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American Made Advocacy: What We Learned at PCB West

For the first time since we launched in 2021, the Printed Circuit Board Association of America participated in the PCB West trade show in Santa Clara, California. We were proud to join thousands of our colleagues to discuss the innovations driving our business and the very real challenges facing the American microelectronics industry.

After three days in the valley, speaking with our existing members, and building important new relationships, several things became clear:

1. Our industry knows we must act.
For too long, foreign subsidies have led to artificially low prices on PCBs produced abroad. Domestic manufacturing of PCBs and IC substrates has contracted to an alarming extent. Today we have fewer than 150 companies manufacturing PCBs in America, down from more than 2,000 at the turn of the century. The remaining companies were represented at PCB West. They survived a massive shift and they want to see this destructive trend reversed.

2. The PCB industry is a place of innovation.
Every booth at PCB West told a story. From new chemical processes and advances in automation to workforce training programs and applications for the most challenging environments, everything on display pointed to a technology sector that is designing and building for the future, not living in the past. 

3. The CHIPS Act is a catalyst for change.
Last year, Congress passed the landmark bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act and laid the groundwork for America to reclaim ground lost in the semiconductor industry over the past 20 years. While a tremendous start, the CHIPS program does not address everything chips need to function. Without investing in the whole ecosystem, we remain dangerously dependent on other nations—some less friendly than others—for the advanced packaging, substrates, and printed circuit boards that every chip needs to function. The lesson of the CHIPS Act must be that our industry can’t wait for a lifeline or lawmaker benevolence. We must raise our voices and advocate for the legislation and public policy solutions we need.

4. Our “Educate, Advocate, and Legislate” mission has a long way to go.
America's continued reliance on overseas manufacturing for PCBs has arisen because we failed to appreciate the economic and national security reasons for maintaining a domestic manufacturing base. The recent pandemic made clear the risks of foreign dependence, but not as obvious was how deep the problem runs. Our team will keep meeting with lawmakers until everyone in government understands that “chips don’t float.”

As we head into a critical election year, there are reasons to be optimistic. We launched our coalition with only five founding members. This month we approach having 40 companies and individuals representing all aspects of our industry. Our public education campaigns and advocacy efforts in the halls of Congress continue to pay off. For example, the FY2024 National Defense Authorization Act contains language that enhances America's national security by promoting the domestic production of critical microelectronics.

I am proud of all that we have accomplished, while acknowledging that much remains to be done. As I often tell policymakers in Washington: Because offshoring and consolidation took nearly three decades to hollow out America’s PCB industry, we will not restore it to full capacity overnight. We measure our progress with every lawmaker we educate, every new co-sponsor, every journalist we speak with, and every new company that joins our team. Together we will rebuild American microelectronics manufacturing.

The PCBAA fights every day for a level playing field on which U.S. PCB and substrate manufacturers can compete and win. If you’re interested in joining our effort, please visit us online or contact me directly.

This column originally appeared in the October 2023 issue of PCB007 Magazine.