MILPITAS, Calif. – April 1, 2026 – Worldwide 300mm fab equipment spending is expected to increase 18% to $133 billion in 2026 and 14% to $151 billion in 2027, SEMI reported today in its latest 300mm Fab Outlook. This strong growth reflects surging AI chip demand for data centers and edge devices, as well as the growing commitment to semiconductor self-sufficiency across key regions through localized industrial ecosystems and supply chain restructuring.
Looking further out, the report projects investment will continue to increase 3% to $155 billion in 2028 and another 11% to $172 billion in 2029, respectively.
“AI is resetting the scale of semiconductor manufacturing investment,” said Ajit Manocha, President and CEO of SEMI. “With global 300mm fab equipment spending projected to exceed $150 billion in 2027 for the first time, the industry is making historic, sustained commitments to the advanced capacity and resilient supply chains needed to power the AI era.”
Segment Growth
The Logic & Micro segment is expected to spearhead equipment expansion with $228 billion in total investments from 2027 to 2029 mainly due to strong foundry sector demand, driven by sub-2nm cutting-edge capacity investments. Advanced node technology is essential to enhance chip performance and power efficiency to meet rigorous chip design requirements for various AI applications. More advanced node technology is expected to enter volume production from 2027 to 2029. Additionally, AI performance improvements are anticipated to drive massive growth in various edge AI devices. Beyond advanced nodes, demand across all nodes and various electronics devices is anticipated to grow moderately, supporting investment in mature nodes as well.
The memory segment is projected to rank second in equipment spending, totaling $175 billion from 2027 to 2029. This period marks the start of a new growth cycle for the segment. Within the memory category, DRAM equipment spending is expected to reach $111 billion cumulatively from 2027 to 2029, while 3D NAND equipment spending is estimated to be $62 billion during the same time frame.
The demand for memory has significantly increased due to AI training and inference. AI training has notably driven up the demand for High Bandwidth Memory (HBM), while model inference has created substantial demand for storage capacity, thus boosting the growth of NAND Flash applications in data centers. This strong demand has led to sustained high levels of investment in the memory supply chain over the near and long term, helping to cushion potential downturns from traditional memory cycle fluctuations.
Regional Investment Trends
Global 300mm fab equipment investment is expected to remain broadly distributed across the major semiconductor manufacturing regions from 2027 to 2029, reflecting a mix of advanced-node expansion, memory capacity additions, and policy-supported supply chain localization. China, Taiwan, Korea, and the Americas are each expected to see substantial levels of spending during the period, while Japan, Europe & Middle East, and Southeast Asia also continue to expand investment from a smaller base.
In China, investment is expected to remain supported by ongoing domestic capacity expansion and national initiatives aimed at strengthening semiconductor manufacturing capabilities. In the Taiwan region, spending is projected to be driven primarily by continued expansion of leading-edge foundry capacity, including 2nm and sub-2nm technologies. Korea’s investment outlook remains closely tied to the memory sector, where AI-related demand is supporting another cycle of capacity and technology upgrades. In the Americas, spending is expected to be underpinned by advanced process expansion and broader efforts to strengthen domestic manufacturing ecosystems.
Japan, Europe & Middle East, and Southeast Asia are also expected to post meaningful growth through 2029. In these regions, equipment investment is supported by a combination of government incentives, supply chain resilience strategies, and targeted efforts to expand semiconductor manufacturing capacity.
Part of the SEMI Fab Forecast database, the SEMI 300mm Fab Outlook lists 404 facilities and lines globally. The report reflects 198 updates and 9 new fabs/lines projects since its last publication in December 2025.
SHENZHEN, China, March 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Wonderful PCB, a leading provider of PCB manufacturing and assembly services, today announced the expansion of its PCB reverse engineering and PCB cloning services, designed to help global electronics manufacturers quickly rebuild design data from existing circuit boards and bring products to market faster.
With increasing demand for legacy product support, cost optimization, and competitive analysis, many companies face challenges when original PCB design files are missing, outdated, or unavailable. Wonderful PCB addresses these challenges by delivering high-precision reverse engineering solutions that transform physical PCBs or PCB assemblies (PCBA) into complete, production-ready digital files.
"Many of our customers come to us with only a sample board and no design documentation," said Gong Shengwen, CEO of Wonderful Group. "Our reverse engineering services enable them to recover critical design data, optimize performance, and restart production efficiently. We aim to provide a fast, reliable, and secure path from existing hardware to full design reconstruction."
Wonderful PCB offers a full suite of reverse engineering and cloning services tailored to a wide range of industries and applications:
-- PCB Reverse Engineering: Extracting complete design data from existing PCBs, including schematics, Gerber files, and bill of materials (BOM), with support for multilayer boards. -- PCB Cloning & Copy Services: Accurate duplication of circuit boards for rapid prototyping or mass production, ensuring electrical and functional consistency. -- IC Unlock & Firmware Extraction: Advanced capabilities to analyze and extract firmware from microcontrollers (MCUs), DSPs, and other programmable components, supporting deeper product analysis and redevelopment. -- PCB Redesign & Optimization: Enhancing existing designs for cost reduction, component substitution, improved manufacturability (DFM), and performance upgrades.
