Suppliers of flexible PCBs pursue multilayer technology

Although a minority category in production, multilayer types are expected to be on the development agenda of more makers.

A strong application base in mobile electronics, in particular smart phones, tablet PCs and laptops, keeps the manufacturing sector of flexible PCBs in China buoyant and product development dynamic. There is also impetus from the communications, automotive electronics and medical industries, as well as rising applications in wearable devices and electrical devices.

So, despite the predominance of single- and double-sided types in output, companies continue to variegate their selections and look to expanding the multilayer category. The last includes mainly boards with four to six layers. In 2018, more suppliers will take this initiative further and step up to kinds having between eight and 12 layers. Career Technology is among those that are now offering such units.

Besides a higher layer count, local makers such as Leader-Tech aim to achieve greater density by reducing hole size to 25µm from the typical range of 35 to 50µm.

Healthy demand for flexible PCBs has likewise spurred companies to boost output steadily. Kartain Technology Co. Ltd raised its yield by 5 percent and will maintain this rate of increase in 2018. It expects similar growth for exports in 2018.

For the same reason, Suzhou Dongshan invested $610 million in 2016 to acquire US-based MFLX to enter the line. Its goal is to become one of the PCB type's largest manufacturers in the world. In June 2017, Leader-Tech allocated a total of $538 million to set up a new factory for flexible PCBs in Suzhou, Jiangsu province.

The global market scale of flexible PCBs will hit up to $26.2 billion in 2020, representing more than 20 percent of that of the entire PCB industry, according to IDTechEx. Dominating the sector are companies based in Japan and Taiwan, including Mektec and Sumitomo in the former and Zhen Ding Tech and Fleximium in the second.

Mainland China is one of the major sources of flexible PCBs, accounting for about half of the world's aggregate production value. Hundreds of suppliers make up its pool and over 70 percent are locally owned. The rest has investment from Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

Most companies, including three of those interviewed for this report, also offer other types of PCBs such as rigid and rigid-flex units.

Domestic manufacturers export between 20 and 100 percent of output, mainly to Europe, North America and Asia. Overseas shipments are expected to rise by 10 percent in 2018.

The coastal provinces of Guangdong and Jiangsu are the main production hubs. The key locations are the cities of Dongguan, Zhongshan and Shenzhen in the first, and Kunshan in the latter. There are also makers in Shanghai.