Taiwan PCB market to remain flat in second quarter

Taiwan's printed circuit board (PCB) industry anticipates no significant change in its performance for the second quarter as market demand stays flat in the period.

PCB manufacturers, such as Compeq Mfg Co. Ltd, Unimicron Technology Corp., Unitech Printed Circuit Board Corp. and Wus Printed Circuit Co. Ltd, may witness fluctuating revenues, while average selling prices (ASPs) are anticipated to decline by 2 to 3 percent this quarter.

Majority of the manufacturers is also expected to have an average utilization rate of 70 percent for the period. However, demand for PCBs used in memory chips is expected to slightly increase this quarter.

Likewise, demand for PCBs used in mobile handsets is expected to pick up by the third quarter. PCBs applied in optoelectronic products are also expected to experience a 5 percent increase in demand as prices continue to decline in the second half of the year.

Meanwhile, Taiwan-based PCB manufacturers which have set up facilities in mainland China continue to run at full capacities as demand for PCBs used in desktop and notebook PCs continue to increase.