However, this optimism is tempered by what ECSN market analyst Aubrey Dunford calls ‘a lot of unknowns’. Referencing the well known statement of ex US defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Dunford said ‘known unknowns’ include the imminent arrival of president Trump, the Government’s Brexit negotiations, European elections and a continuing slow down in Asia-Pacific. The feeling is these factors will have little effect on the UK electronics industry, at least for the first half of 2017.
So what will 2017 hold in store? World Semiconductor Trade Statistics expects global demand for semiconductors to grow modestly; 3.3% in 2017 and a further 2.3% in 2018.
Will the UK electronics market see similar growth? Design activity is said by ECSN to remain strong and its expects the reshoring of manufacturing to accelerate. Let’s hope the market isn’t affected by some of Rumsfeld’s ‘unknown unknowns’
