In today's era of rapid development of information technology, electronic devices are almost everywhere. Smart phones, computers, and even microwave ovens at home are indispensable parts of our lives. But do you know? Behind these devices, there is a crucial role hidden, that is, PCB (printed circuit board), and the core of PCB is copper clad laminate! Today, we will deeply analyze the current situation and future of the PCB copper clad laminate industry.
- Basic knowledge of PCB copper clad laminates PCB copper clad laminates, in simple terms, are special laminates that are coated with copper foil on both sides or one side after electronic fiberglass cloth or other reinforcing materials are processed through resin. It has three core functions: conductivity, insulation and support. It is not only the inner layer material of PCB, but also the "neural network" for the operation of electronic equipment. So why are these copper clad laminates so important?
Have you ever thought about how signals can be transmitted smoothly and how electronic equipment can operate normally without good copper clad laminates? Yes, this is the charm of its strong as iron and flexible as wind. Whether it is a rigid copper clad laminate or a flexible copper clad laminate, they all bear the heavy responsibility of helping electronic devices achieve higher computing power and transmission speed.
- The market scale is growing rapidly. In 2024, the market scale of China's PCB copper clad laminates will reach 80.3 billion yuan, and this figure is expected to continue to rise in the next few years. With the widespread application of emerging technologies such as 5G communications, artificial intelligence (AI), and cloud computing, the demand for PCB copper clad laminates continues to increase, especially in the fields of high-frequency and high-speed copper clad laminates and HDI substrates, and the market prospects are bright.
Relevant data show that in 2024, China's annual output of electrolytic copper foil has exceeded 800,000 tons, which is an important basic material for producing high-quality PCB copper clad laminates. These trends not only indicate market vitality, but also help promote the sustainable development of the entire electronics industry.
- Technological evolution of the industry Driven by this industry trend, the technological evolution of PCB copper clad laminates is also accelerating. In the past, traditional copper clad laminates were mainly used in low-end electronic products. Now, with the improvement of technical thresholds and the diversification of demand, companies have transformed to high-frequency and high-speed copper clad laminate products. For example, companies such as Ultrasonic Electronics and Jiantou Laminates are constantly developing new copper clad laminate products to improve their high temperature resistance and conductivity to meet higher demands.
However, such changes are not smooth sailing, and there are also many challenges in the development process. For example, how to better combine traditional manufacturing processes with emerging technologies is still a problem that the current industry needs to solve urgently.
- Industry chain analysis The upstream of the PCB copper clad laminate industry chain is mainly raw materials, including copper foil, glass fiber cloth, synthetic resin, etc. Among them, copper foil is the main material of the conductive layer, and its quality directly affects the electrical performance and mechanical strength of the copper clad laminate. Did you know? Copper foil accounts for as much as 42.1% of the cost of PCB copper clad laminates! This also means that with the fluctuation of copper foil prices, the cost structure and profit model of the entire industry will be affected.
The midstream production and manufacturing process is a more complex process, involving multiple links such as lamination and curing. In terms of downstream applications, PCB covering boards are widely used in communication equipment, automotive electronics, medical equipment and other fields, and can be said to be a backbone of the development of the science and technology industry!
V. Outlook Looking to the future, facing the guidance of national policies and the acceleration of technological innovation, the PCB copper clad laminate industry is expected to usher in a broader development space. It is not difficult to predict that with the full deployment of 5G networks and the popularization of IoT devices, the market demand for high-frequency and high-speed copper clad laminates will further increase, helping companies to seek more breakthroughs in research and development.
We also look forward to industry giants to continuously strengthen technology research and development, actively adapt to market changes, and provide important support for higher performance of electronic equipment.
