AI Computing Power Drives PCB Material Competition: Taiwanese Manufacturers Secure Core Supply Positions

Central News Agency (Reporter Chiang Ming-yen, Taipei 7th) Driven by AI computing, the global PCB industry is undergoing a profound structural transformation. The Taiwan Printed Circuit Board Association (TPCA) observes that with both volume and price of CCL (Copper Clad Laminate) rising, the competitiveness of Taiwanese manufacturers is highlighted. While Japanese companies monopolize substrate materials, supply gaps are emerging, providing an opportunity for Taiwanese manufacturers to secure core positions in the supply chain for high-speed materials and precision processing. The latest report from the Taiwan Printed Circuit Board Association (TPCA) and the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) indicates that by 2026, the global CCL market, driven by AI, will exceed US1.5 billion, with an annual growth rate of 34.2%. Although Taiwanese manufacturers have competitive advantages in high-speed materials and process consumables, high-end substrate materials and glass fiber cloth are still dominated by Japanese manufacturers. Regarding Copper Clad Laminate (CCL), TPCA points out that benefiting from the strong demand from AI servers for large-sized, high-multilayer boards (over 40 layers), and extremely low-loss characteristics, the market is in a golden period of ''rising volume and price.'' In 2025, the global CCL market size reached US6.02 billion, and it is estimated to significantly increase to US1.5 billion in 2026, with an annual growth rate of 34.2%. As of 2025 statistics, Taiwanese manufacturers'' market share has reached 37.4%, with Taiming Electronics leading globally with an 18.9% market share. For high-speed transmission demands, Taiwanese manufacturers are also actively developing next-generation materials such as Low Dk2 glass fiber cloth, quartz cloth, and PTFE. In the field of semiconductor substrate materials, TPCA notes that Japanese manufacturers maintain a high degree of technological monopoly. Data from 2025 shows that in the ABF substrate material market, which is indispensable for advanced packaging, Japan''s Ajinomoto has a market share as high as 97.1%, almost controlling the lifeline of global AI chip packaging. In BT substrate materials and Low CTE glass fiber cloth, Japanese manufacturers also demonstrate absolute dominance of over 70%. Due to AI applications being less price-sensitive, suppliers prioritize fulfilling AI orders, leading to structural supply bottlenecks in the current market. As AI servers evolve towards B300/GB300 platforms, the PCB supply chain is ushering in a dual bonus of ''high value-added'' and ''increased demand.'' TPCA points out that taking HVLP copper foil as an example, the demand for HVLP4 products with extremely low roughness (Rz 0.5μm) has sharply risen. In 2025, global HVLP copper foil production capacity, driven by the AI wave, grew significantly by 48.1% to 23,400 tons. Although Japanese manufacturers currently control over 60% of the supply, Taiwanese manufacturer Kingboard has secured a place among the top 3 globally with a 10.3% market share. At the same time, the high-multilayer and thick-board structures of AI servers significantly increase processing difficulty, directly impacting the technical requirements for PCB drill bits, which are process consumables. In 2025, the drill bit market size climbed to US60 million, and it is estimated that the drill bit output value will continue to increase by 29.1% to US.11 billion in 2026. TPCA observes that the rise of AI demand is driving the supply chain into a new round of technological upgrading and restructuring. Originally, Japanese manufacturers dominated the supply structure, but brand customers are actively introducing ''second sources of supply'' to ensure supply stability, allowing Taiwanese manufacturers to gain entry into fields such as high-speed materials and precision processing. (Editor: Lin Hsing-meng) 1150507 Choose to stand with facts, every sponsorship you make is a force to protect press freedom. Download the Central News Agency ''First-hand News'' APP to stay updated with the latest news. The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.