Helping Customers Reduce Costs and Time-to-Market
Wonderful PCB's reverse engineering solutions deliver significant value to customers by:
-- Recovering lost or incomplete design files -- Extending the lifecycle of legacy electronic products -- Accelerating product redevelopment and iteration cycles -- Reducing R&D and production costs -- Enabling competitive benchmarking and product improvement
By converting physical boards into accurate digital design assets, customers can move from analysis to production in a significantly shorter timeframe.
Umicore MDS, the exclusive European distributor for the Japanese plating specialist Uyemura, has successfully installed the advanced Thru-Cup® EVF-YF9 copper process for plating blind vias (blind holes) at the high-tech PCB manufacturer Hi-Tech Corporation in North Macedonia. The project underscores Umicore MDS’s long-standing expertise in implementing and supporting sophisticated Uyemura processes at leading European PCB manufacturers.
Thru-Cup® EVF-YF9 is an electrolytic copper process specifically developed for the reliable plating of blind vias. It offers exceptional process stability, particularly due to the (CVS) analyzability of all additives used, a long service life and enables the simultaneous plating of through-holes (PTH) and blind vias in panel and pattern technology – a decisive advantage for the production of complex HDI printed circuit boards. The process is also REACH-compliant and meets the highest environmental sustainability standards.
“The installation at Hi-Tech, carried out in close collaboration with the process supplier Uyemura and the European equipment manufacturer involved, is an excellent example of successful international cooperation,” explains Andreas Groß, Head of PCB Processes at Umicore MDS. “Especially in times when Europe is losing ground in the field of printed circuit board manufacturing and dependence on Asian markets is growing, such projects are particularly important. They demonstrate how European industry can regain its competitive edge – through the careful selection of reliable project partners and trusting collaboration at all levels.”
Based in Skopje, Hi-Tech Corporation has been a leading manufacturer of complex printed circuit boards for demanding applications in the automotive, telecommunications, medical technology and industrial sectors for over 40 years. Umicore MDS supports its long-standing customer Hi-Tech by providing innovative coating solutions to help ensure its technological leadership in a global competitive environment.
Milan Stankovic, Director of Manufacturing at Hi-Tech, is extremely pleased with how the project has progressed: “The new process delivers consistent, high-quality results with short cycle times. Without the support of Umicore and Uyemura, we would not have achieved these results in such a short time. Their technical expertise was crucial – both in configuring the equipment and in ramping up the process.”
For decades, Umicore MDS has been successfully implementing Uyemura processes at European printed circuit board manufacturers. Technical expertise, a deep understanding of the process and high service standards make the company a reliable partner for sophisticated plating solutions.
Umicore MDS, the exclusive European distributor for the Japanese plating specialist Uyemura, has successfully installed the advanced Thru-Cup® EVF-YF9 copper process for plating blind vias (blind holes) at the high-tech PCB manufacturer Hi-Tech Corporation in North Macedonia. The project underscores Umicore MDS’s long-standing expertise in implementing and supporting sophisticated Uyemura processes at leading European PCB manufacturers.
Thru-Cup® EVF-YF9 is an electrolytic copper process specifically developed for the reliable plating of blind vias. It offers exceptional process stability, particularly due to the (CVS) analyzability of all additives used, a long service life and enables the simultaneous plating of through-holes (PTH) and blind vias in panel and pattern technology – a decisive advantage for the production of complex HDI printed circuit boards. The process is also REACH-compliant and meets the highest environmental sustainability standards.
ATLANTA, GA – Coming off a very successful 2025 Executive Conference, ECIA is pleased to announce the Core Committee that will join the leadership team in planning for the 2026 Executive Conference, scheduled to take place October 19-21, 2026, at the Westin O’Hare Hotel.
The following ECIA members will plan this year’s conference:
Michael McCaig – Co-chair Speaker Vetting - Luscombe Engineering
Bob Garcia - QuadRep Ferrari Technologies
Julie Fajardo – TDK-Lambda Americas
Pam Berigan – Sager Electronics
Robert Derringer – Crouzet North America
Sean Sorteberg - DigiKey
“In a world defined by constant change, clarity is our greatest gift,” commented Zach DeVillers, President
Brainard-Nielsen Marketing, Inc. and this year’s Conference Chair. “I am sincerely thankful to the 2026 Conference Core Committee for delivering focus, purpose, and excellence to every step of this journey. The dedication and hard work they continue to invest in the months ahead will make this conference truly exceptional.”
“The Executive Conference is the premier event for industry executives,” noted Stephanie Tierney, ECIA’s Director of Marketing Communications and Member Engagement. “In 2025, we moved the conference to the Westin O’Hare Hotel to accommodate increasing attendance. The conference continues to grow thanks to the hard work from the volunteers. I look forward to working with the committee to deliver an agenda and program for 2026 that builds on the momentum that we have started,” she added.
