European Electronics Markets 1966
December 27, 1965 Electronics Magazine

December 27, 1965 Electronics [Table of Contents] Wax nostalgic about and learn from the history of early electronics. See articles from Electronics, published 1930 - 1988. All copyrights hereby acknowledged.

At the end of 1965, Electronics magazine printed an analysis of the state of the electronics markets in Europe (before there was a formal European Union). The authors predicted a whopping 10% increase to $7.8B for the combined consumer, commercial, and military markets. As a comparison of then versus now, Statistica claims a 2018 European Union consumer electronics market of $59B ($64B in 2019), and EE Times reports a $15B defense electronics market for the EU in 2018 (~$79B total). That represents a 10x increase since 1965. But wait, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Inflation Calculator, $7.8 in 1966 is the equivalent of $61B in 2018, so in real dollars that represents a factor of only 1.3x.

Separate reports are included for West Germany (the Berlin Wall was still up then), the United Kingdom, France, Denmark, Austria, Sweden, Belgium, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Italy. Russia, although obviously not part of Europe, is also covered.

European Electronics Markets 1966

By the editors of Electronics

In the first detailed statistical compilation of electronics consumption in Europe, the editors of Electronics predict the industry will grow 10 percent next year, to $7.8 billion. Consumer and industrial segments of the industry will grow the fastest; many countries expect a sharp decline in military electronics, which are already small in most countries, reflecting the completion of defense projects and the obstructionism of France in NATO.

European Electronics Markets 1966

European Electronics Total Consumption 1966