Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1339822
8 PCB007 MAGAZINE I FEBRUARY 2021 Nolan's Notes by Nolan Johnson, I-CONNECT007 IPC APEX EXPO 2021— Something That Makes Sense e news is bustling with financial results and economic insights. While this is the pre- dictable norm in January, what isn't so pre- dictable is what these news items contain un- der these global pandemic circumstances. For example, as I write this, here's just a snapshot from this week's industry news: • IPC reported the North American PCB industry sales are up 4.5% in December 2020 • Rockwell Automation reported fiscal first quarter 2021 results, saying, "e recovery in manufacturing is happening at a much faster pace than we were anticipating, with our orders exceeding pre-pandemic levels" • While OSI Systems saw a downturn in sales revenue overall for 2020, its health- care division contributed a 31% increase in second quarter revenue • Amphenol closed 2020 with record fourth quarter sales (13% increase for the quarter), exceeding the high end of their guidance • Plexus expanded its "funnel of qualified manufacturing opportunities by nearly $600 million from the prior quarter to a record $3.3 billion" • e U.S. Department of Commerce reported on January 28, 2021, that the U.S. economy surged in the third and fourth quarters of 2020, but that rebound still le the U.S. with a negative 3.5% growth for the year