TAOYUAN CITY, TAIWAN – Taiwan’s printed circuit board industry’s total production value was NT$288.2 billion (US$9.2 billion) in the first half of 2019, up 0.14% year-over-year, according to the Taiwan Printed Circuit Association. The total includes China, which made up 63%.

Taiwanese makers have seen early orders of Ajinomoto build-up film (ABF) substrate and rigid-flexible PCBs from downstream clients, says the TPCA.

Growing shipments of PCs in the first half of the year drove demand for rigid substrates, but the smartphone market led to a drop in demand for BT resin substrates. Demand for flex PCBs and high-density interconnect PCBs also fell.

The TPCA has lowered its 2019 forecast to a 0.21% increase to NT$652.8 billion.

The association also said a slow consumer shift in the smartphone market from 4G to 5G might create problems for Taiwanese PCB producers.

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