Taiwan PCB makers anticipate stable order

Makers of handset PCBs in Taiwan expect slight dip in sales, seeing good order visibility this month, as customers advance their bookings before the Chinese New Year. Traditionally, sales of handset PCBs in Greater China hit rock bottom in February during the Chinese New Year holidays, according to industry observers. Sales will tend to pickup again in March.

One of the leading PCB makers in Taiwan, Wus Printed Circuit Co. Ltd, projects 10 percent on-month sales decrease in January, which is an improvement than its previous forecast of a 20 percent decline. According to Chairman Dennis Lin, Wus' customers have been advancing their orders way before the Chinese New Year which falls at the end of February. The company's shipments of handset PCBs totalled 30 million units in the first nine months of 2006, and would hit 12 million units in the last quarter.

For Compeq Mfg Co. Ltd, early bookings from its customers also prompt the company to revise its projections to a 10 percent decline this quarter.

United Printed Circuit Board Corp. likewise sees stable visibility orders this month. The company reveals that it shipped a total of 100 million units of handset PCBs last year.