advanced packaging" capacities and capabilities to go along with expanding production of semiconductor chips.

IPC is monitoring a proposal recently published by the European Commission (EC) that would prohibit products in the European Union market made with forced labour. The current proposed draft would ban both imported goods and goods made in the EU with forced labour.

Per IPC’s September Global Sentiment of the Electronics Supply Chain Report 81 percent of electronics manufacturers are currently experiencing rising material costs while 74 percent indicate labor costs are on the rise. At the same time, ease of recruitment, profit margins and inventory available from suppliers are presently declining.

Two of the electronics industry’s most far-sighted and innovative leaders have been named to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s new Industrial Advisory Committee (IAC), which will provide guidance to the Secretary of Commerce on a range of issues related to CHIPS for America Act programs.  

Last week, Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Eva Maydell expressed to participants of IPC’s European Executive Forum her commitment to see a European Chips Act that would bolster the entire semiconductor ecosystem, including those segments critical to advanced packaging. 

According to IPC’s September 2022 economic outlook report, the economic picture in the United States continues to dim and the likelihood of a recession next year continues to increase.

IPC ha announced the August 2022 findings from its North American Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Statistical Program. The book-to-bill ratio stands at 0.98.

IPC has announced the August 2022 findings from its North American Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) Statistical Program. The book-to-bill ratio stands at 1.31.

The electronics industry is calling on U.S. President Joe Biden to address urgent industrial base vulnerabilities and deliver on the promise of the CHIPS Act by prioritizing domestic development of printed circuit boards (PCBs) and integrated circuit (IC) substrates under Title III of the Defense Production Act.