Knocking Down the Bone Pile: Gold Mitigation for Class 2 Electronics
Punching Out: Your Financial Preparation for a Sale
Nolan's Notes: The Next Killer App in Component Manufacturing
Geopolitics Reshapes the Global PCB Landscape as Trump 2.0 Looms
February 6, 2025 | TPCAEstimated reading time: 1 minute
The global PCB industry is undergoing a period of significant transformation driven by geopolitical shifts, protectionism, and supply chain restructuring. The US-China trade war has intensified, prompting companies to diversify manufacturing and navigate a complex landscape. The US PCB market, valued at $3.98 billion in 2024, is experiencing growth driven by defense, aerospace, and data center demands. Policies like the National Defense Authorization Act and the Chips and Science Act are fueling domestic production, with companies like TTM investing in US-based manufacturing. However, US production capacity remains limited, relying heavily on imports from Taiwan and China.
In Europe, the PCB market faces challenges from high labor and energy costs, exacerbated by the Russia-Ukraine war. The EU's FOUCSING initiative aims to establish a robust, independent supply chain for high-end PCBs in space and industrial sectors. India's PCB market, while small, is attracting foreign investment due to government incentives. However, infrastructure bottlenecks, unstable power supply, and talent shortages hinder growth.
Southeast Asia is emerging as a key hub for PCB manufacturing, with Thailand poised to become the region's largest producer. Vietnam, a key electronics manufacturing center, is also attracting significant investment. Malaysia, a leader in semiconductor packaging, is attracting investments in substrate manufacturing.
The Trump 2.0 era is expected to intensify geopolitical pressure, with potential for stricter export controls and increased tariffs. This will further complicate global supply chains and impact the competitive landscape for PCB manufacturers. The future of the global PCB industry will be characterized by regional competition and cooperation, with companies navigating complex geopolitical and economic factors.
Share on:
Suggested Items
RF PCB Design Tips and Tricks
05/08/2025 | Cherie Litson, EPTAC MIT CID/CID+There are many great books, videos, and information online about designing PCBs for RF circuits. A few of my favorite RF sources are Hans Rosenberg, Stephen Chavez, and Rick Hartley, but there are many more. These PCB design engineers have a very good perspective on what it takes to take an RF design from schematic concept to PCB layout.
The Right Blend: Mixed Wireless Technologies
05/08/2025 | Kirsten Zima, Siemens EDAA common trend recently is to employ as many radios as possible on a single PCB. With the increase of wireless standards and the downscaling of PCB size, it can be difficult to know what the most critical design parameters are to focus on. In this article, we’ll discuss the most important considerations to make when designing with mixed wireless technologies, such as Bluetooth, GPS, and Wi-Fi, on a single PCB. These considerations include antennas, frequencies, FCC compliance, shielding, and layout with and without transition vias.
Navigating Global Manufacturing in an Era of Uncertainty
05/07/2025 | Philip Stoten, ScoopThe EMS industry faces unprecedented challenges as global trade tensions rise and tariff announcements create market uncertainty. In an overview of IPC Europe’s podcast, MADE IN EUROPE, industry experts from GPV and Zollner examine how these developments impact our businesses and customers, and what strategies will prevail in this new landscape.
Voices of the Industry: Alpha Circuit
05/06/2025 | Marcy LaRont, PCB007 MagazinePrashant Patel, founder and president of Alpha Circuit, takes a pragmatic approach to doing business: “Commerce always wins out,” he says. How will potential tariffs and shifts in the economy affect PCB manufacturing? Prashant offers sound advice.
AMI Achieves 52 Consecutive Weeks of First Pass Yield Rates Above 98.72%
05/06/2025 | Alternative Manufacturing, Inc.AMI, a leading provider of high-quality PCB assembly (PCBA) solutions, proudly announces the achievement of 52 consecutive weeks of first pass yields at test, maintaining an exceptional success rate of 98.72% or better. This remarkable accomplishment underscores the company's unwavering commitment to manufacturing excellence, quality assurance, and customer satisfaction.