Germany’s printed circuit board (PCB) market posted its lowest November sales ever last year, falling 20.7 percent compared to October 2008, and was down 26.8 percent compared to November 2007, according to ZVEI. For the first 11 months of 2008, overall sales was 3.7 percent lower than the same period in the previous year.

Incoming orders were likewise down. Compared to the previous month, orders fell by almost half in November 2008, and were also down 40 percent compared to the same period in the previous year. Industry observers attribute the fact from cancellation of orders during the month. Book-to-bill ratio, meanwhile, was 0.82-the lowest November book-to-bill value since 1994.

The decline in the PCB industry in Germany led to a corresponding reduction in workforce. Overall number of employees was 3.6 percent lower in November compared to the same period in the previous year. The industry is still expected to see further job cuts in the next several months, driven by the continuing global economic crisis.

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5. Weak Beginning for German PCB Market in 2009