Dan’s Biz Bookshelf: 'Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things'
Trouble in Your Tank: Minimizing Small-via Defects for High-reliability PCBs
It’s Only Common Sense: 20 Lessons in 20 Years—A Career in Common Sense
Copper Price Surge Raises Alarms for Electronics
July 15, 2025 | Global Electronics Association Advocacy and Government Relations TeamEstimated reading time: 1 minute
The copper market is experiencing major turbulence in the wake of U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement of a 50% tariff on imported copper effective Aug. 1. Recent news reports, including from the New York Times, sent U.S. copper futures soaring to record highs, climbing nearly 13% in a single day as manufacturers braced for supply shocks and surging costs.
With limited domestic smelting and refining capacity, other news outlets warn that the short-term impact of the tariff would be higher costs for critical industries, including electronics, which depend on copper for circuit boards, wiring, power systems, and thermal management.
Copper is a foundational material in electronics manufacturing, and nowhere is this more evident than in the production of PCBs. Copper is used at nearly every stage of the board-building process:
- Copper-clad laminates (CCL): Base materials for PCBs consist of dielectric substrates bonded with sheets of copper, which form the conductive layers. A multi-layer PCB may contain several ounces of copper per square foot, a figure that grows in high-density or power-intensive designs.
- Etching and trace formation: The copper layers are chemically etched to form the signal traces that connect components.
- Plated through-holes and vias: Copper is deposited via electroplating to create vertical connections across layers, an especially copper-intensive step.
- Power distribution and ground planes: Copper planes handle power distribution and act as return paths for high-frequency signals, essential for system performance.
- Thermal dissipation: In power electronics and RF devices, copper helps pull heat away from hot components, contributing to system reliability.
The problem is that electronics-grade copper, often in the form of rolled or electrodeposited foil, high-purity cathodes, and specialized plating solutions, is not easily substitutable and has few domestic sources. Nearly all U.S. PCB fabricators and assemblers import copper materials or precursors, frequently from Asia, including countries now affected by the tariff. The electronics industry, particularly advanced manufacturing segments like automotive, aerospace, telecommunications, and defense, could see ripple effects from tariff-driven copper inflation.
The Global Electronics Association is monitoring the situation closely and urging the administration to exempt electronics-grade copper and associated materials from the tariff list. Meanwhile, manufacturers should assess potential cost impacts and explore supply diversification, recycling strategies, and material substitutions.
The Global Electronics Association would like your help gauging how proposed copper tariffs could impact U.S. electronics manufacturing. Take the survey now.
To learn more, contact Richard Cappetto, richardcappetto@electronics.org.
Share on:
Testimonial
"Advertising in PCB007 Magazine has been a great way to showcase our bare board testers to the right audience. The I-Connect007 team makes the process smooth and professional. We’re proud to be featured in such a trusted publication."
Klaus Koziol - atgSuggested Items
Trouble in Your Tank: Minimizing Small-via Defects for High-reliability PCBs
08/27/2025 | Michael Carano -- Column: Trouble in Your TankTo quote the comedian Stephen Wright, “If at first you don’t succeed, then skydiving is not for you.” That can be the battle cry when you find that only small-diameter vias are exhibiting voids. Why are small holes more prone to voids than larger vias when processed through electroless copper? There are several reasons.
The Government Circuit: Navigating New Trade Headwinds and New Partnerships
08/25/2025 | Chris Mitchell -- Column: The Government CircuitAs global trade winds continue to howl, the electronics manufacturing industry finds itself at a critical juncture. After months of warnings, the U.S. Government has implemented a broad array of tariff increases, with fresh duties hitting copper-based products, semiconductors, and imports from many nations. On the positive side, tentative trade agreements with Europe, China, Japan, and other nations are providing at least some clarity and counterbalance.
How Good Design Enables Sustainable PCBs
08/21/2025 | Gerry Partida, Summit InterconnectSustainability has become a key focus for PCB companies seeking to reduce waste, conserve energy, and optimize resources. While many discussions on sustainability center around materials or energy-efficient processes, PCB design is an often overlooked factor that lies at the heart of manufacturing. Good design practices, especially those based on established IPC standards, play a central role in enabling sustainable PCB production. By ensuring designs are manufacturable and reliable, engineers can significantly reduce the environmental impact of their products.
50% Copper Tariffs, 100% Chip Uncertainty, and a Truce
08/19/2025 | Andy Shaughnessy, I-Connect007If you’re like me, tariffs were not on your radar screen until a few months ago, but now political rhetoric has turned to presidential action. Tariffs are front-page news with major developments coming directly from the Oval Office. These are not typical times. President Donald Trump campaigned on tariff reform, and he’s now busy revamping America’s tariff policy.
Global PCB Connections: Understanding the General Fabrication Process—A Designer’s Hidden Advantage
08/14/2025 | Markus Voeltz -- Column: Global PCB ConnectionsDesigners don’t need to become fabricators, but understanding the basics of PCB fabrication can save you time, money, and frustration. The more you understand what’s happening on the shop floor, the better you’ll be able to prevent downstream issues. As you move into more advanced designs like HDI, flex circuits, stacked vias, and embedded components, this foundational knowledge becomes even more critical. Remember: the fabricator is your partner.