Demand for handset-use PCBs to pick up in the second half

As inventories decrease in the second quarter, Taiwan PCB makers -- Compeq Mfg Co. Ltd, Unitech Printed Circuit Board Corp. and Wus Printed Circuit Co. Ltd -- are optimistic that demands will increase in the second half of the year.

Demand for the past two months have been slow due to oversupply. Makers also claim that fewer handset models, higher prices and slowdown in capacity push from makers of mobile handsets significantly affected PCB demand.

Despite makers only projecting 5 percent revenue growth for PCB shipments this year, the launch of third-generation (3G) mobile phones is expected to push the demand for handset-use PCBs by the third quarter. Nokia forecasts that total subscribers this year will achieve 29 percent growth, reaching 70 million. Further, increasing volume production of high-density interconnect (HDI) boards using the 2+N+2 should have a positive effect on the market.