North America Relay Market Sales Down 8% and Bookings up 6%
08/28/2013 //
North America Relay Market Sales Down 8% and Bookings up 6% for the First Half of 2013 Versus 2012
Total reported sales for all relay types in North America for the second quarter of 2013 were 8% higher than reported in the previous quarter and 8% below that observed in the same quarter of 2012. Sales units for Q2’13 were about equal to units sold in Q1 and 7% less than Q2’12.
The total booking dollars reported for all relay categories in North America for Q2’13 ran less than the previous quarter by 3%, and higher than Q2 ‘12 by 4%. The second quarter’s book-to-bill ratio for dollars was 0.987. Booking units in Q2 2013 came in 8% below Q1. The second quarter’s book-to-bill ratio for units was 1.000.
In the second quarter of 2013 sales were up in dollars, units, and ASP for EMR’s while SSR’s improved in dollars and ASP compared to Q1. In total dollars increased 8% while units were nearly unchanged and the ASP moved up 8%. Comparisons to the same quarter last year show both units and dollars down for EMR and SSR. In total dollars fell 5%, units dropped 7%, as the ASP moved 2% higher. Year-to-date dollars and units are also down for both EMR and SSR categories. Total dollars are lower by 8% and units down 6%. The ASP was down for EMR, up for SSR, and down 3% in total.
Sales Growth by Relay Category
| Q2 Versus Q1 CY 2013 | Q2 2013 Versus Q2 2012 | YTD CY 2013 Vs. YTD 2012 | |||||||
| Category | Dollars | Units | ASP | Dollars | Units | ASP | Dollars | Units | ASP |
| Electro-mechanical | 7.3% | 0.6% | 6.6% | -6.1% | -6.8% | 0.7% | -7.9% | -5.3% | -2.7% |
| Solid State | 10.8% | -6.6% | 18.6% | -1.2% | -2.2% | 1.1% | -9.6% | -12.4% | 1.8% |
Total |
8.1% | 0.4% | 7.7% | -4.9% | -6.7% | 1.6% | -8.3% | -5.6% | -2.9% |
Bookings moved lower in Q2 compared to Q1 for all measures except ABP. In total booking dollars and units have moved down 3% and 8%. The ABP for EMR’s rose 6% while SSR’s jumped 32%. The comparison to Q2’12 shows dollars and units up for EMR’s and down for SSR. All in, dollars improved 4% with units up 21%. The ABP for EMR’s fell 13% while SSR’s moved down 1% and total lost 14%. This year compared to last has dollars and units improving with exception SSR dollars. Total bookings are 6% better and units up 30%. The ABP is down for both categories and by almost 19% in total.
Bookings Growth by Relay Category
| Q2 Versus Q1 CY 2013 | Q2 2013 Versus Q2 2012 | YTD CY 2013 Vs. YTD 2012 | |||||||
| Category | Dollars | Units | ABP | Dollars | Units | ABP | Dollars | Units | ABP |
| Electro-mechanical | -1.6% | -7.2% | 6.0% | 5.9% | 21.9% | -13.1% | 9.7% | 30.7% | -16.1% |
| Solid State | -9.2% | -31.4% | 32.4% | -3.1% | -2.0% | -1.1% | -3.5% | 16.9% | -17.4% |
Total |
-3.5% | -8.3% | 5.2% | 3.6% | 20.9% | -14.3% | 6.1% | 30.1% | -18.5% |
The graph below shows total quarterly indexed sales and bookings in dollars and units for the reported data. Sales dollars and units were relatively flat the first three quarters of 2012, fell in the last quarter, held unchanged in Q1 of this year and dollars rose in Q2. In the first three quarters of 2012 booking dollars and units rose then fell in Q4, recovered in Q1’13, and fell off in Q2.
The overall indexed selling prices have moved lower by 8% between Q1 of 2012 and 2013 then recovered in Q2. Booking prices followed the same pattern with a 25% decrease.
Note the price graph above has trends included for the average selling and average booking prices. Price graphs include either linear or polynomial regression analysis to show the trend of prices.
Book-to-bill dollars and units trended up from Q1’12 to Q1 of this year and moved down in Q2. The ratio of average booking to selling prices has general moved lower and remained at or above 1.0 until Q2 of this year.
Michael Schwert
Michael is the founder of Cumulus, Inc. He has more than 30 years of marketing and sales as well as design experience in the electronic and electrical component industry. Prior to founding Cumulus, he was Director of Marketing for Cherry Electrical Products and held other marketing management positions with Panduit, BRK Electronics, and Ideal Industries.
Cumulus provides market information and consulting services for the global electronic components industry. The company offers three publications: Switch Tracks, a quarterly report with market information on component switches; the Relay Report, a quarterly report with market information on component relays; and Market Notes, a monthly report on sales, bookings, and business conditions in the relay and switch market. Cumulus also manages projects that help leading global suppliers in the relay and switch industry to develop new products and reach new markets.
Schwert provides MarketEYE with monthly articles that include timely and accurate market information for the electromechanical component sector of the electronics industry.