Taiwan's PCB Trade Group Targets 37% of Global Market by 2020

The Taiwan Printed Circuit Association (TPCA) announced the goal of capturing 37% of the global printed circuit board (PCB) market by 2020 in light of aggressive moves by rivals in China and South Korea.

The Taiwan industry has been globally No.1 since 2000, when its production revenue doubled from 1999, with the island's PCB industry projected to generate NT$550 billion (US$18.3 billion) in 2014 revenue.

China and South Korea are becoming formidable rivals of  Taiwan, with South Korea vowing to snatch 20% of the global market by 2018, and China having supplied 10% of the boards in Apple iPhones, according to the Taiwan-based market consultant, Industrial & Economics Knowledge Center (IEK).

The center believes over the next 10 years mobile phones will account for most of PCBs, and by 2020 mobile phones will connect 50.1 billion objects on the Internet, around 6.6 times the current number.

The center points out that all electronic products need PCB, with IOT to drive transformation and upgrading of the PCB industry to provide Taiwan's PCB industry good opportunity to reinvigorate itself.

According to the association's goal for 2020, Taiwan's PCB industry, comprising raw materials, equipment, and board manufacturing, will see 43% rise in revenue from the current NT$800 billion (US$26.6 billion) to NT$1.15 trillion (US$38.3 billion). (KL)