IPC's biennial wage rate and salary survey for the North American electronics assembly industry is open with a response deadline of November 1. The confidential survey covers compensation for 40 hourly and salaried technical, manufacturing and sales positions at original equipment manufacturers (OEMS) and contract electronics manufacturing services (EMS) companies in North America. It also covers salary budget growth, planned increases for 2020, and employee benefits and policies.

IPC announced today the September 2019 findings from its North American Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Statistical Program. Sales and orders continued to outpace last year and the preceding month in September. The book-to-bill ratio strengthened to 1.04.

Almost 90 percent of U.S. electronics manufacturers are troubled by the higher tariffs imposed by the United States and China on each other’s imports, and some are investing less in the United States and hiring fewer workers as a result.

IPC today announced it has joined the European Partnership for Responsible Minerals (EPRM) as part of its continuing efforts to help IPC members navigate the complex challenge of responsible minerals sourcing.

The 2019 IPC Hand Soldering Competition Japan concluded at NEPCON Japan in Nagoya September 20, celebrating the outstanding skills and professional achievements of talented manufacturing floor workers. Thirty-two competitors from renowned companies such as Panasonic, Mitsubishi Electronics, Advantest, NEC Space Technology and others participated in the event.

Third-quarter 2019 results from IPC’s Pulse of the Electronics Industry global data service show that the global electronics industry continues to thrive in a positive business environment and still predicts continued growth over the next year. The results are somewhat less optimistic than in earlier quarters this year and there are some sharp contrasts between regions.

IPC announced today the August 2019 findings from its North American Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Statistical Program. Sales and order growth rebounded in August and the book-to-bill ratio strengthened to 1.02.

IPC, in conjunction with What’s New in Electronics Live and ART-- Advanced Rework Technology Ltd., conducted the IPC Hand Soldering Competition in Warwickshire, United Kingdom, on September 18-19, 2019. Twenty competitors demonstrated their soldering skills with the hope of winning the coveted hand soldering competition crown.

IPC’s 2019 Annual Report on the North American PCB Industry, published last week, shows that the PCB industry in North America has turned a corner. For the first time in five years, domestic PCB production grew in 2018. North America’s PCB market also grew last year by nearly eight percent, solidifying the turnaround that began in 2017.

Exhibitor booth space at the third annual M-EXPO Wire Processing Technology 2019 in Ciudad Juárez, México, is sold out and wait-list applications are being accepted.M-EXPO 2019 has more than doubled its event space from 2018 and has exceeded expectations by selling out the exhibit space a month before the event. This year’s event is being held on October 9-11, 2019 at the Cuatro Siglos Convention Center, co-locating with the ninth annual EXPO-MRO.