Orders for semiconductors in the UK and Ireland reached £167million in the third quarter of 2017, according to IDEA. This represents an increase of 30% compared to the same quarter of 2016. Orders for passive components also showed a 30% increase over the same period, reaching £36m.
Aggregating all sales of electronic devices, IDEA says in its latest figures, that UK and Ireland companies ordered £295m worth of components in the quarter; 26% more than in Q3 2016.
For Europe as a whole, sales of electronic devices were said to be €2.01billion. While this is a 16% improvement over sales in Q3 2016, sales have declined slightly in all categories since the beginning of 2017.
IDEA’s editor in chief Gary Kibblewhite said: “Despite Q3 being historically a poor quarter, total components bookings continue to grow in most regions with every region, apart from France, posting a growth of at least 15% in total component bookings over the same quarter last year.
France still grew, but at a lower rate. However, the continuing gradual drop in the semiconductor book:bill ratio throughout the year could well give us problems for 2018.”
