Technet Members,

I have received numerous phone calls over the past several weeks from PWB
fabricators investigating the "yarn and glass fabric shortage" in the
industry.  Many of these board shops are experiencing shortages in laminate
and prepreg base materials and have heard from their vendors that the
situation will only become worse in the near future as electrical yarn
capacity is taken off-line for maintenance issues.  

It is a fact that electrical yarns (especially G-75 yarn for style 7628
fabric) have been in short supply on a global basis.  At the same time
however, shipments during the first six months of 1995 of yarn and fabric to
the domestic laminators have been near or at record levels.  

Additional facts that must be considered for the USA market:

   *  17% of the rigid FR-4 produced in July was shipped offshore.

   *  52% of the CEM-1 manufactured in July was exported.

   *  Exports of thin laminates for MLBs were up 108% over July 1994.

   *  Exports of prepregs for MLBs were up 126% over July 1994.

The data indicates that a classic supply and demand market is operating on a
global basis for laminates and prepregs.  The data also suggests that more
material is available than meets the eye.  Everyone must realize that base
materials are currently a seller's market for the laminators.


Doug Sober
IPC Base Materials Chairman