AURORA, CO ― March 2026 ― AdvancedPCB has expanded its high-density interconnect (HDI) quality inspection capabilities with the installation of the CIMS Phoenix MDI AOI system in its Chandler, Arizona facility, enabling precision inspection of mechanical drills down to 150 µm in diameter. The investment supports the company’s broader 2026 Technology Acceleration Initiative focused on expanding precision circuit board fabrication capabilities across its U.S. operations.
As drill diameters continue to shrink and layer counts increase, maintaining tight control over hole quality has become essential to yield and reliability. The new AOI machine allows AdvancedPCB to verify fine mechanical drill features earlier in the fabrication process, reducing variability and improving consistency across complex HDI builds.
This added capability elevates AdvancedPCB’s ability to support stacked and staggered microvias and high layer-count designs required in aerospace and defense, AI hardware, and advanced computing applications. By improving early-stage verification, the company can optimize downstream processes such as plating, lamination, and via fill, ultimately increasing overall production stability and repeatability.
“Precision control at every step is what enables reliable HDI manufacturing,” said Greg Halverson, CEO of AdvancedPCB. “As our customers push into tighter geometries and more complex stack-ups, this level of early-stage inspection gives us the process control to deliver consistently, even on the most demanding builds.”
The company's Chandler, Arizona facility plays a key role in supporting advanced, domestic PCB manufacturing. This expanded inspection capability reinforces the company's commitment to delivering high-performance boards with greater process transparency and control.
AdvancedPCB’s 2026 Technology Acceleration Initiative includes coordinated investments across multiple U.S. facilities to expand advanced fabrication technologies, increase capacity, and support next-generation electronic systems.
Global tablet shipments declined by around 3% QoQ and 4% YoY in Q4 2025, marking a clear step into a more mature phase for the market, according to Counterpoint Research’s latest Global Tablet Market Tracker. This growth followed a stronger Q3 and a high comparison base in the prior year, when Q4 2024 shipments had grown nearly 8% YoY as the market rebounded on the back of leading OEMs like Apple and Samsung returning to more regular launch cycles, and the rapid expansion of Chinese OEMs.
For full-year 2025, the market remained in the mid-100-million-unit range, signaling a shift toward a steadier replacement-driven trajectory. As the category matures, premium products and deeper ecosystem integration are becoming increasingly important, with leading vendors placing greater emphasis on value creation and long-term user engagement rather than chasing short-term shipment spikes.
Within this digestion phase, most OEMs prioritized cleaner channels and healthier economics over aggressive unit growth. Inventory was managed more tightly, promotions were more measured, and brands leaned into higher-value products where they had clearer strengths, from Apple’s premium productivity-oriented iPads to Android vendors’ higher-end tablets with stylus and ecosystem integration. Apple stood out in this environment – iPad’s global ASP rose from $527 in Q3 2025 to $583 in Q4 2025, underscoring the continued strength of the premium segment and Apple’s ecosystem. Meanwhile, Android vendors focused on stabilizing demand by reinforcing mid-range price bands and expanding productivity features such as keyboard and stylus support while maintaining strong coverage in value segments. Supply-side signals, including a pullback in tablet display panel shipments, also pointed to normalization rather than a large build ahead of 2026.
Looking ahead, the global tablet market is expected to face renewed pressure in 2026 as rising memory prices weigh on the economics of mid-range and entry-level devices, particularly for Android vendors. While shipments may soften in the near term, demand is expected to gradually stabilize as component costs normalize and replacement cycles resume. The continued shift toward premium and productivity-oriented tablets should also help support a more replacement-driven market structure over time. The latest iPad Air, launched in the first quarter of 2026, further strengthens the premium‑leaning segment of the market by offering a refreshed option between flagship Pro models and base iPads that maintains robust performance and memory configurations at broadly consistent price points, giving cost‑conscious upgraders an accessible premium choice and helping Apple defend a richer premium mix and relatively stable iPad shipments even as rising memory costs pressure the broader tablet category.
About Counterpoint Research
Counterpoint Research is a global market research firm specializing in products across the technology ecosystem. We advise a diverse range of clients – from smartphone OEMs to chipmakers and channel players to Big Tech – through our offices located in the world's major innovation hubs, manufacturing clusters and commercial centers. Our analyst team, led by seasoned experts, engages with stakeholders across the enterprise – from the C-suite to professionals in strategy, analyst relations (AR), market intelligence (MI), business intelligence (BI), product and marketing – to deliver services spanning market data, industry thought leadership and consulting. Our core areas of coverage include AI, Automotive, Consumer Electronics, Displays, eSIM, IoT, Location Platforms, Macroeconomics, Manufacturing, Networks and Infrastructure, Semiconductors, Smartphones and Wearables. Visit our Insights page to explore our publicly available market data, insights and thought leadership, and to understand our focus, meet our analysts and start a conversation.
