2026 Yearbook of World Electronics Data - 2 Volume Set: West Europe (Vol 1), plus America, Japan & Asia-Pacific (Vol 2)

Yearbook of World Electronics Data Volume 1 2026 – An Overview of Electronics Production & Markets in Western Europe

Introduction

In providing the forecasts for the current study, which were made at the beginning of August, we have:

• An escalation of the US and Israeli war on Iran could leading to higher energy prices, further supply chain disruptions and lower investment and consumer spending on the back of weaker growth in the European and global economies.
• The huge investments in AI and data centres is leading to severe supply constraints for memory chips and dramatically increasing prices. The current memory crunch is expected to continue into 2027 and potentially 2028.
• With higher memory costs pushing the cost of smartphones, PCs and other consumer electronics equipment higher it is expected that demand will weaken over the course of 2026 and into 2027. Manufacturers are also expected to focus on premium brand products.
• AI demand and raw material shortages are also impacting the supply of PCBs leading to higher prices and the potential of allocation.
• With the availability of other materials and electronic components also tightening and prices escalating the ability to source materials could push production into 2027.
• The current shortage of materials and components could lead to a spike in revenues as costs are passed through and lead to similar market conditions to 2022 and 2023.
• Consumer spending will remain subdued due to the combination of higher inflation and on-going geopolitical uncertainty.
• AI and data centre consumption will be a key driver of growth in the overall computer market in the period to 2028.
• Defence will be a major contributor to growth over the period to 2029 as government’s significantly increase spending.

Despite the potential headwinds we expect growth in the European electronics industry to strengthen over the course of 2026 and gain momentum in 2027 and 2028 with growth expected to ease in the final year of the forecast. However, the shortage of components and materials could see production and deliveries pushed into 2027.

In Euro’s the production of electronic equipment in Western Europe increased by an estimated 2.2% in 2025 to Euro 134.3 billion, and compared to the prior year’s increase of 0.3% in the prior year, growth in the communications segment – primarily radar and navigation/defence – computing and industrial offsetting a fall in consumer output.

Based on current indicators we are forecasting that growth in electronic equipment output in Western Europe will increase by 4.5% in 2026, 4.6% in 2027 and 2028 before easing to 4.1% in 2029.

Growth in the industrial segment, which accounted for an estimated 59.9% of electronics equipment output in 2025, posted growth of 1.5% on the back of growth in the second half of the year as demand improved and inventories were finally worked off. Growth is forecast to rebound in 2026 to 4.4% and then edge up to 4.7% in 2028 before easing in 2029

Within the communications sector growth is being driven by the demand for radar and navigation and defence electronics. Lower spending by network providers and enterprises, which dampened growth in the final months of 2023, 2024 and he first months of 2025, resumed in the second half of the year and should accelerate over the period to 2029. After increasing by 3.9% in 2024 growth in the communications and radar segment edged up to 5.3% in 2025 and to a forecasted 5.5% in 2026. In contrast, the telecommunications segment declined by 3.8% in in 2024, increased by 1.9% in 2025 and is forecast to grow by 3.9% in 2026.

Strong demand for AI and the growth in data centres has had positive impact on the development of the computer segment although with limited volume manufacturing in the region production is focused on specialised equipment. After increasing by 4.5% in 2026 growth is expected to ease year on year over the forecast period to 1.2% in 2029. The on-going decline in the production of video and audio equipment will continue over the period to 2029.

After declining by 0.3% in 2023 and by a further 2.2% in 2024 electronics equipment production in Germany posted growth of 2.2% in 2025 with this forecast to accelerate to 4.1% in 2026. In 2025, Germany accounted for

28.9% of West European electronics equipment output although with the country focused on industrial and to a lesser extent radar and navigation and defence electronics, this is forecast to edge down to 28.7% in 2029. Countries benefiting from the growth aviation and defence include France, Italy, Spain and the UK.

