Three of Taiwan's leading printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturers—Zhen Ding Technology Holding Ltd. (ZDT, 4958.TW), Unimicron Technology Corp. (3037.TW), and Elite Material Co., Ltd. (EMC, 2383.TW)—expressed optimism about the industry outlook on October 22, forecasting a strong decade ahead as artificial intelligence (AI) fuels explosive PCB demand. 

ZDT, the world's largest PCB maker; Unimicron, the leading substrate supplier; and EMC, the top halogen-free copper-clad laminate (CCL) manufacturer, all voiced bullish views at the Taiwan Printed Circuit Association (TPCA) Show 2025, highlighting robust market momentum and rising AI-related opportunities. Even ZDT, traditionally known for its conservative outlook, unusually expressed confidence in the next five years

ZDT Chairman Shen Qingfang noted that over the past two decades, IC substrates have grown twentyfold in size, quadrupled in layer count, and increased their interconnection density by 300 times—marking a 24,000-fold rise in overall complexity. "PCBs have evolved from simple interconnects into critical enablers of AI computing performance," he said.

Shen emphasized that AI edge devices are driving ZDT's next growth wave, with revenue from AI-related products rising from 45% last year to over 70% in 2025. To meet soaring demand, ZDT is expanding its Huai'an facilities with three new production plants. The first, covering 40,000 square meters, is set for completion in May 2026 and will primarily support edge AI applications such as smart glasses, humanoid robots, and autonomous driving systems.

ZDT Chief Operating Officer Li Dingzhuan added that demand for edge AI devices is surging, significantly increasing PCB layer and area requirements. "The market looks solid through 2030," he said."The only challenge for manufacturers will be keeping up with technology and capacity."

Unimicron Chairman Tseng Tzu-Chang pointed out that AI servers are raising the bar for PCB materials and designs. The increasing complexity of substrate structures and tighter electronic signal requirements are accelerating material evolution, he said. Tseng expects AI server boards to be 50 to 60 times more complex than today's versions and predicts that AI-driven growth will sustain the industry for more than a decade.

EMC Chairman Tung Ting-Yu shared similar confidence, noting that AI adoption is reshaping the materials landscape. He emphasized that future materials suppliers will need five key strengths to remain competitive—capital, technical capability, production scale, raw material control, and global sales channels.

Industry analysts believe that while short-term demand may fluctuate amid global uncertainties, the structural shift toward AI computing, advanced packaging, and high-bandwidth memory (HBM) will continue to drive robust long-term growth across the PCB supply chain.