South Korean PCB manufacturer TLB (KOSDAQ: 356860) has just announced that it will invest KRW 30 billion (about USD 21 million or CNY 152 million) to establish a new buried via hole (BVH) process line at its plant in Bac Ninh, Vietnam.

The BVH technology connects internal PCB layers, freeing up surface area for higher-density circuit designs and smaller form factors, while shortening signal transmission paths to ensure signal integrity in high-speed data applications. TLB has already applied BVH technology to high-performance products such as DDR5 DRAM and enterprise SSD modules.

According to the company, the investment is aimed at addressing rising memory module orders from customers and easing production bottlenecks in BVH processes. Once the new line is operational, TLB expects improved utilization rates across its Vietnam facility, which currently has an annual PCB production capacity of 348,000 square meters.

Notably, on September 19, TLB secured a KRW 30 billion (about RMB 150 million) short-term loan from financial institutions to fund its Vietnam subsidiary. After this financing, TLB’s total short-term borrowings increased from KRW 7 billion to KRW 37 billion, accounting for 26.76% of the company’s equity as of the end of 2023.

TLB's Vietnam site, located in the Yen Phong Industrial Park of Bac Ninh Province, was initially built as a non-production plant for final inspection and packaging of semi-finished memory and SSD PCBs shipped from Korea. Industry observers note that the new investment may signal the company's plan to gradually upgrade the site into a production facility, strengthening its overseas manufacturing footprint.

Founded in 2011 and listed on KOSDAQ in 2020, TLB is headquartered in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, with operations in both South Korea and Vietnam. Its main products include PCBs for memory and SSD modules, and it also engages in PCB inspection equipment. Key customers include Samsung Electronics, SK hynix, and Micron, with PCB sales accounting for 100% of its revenue.