Dan’s Biz Bookshelf: ‘Abundance: How We Build a Better Future’
Trouble in Your Tank: In Complex Systems, Design Rules Aren’t Optional
It’s Only Common Sense: The Phone Is Still Your Competitive Advantage
NCAB Releases PCB Supply Chain Outlook 2026
December 8, 2025 | NCABEstimated reading time: 1 minute
The PCB market is currently undergoing a drastic shift. After a period of relative stability, we see that manufacturing capacity is tightening during next year, lead times are extending, and input costs are rising sharply. This is primarily driven by the explosive growth of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data center infrastructure, and a volatile commodities market.
The price of gold has driven manufacturing costs for ENIG (Electroless Nickel Immersion Gold) products up by as much as 37%. Even boards containing no gold are being significantly impacted due to copper and laminate increases having impacts of up to 10% increases.
While strategic procurement measures may have managed to delay the immediate impact of these rising input costs throughout 2025, the continued increases of raw material indexes make price adjustments unavoidable as we move into January 2026.
In our PCB Supply Chain Outlook 2026, we outline the macroeconomic drivers behind these changes and provide actionable strategies for procurement leaders to secure supply and manage costs in what is becoming a seller’s market.
Share on:
Testimonial
"We’re proud to call I-Connect007 a trusted partner. Their innovative approach and industry insight made our podcast collaboration a success by connecting us with the right audience and delivering real results."
Julia McCaffrey - NCAB GroupSuggested Items
Connect the Dots: Designing for the Future of Manufacturing Reality—Surface Finish
05/07/2026 | Matt Stevenson -- Column: Connect the DotsWhen designing the complex boards that many electronic devices require to operate, designers should consider manufacturability at every step. This is my last article focused on designing for the always-evolving manufacturing reality. Choosing the right surface finish has always been important. If you are creating intricate designs with a wide variety of components, like for an ultra-high density interconnect (UHDI) board, surface finish is a critical last step.
Boyd Completes the Sale of its Thermal Business to Eaton for $9.5 Billion
03/13/2026 | BUSINESS WIREBoyd Corporation, the trusted global innovator in engineered materials and thermal solutions, announced it has completed the sale of its Thermal business to Eaton, an intelligent power management company, for $9.5 billion as previously announced on November 3rd, 2025.
Boyd Receives Gold Tier Partner 2 Win Award from BAE Systems
02/25/2026 | BUSINESS WIREBoyd, whose rugged, high-quality technologies enable critical aerospace and defense applications, announced it received a Gold Tier Supplier Award from BAE Systems.
Fresh PCB Concepts: Cost Stability in a Period of Copper and Gold Volatility
02/12/2026 | Team NCAB -- Column: Fresh PCB ConceptsAnyone who works with PCBs in any capacity right now can feel that copper and laminate prices are not stagnant, gold price is increasing even faster, and the impact shows up quickly on PCB quotations. For many design teams, this feels like a force outside their control. Raw materials go up, and the board cost goes with it. I want to highlight that many of these swings are manageable.
Uyemura Opens Dedicated UBM and Prototype Plating Line at Southington Tech Center
11/25/2025 | UyemuraUyemura has commissioned a dedicated plating tool at its Southington, CT Tech Center that addresses 3 urgent needs.