Japan's September PCB output fell for 13 months

According to the latest statistics released by the Japan Electronics Packaging Circuits Association (JPCA), the output of printed circuit boards (PCBs) in Japan fell by 4.8% from the same month last year to 1.484 million square meters in September 2011. In 13 months, the decline occurred, but the decrease was lower than the previous month's 6.5%; the output was also reduced by 13.5% year-on-year to 52.836 billion yen, the 13th consecutive month of recession. So far this year (January-September), Japan's PCB production has fallen 10.3% from the same period last year to 12,559,000 square meters, and output has also dropped by 15.3% to 416.983 billion yen.

In terms of categories, Rigid PCB production in September decreased by 5.5% year-on-year to 10.12 million square meters, and output decreased by 13.5% year-on-year to 34.594 billion yen, both for the 12th consecutive month. Flexible PCB output rose 10.6% to 387,000 square meters, showing a second month of continuous growth. Output decreased by 4.3% year-on-year to 7.417 billion yen, which fell for the eighth consecutive month. The output of Module Substrates decreased by 36.8% year-on-year to 86,000 square meters, and the output decreased by 16.7% year-on-year to 10.831 billion yen.

Accumulated January-September output of hardboard in Japan fell by 11.1% to 8.381 million square meters over the same period of last year. Output also declined by 14.2% to 298.021 billion yen; soft board production increased by 7.8% to 3.135 million square meters. The recession was 13.2% to 58.496 billion yen; module baseplate output declined by 36.6% to 1.044 million square meters, and production volume declined by 17.6% to 105.466 billion yen.

Japan's major PCB suppliers include Ibiden, CMK, Nippon Mektron, Fujikura, Shinko, and Meiko.