Yearbook of World Electronics Data - Volume 1 West Europe

Published since 1973 Volume 1 of the Yearbook of World Electronics Data provides:

• A single source solution allowing you to track the electronics industry in 16 countries in Western Europe.
• 13 major product groups.
• Market and production forecasts.
• Summaries provided in US dollars and Euros.
• CD-option allows you to manipulate the data quickly and easily: produce your own subsets or summaries of the data, create your own forecasts or cut and paste the data into your own in-house reports and presentations.

The Yearbook of World Electronics Data series presents market and production statistics for the GLOBAL electronics industry. Available in three published volumes covering 53 countries and 13 major product groups, the yearbook is used in the formulation of business and market planning, in tracking trends based on a clear understanding on how the industry has developed historically and to provide a basis for medium and long-term forecasting.

Yearbook of World Electronics Data Volume 2 2026 – An Overview of Electronics Production & Markets in the Americas, Japan & Asia Pacific

Introduction

In providing the forecasts for the current study, which were made at the end of October 2026, we have:

• An escalation of the US and Israeli war on Iran could leading to higher energy prices, further supply chain disruptions and lower investment and consumer spending on the back of weaker growth globally.
• The huge investments in AI and data centres is leading to severe supply constraints for memory chips and dramatically increasing prices. The current memory crunch is expected to continue into 2027 and potentially 2028.
• With higher memory costs pushing the cost of smartphones, PCs and other consumer electronics equipment higher it is expected that demand will weaken over the course of 2026 and into 2027. Manufacturers are also expected to focus on premium brand products.
• AI demand and raw material shortages are also impacting the supply of PCBs and other passive components including capacitors leading to higher prices and the potential of allocation.
• The current shortage of materials and components could lead to a spike in revenues as costs are passed through and lead to similar market conditions to 2022 and 2023.
• AI and data centre consumption will be a key driver of growth in the overall computer market in the period to 2028/2029.
• Defence will be a major contributor to growth over the period to 2029 as government’s significantly increase spending.

Despite the potential headwinds we expect growth in the electronics industry to strengthen over the course of 2026 and gain momentum in 2027 and 2028 with growth expected to ease in the final year of the forecast. However, the shortage of components and materials could see production and deliveries pushed into 2027.

Who will benefit ?

The Yearbook is essential research providing key data for all areas of the electronics industry including:

• Distributors and manufacturers of electronic components and materials.
• Suppliers of electronic production equipment.
• OEMs.
• EMS Providers.
• Government, including investment organizations.
• Financial and industry analysts.
• Academic institutes & universities tracking developments in the electronics industry.

The Yearbook of World Electronics Data – tracking developments in the global electronics industry

With a history now extending over 50 years, the first edition of the Volume 1 of the Yearbook of World Electronics Data was first published in 1973, the Yearbook series has been extended to cover 53 countries globally to provide an invaluable and unique insight into the global trends, regional variations and the underlying state of the global electronics market for all stages of the supply chain - OEM, contract manufacturing and design, components and materials suppliers to financial /industry analysts and government and academia.

Although encompassing a range of published and bespoke products the core of RER’s research programme is one of the most comprehensive statistical databases covering the global electronics industry, with the resulting analysis being published through three concise and clear demographic volumes, as a series of individual country reports, through customised solutions to meet specific client requirements and a series of Excel databases providing the combination of both historical and forecasted data.

Methodology

The Yearbooks highlight market trends and opportunities and offer corroborative evidence for individual research. Each new edition is fully revised and updated. Trade statistics are analyzed in detail, with over 500 separate categories being employed. Production statistics are collected from Government and Manufacturer's Association sources where these are available. Extensive use is also made of research reports, company reports, news items and work by other consultants to supplement and cross-check the official and semi-official sources.

Markets are forecast in real terms through to 2026, with production forecast to 2023, using constant exchange rates and excluding inflation. These are based on our extensive knowledge of the historical performance of each product, the general economic outlook and the major growth influencing factors.