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According to a report by ZDNet Korea on October 15, Samsung Electronics has lowered its production plan for mid-range and low-end smartphones in the fourth quarter. The reasons include rising prices of memory chips and disruptions in the supply of glass fiber used in PCB raw materials CCL. Japan's Nitto Denko is shifting more production capacity towards T-glass for AI semiconductors, reducing the output of E-glass for smartphone PCBs, leading to supply shortages and price increases. E-glass is used in semi-cured sheets for smartphone motherboards HDI and RFPCB.The report states that after the rise in storage prices increased manufacturing costs, Samsung reduced orders for related components. Models like the Galaxy A have lower profitability, making it difficult to significantly increase production. This year, the prices of basic mid-range models have risen by more than 100,000 Korean Won compared to the previous generation. The outlook for component orders communicated to partners for the fourth quarter corresponds to an annual smartphone shipment volume of just over 230 million units, which is below the component industry's expectation of 240 million units and represents a decrease of 20% to 30% compared to before the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday. Plans for the mobile business next year have not been shared with partners as in previous years.The monthly production outlook for the fourth quarter in mid-September was 14.3 million units in October, 9.5 million units in November, and 7.6 million units in December, totaling 31.4 million units. This was adjusted at the beginning of this month to 9.9 million units in October, 7.6 million units in November, and 6.7 million units in December, totaling 24.2 million units, a reduction of 23%. While the production of mid-range and low-end models has been lowered, the shipment plans for flagship models like the Galaxy S27 at the beginning of next year remain at a high level, and the shipment volume for foldable phones is also planned to increase. The MX and Network divisions reported a loss of 735 billion Korean Won in the second quarter, with the securities industry projecting an annual loss of 400 billion Korean Won.

According to the Economic Daily, in the past six months, CCL manufacturers have raised product prices by about 20% to 30% due to the overall increase in upstream material prices. Most PCB manufacturers have not been able to pass on these costs quickly enough, resulting in a time lag of 2 to 3 months, which has eroded profit margins. Institutional investors indicate that starting from the third quarter of this year, some PCB manufacturers will increase prices, and the benefits are expected to drive a rebound in the profitability of related manufacturers.Analysts state that in terms of substrates, electronic fiberglass cloth led by T glass and copper foil drilling needles are still in short supply, with T glass experiencing the most severe shortage, with some manufacturers facing a gap of up to 20%. This gap is expected to continue into next year. It is anticipated that in the second half of this year, substrate manufacturers will enter a supply-demand imbalance driven by the high demand for AI GPUs and ASIC high-performance computing, as well as the continued tightness of key raw materials. Substrate manufacturers will continue to adopt rolling price adjustments, with prices still having double-digit upward potential.Additionally, due to the sustained high demand related to AI and the specification upgrades driven by new generation products, there is continued optimism that CCL manufacturers will benefit from both price and volume increases. With raw material prices remaining tight and the delivery times for high-end CCL continuing to extend, the trend of price increases remains unchanged. There is continued optimism for the future development of Taiwanese CCL manufacturers such as Taiflex and Taisil. Meanwhile, as the substrate gap gradually widens, it benefits the bargaining power of substrate manufacturers, and the trend of price increases will continue, maintaining a positive outlook on the future performance of Taiwanese substrate manufacturers, including Nanya Technology and other supply chain partners.

The Taiwanese prosecutors stated that they are investigating the global leading chip substrate and printed circuit board manufacturer, Unimicron Technology Corporation, which is a key supplier for NVIDIA, Intel, Google, and Amazon. The investigation targets the company for allegedly mislabeling parts made in China as being produced in Taiwan, which may violate laws prohibiting the laundering of origin.Unimicron Technology Corporation is one of the world's top printed circuit board manufacturers, and this investigation occurs against the backdrop of the United States cracking down on transshipment.

Due to the tight supply of upstream materials such as copper foil substrates and semi-cured sheets, along with continuously rising costs, the price increase trend in the PCB industry continues. Manufacturers such as Kinwong, JINGPENG, Dingying Investment Holdings, and YaoHua have already raised their quotes by approximately 5% to 30% this year, with the benefits of these price increases gradually becoming apparent starting from the third quarter.Industry insiders point out that major CCL manufacturers have raised their product prices by about 20% to 30% in the first half of the year, and there will still be pressure for price increases in the second half of the year through 2027. The supply of high-end electronic fabrics is also tight, with the supply-demand gap for Low DK second-generation fabrics estimated to exceed 60%, and the upward trend may continue until the first half of 2027. The IC substrate market is also continuing the price increase trend, with demand for AI GPUs and ASICs driving prices up, and there is still double-digit room for price increases in the third and fourth quarters, benefiting companies like Unimicron, Kinsus, and Nan Ya. PCB manufacturers indicate that they will adjust prices in a timely manner based on changes in material costs in the second half of the year.

According to Bloomberg, Principal Mineral is acquiring Isola Group, which is supported by Cerberus Capital Management. Isola primarily produces key materials needed for printed circuit boards (PCBs), which are widely used in electronic products such as automobiles, airplanes, and AI servers. Based in Dallas, USA, Principal Mineral is committed to building a localized PCB supply chain system. The company did not disclose the specific transaction amount for the acquisition of Isola Group.Meanwhile, Principal Mineral also announced that it has secured approximately $280 million in new financing to expand its operations. This round of financing was led by Overmatch Ventures and The New Industrial Corp.