Global PCB market

The report forecasts a return to modest growth for North American PCB production by the end of 2016, with growth expected to continue through 2018. This growth trend also applies globally, including key PCB production regions such as China, Taiwan, Korea, and Japan. The study presents data and analysis on various aspects of the PCB market, such as market size, sales growth, product types, vertical markets, revenue trends, layer counts, material trends, labor and R&D spending, revenue per employee, and U.S. import/export activities. A special feature includes forecasts by Dr. Hayao Nakahara, a prominent industry analyst, on total PCB production in the Americas and worldwide through 2018. Read More

Since 2014, the South Korean PCB industry has faced challenges, particularly due to the strong Korean won, which negatively impacted sales and profitability. In contrast, the global PCB industry experienced growth, with total revenue reaching $59.6 billion in 2014, a 3.7% increase. This growth was driven by demand for mobile phone motherboards (HDI) and internet server PCBs. South Korea's PCB production shrank by 9% in 2014, affected by a weak mobile phone market. However, companies in Europe, Taiwan, and Japan, benefited from weaker local currencies, improving their profitability. To overcome these challenges, South Korean PCB manufacturers plan to expand into overseas markets, particularly in automotive electronics and semiconductor PCBs, to improve profitability and reduce dependency on a limited customer base. The outlook for 2015 is positive, with expectations of market recovery and growth in new product lines. Read More