【Hot Topic】Mainland China Tops Global PCB Output Value in 2025, Share Rises to 37.6%

December 15, 2025

Recently, the Taiwan Printed Circuit Association (TPCA) and the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) released the "2025 Mainland China PCB Industry Dynamic Observation" and "2025 Japan-South Korea PCB Industry Observation." These reports analyze the industrial shifts in East Asian PCB production bases in the AI era and explore new production locations.

TPCA points out that Mainland China remains the world's largest PCB production base. It is projected that Mainland Chinese companies' output value will increase by 22.3% year-on-year to US$34.18 billion in 2025, raising their global market share to 37.6%, demonstrating strong growth momentum.

Mainland Chinese manufacturers are actively expanding overseas. Thailand, with its favorable investment environment and well-established infrastructure, has become the top choice for Mainland Chinese PCB manufacturers relocating production capacity. TPCA notes that the current production value of Mainland Chinese-funded PCB factories in Thailand is estimated to account for about 1.7% of their total output. Although they may face short-term challenges such as rising local labor costs and initial low yield rates in new plants, a globalized layout can mitigate geopolitical risks and bring in new customers and market share in the long run.

Taiwan, China is the world's second-largest PCB production base. While Mainland China was historically the primary production hub for Taiwanese PCB manufacturers, recent geopolitical risks have prompted them to adopt a "China Plus One" strategy, establishing new bases in Taiwan, China and Southeast Asia. Currently, over ten Taiwanese-funded PCB manufacturers, including Compeq, Zhen Ding Technology Holding, Unimicron, Chin Poon Industrial, and Gold Circuit Electronics, have invested and started mass production in Thailand. Tripod Technology focuses on Vietnam, while HannStar Board and GBM, under the PSA Group, have chosen Malaysia for their operations.

TPCA states that Taiwan, China's semiconductor and PCB industries play a crucial role in the global AI server supply chain. Facing changes in Asia's new landscape, Taiwan, China must accelerate the advancement of high-end technologies like advanced packaging and enhance self-sufficiency in materials. Simultaneously, it must manage geopolitical and market risks to maintain its key role in the supply chain restructuring of the AI era.

Japan ranks as the world's third-largest PCB production base. TPCA indicates that Japanese companies' output value in 2024 was approximately US$11.53 billion, holding a global market share of about 14.4%. It is projected that Japan's PCB industry will return to positive growth in 2025, with total domestic and overseas output expected to rise to US$11.82 billion, reaching US$12.35 billion by 2026.

Furthermore, TPCA highlights that Japan is not only relying on corporate investment to boost production capacity but is also aligning with the government's recent national AI and semiconductor strategies. Through institutionalized subsidies, dedicated funding systems, and supply chain security strategies, Japan aims to strengthen its overall competitiveness in the advanced packaging and high-end PCB ecosystem.

South Korea holds the fourth position in the global PCB market. TPCA reports that the total domestic and overseas output value of South Korean companies in 2024 was about US$7.86 billion, representing a 9.8% market share. The South Korean industry is expected to experience stable and moderate growth from 2025 to 2026, with projected total output values of US$7.94 billion and US$8.16 billion, respectively.

Regarding overseas expansion, TPCA notes that South Korean PCB manufacturers have been operating in Vietnam for years as part of the Samsung supply chain, while substrate production has increasingly focused on Malaysia as a key expansion base in recent years. They are actively boosting BT substrate capacity to meet future memory market demand. TPCA analyzes that South Korea will continue to play a significant role in memory and server platforms, maintaining its strategic position in the global PCB supply chain through advanced substrate technology.