Taiwan-based PCB maker Zhen Ding Tech has stated that as customers' next-generation product platforms gradually enter mass production starting from the second quarter of 2026, its IC substrate, server, and optical communications businesses are entering a new round of high-speed expansion. The company targets mid-to-high double-digit revenue growth for the full year of 2026 and is optimistic that shipment momentum will follow a quarter-on-quarter growth trend.

Taiwanese printed circuit board (PCB) giant Zhen Ding Technology Group held a groundbreaking ceremony for the HD Campus of the "Zhen Ding Technology Group Huai'an Tech City" in Huai'an, China, on April 22. The new park plans to build facilities for high-density interconnect (HDI), modified semi-additive process (mSAP), and high-layer count (HLC) PCBs. Upon completion, the group's total number of factories across four major local parks will reach 23, further strengthening its manufacturing scale in the advanced PCB sector.

Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing (PSMC) held an earnings call on April 21 to address developments in memory and logic foundry services, as well as its future business outlook. PSMC president Martin Chu stated that DRAM foundry prices had significantly increased in March. However, due to the impact of the tape-out cycle on pricing, the price hike is expected to contribute to revenue starting in June.

ASM International reported a high revenue in the first quarter of 2026, driven by surging AI demand and its need for advanced chips. The Dutch maker of deposition equipment in the chip-making process said that this, in turn, has led semiconductor manufacturers to continue investing in equipment amid a period of tight chip-making capacity.

Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing (PSMC) reported revenue of NT$13.57 billion (approx. US$432 million) in the first quarter of 2026, up 6% from the previous quarter and 22% year over year, benefiting from the disposal gains related to the sale of its Tongluo fab in Taiwan to Micron Technology. Net profit after tax reached NT$14.23 billion, with earnings per share (EPS) of NT$3.36, ending 10 consecutive quarters of losses.

Optical communications company APAC Opto Electronics reported that its inventory digestion phase is nearing completion, with market demand showing a clear rebound. Looking ahead to its co-packaged optics (CPO) strategy, the company noted that its external laser small form-factor pluggable (ELSFP) is becoming increasingly critical within the overall architecture. Small-volume shipments have begun in 2026, with volume ramp-up expected in 2027, positioning the product as a key future growth driver.

In 2026, critical semiconductor materials face a perfect storm of rising prices, shortages, and geopolitical disruption. Lead times for multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) and power devices are stretching, while helium supply risks from Qatar are mounting. Topco Scientific CTO Tina Ding says companies must sharpen capabilities in long-term contract locking, flexible pricing negotiations, strategic stockpiling, and risk-based sourcing — all while tracking costs in real time and staying in close step with customers.

Brand Cheng, chairman of Foxconn Industrial Internet (FII), a cloud networking business under Foxconn, recently announced ongoing advancements in technologies, including co-packaged optics (CPOs), liquid cooling, power architectures, and PCB technology. Notably, FII completed prototype shipments of its CPO all-optical switch in the first quarter of 2026 and plans to begin mass production starting in the third quarter of 2026.

AI GPUs, CPUs, and ASICs are driving demand for increasingly larger sizes and higher layer counts in substrate technology. The supply-demand gap for high-end ABF substrates continues to widen, and over the next three years, the industry is expected to enter a capacity expansion cycle.

Printed circuit board (PCB) giant Zhen Ding Technology held a board meeting on April 17 and approved plans for its subsidiary, Leading Interconnect Semiconductor Technology (LIST), to apply for a listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The proposal will be submitted for review at the upcoming annual general meeting. The company stated that the move aims to unlock the standalone value of its high-growth business and strengthen the group's global competitiveness in core infrastructure in the artificial intelligence (AI) era.

Japanese electronic components maker Taiyo Yuden recently issued a price increase notice, announcing that it will raise prices on some products starting in May, specifically in the multilayer ceramic capacitor (MLCC) market.

Glass core substrates, valued for their low dielectric loss and warpage reduction, are key to next-generation advanced semiconductor packaging. In South Korea, traditional glass makers KCC Glass and LX Glass have entered R&D efforts to capture market opportunities.

AI and high-performance computing (HPC) are driving increasingly stringent chip performance demands, marking a pivotal shift in advanced packaging technology from traditional wafers to large-size panels. Semiconductor equipment leader Skytech's CEO George Yi announced that its self-developed 310x310mm panel-level packaging physical vapor deposition (PLP PVD) system, a world first, has completed delivery and been successfully integrated into production lines at major OSAT firms including ASE Technology Holding.

The 2026 International Symposium on VLSI Technology, Systems and Applications (VLSI TSA) kicked off on April 14, gathering over 800 semiconductor professionals worldwide. The conference focused on next-generation core areas including GenAI inference acceleration, wafer-level computing, and terahertz wireless communication, while also delving into quantum computer system architectures and extending the reach of semiconductors to AI-driven cardiac analysis and other smart healthcare applications.

The surge in AI data center demand is rapidly accelerating the need for high-speed data transmission, prompting LED manufacturers to target opportunities in optical communications. best-Epitaxy Manufacturing's (bEMC) CEO Evan Wu said the company has focused on data transmission since its inception and recently began proof-of-concept (POC) testing with a leading cloud service provider (CSP). Their short-distance Micro LED transmission currently reaches speeds of 4Gbps, aiming to achieve 8Gbps per chip in 2026.

Global passive component prices are rising, led by Japanese suppliers, with the trend spreading across China and Taiwan. Higher raw material costs and AI-driven demand are tightening supply and shifting pricing dynamics across the electronics supply chain.

The surge in AI-grade high-speed computing is pushing printed circuit board manufacturing toward thicker, higher-layer designs, creating a strategic, global shortage of advanced coated PCB drills and raising costs and supply risks for hardware makers and cloud providers, potentially constraining the deployment of server and network equipment over the next two years.

Passive component manufacturer Yageo held its first-quarter 2026 online earnings call on April 15, reporting strong financial results. Company CEO David Wang said that robust demand from applications related to artificial intelligence (AI) boosted sales of both standard and specialty products. Combined with the gradual impact of price increases, this drove significant growth in revenue and profits for the quarter, exceeding previous projections.

Taiwanese analog IC companies have recently released their full revenue figures for the first quarter of 2026, revealing mixed performances. Firms with rapidly growing new businesses or market share generally posted strong quarterly results.

The Chinese government has introduced sweeping regulations that authorize investigations and penalties against foreign companies that decouple from China's supply chain. The new rules arrive as global supply chains face mounting geopolitical pressure and China's export surplus continues to grow.

Tong Hsing Electronic, a Taiwanese semiconductor packaging and substrate manufacturer specializing in CMOS image sensors, said on Monday that optical communication modules have become its fastest-growing business, helping drive demand across RF components, ceramic substrates, and automotive and mobile imaging products, positioning the company for stronger-than-expected revenue growth in 2026.

Samsung Electro-Mechanics (SEM) is reportedly planning to invest KRW1.8 trillion (US$1.22 billion) in Vietnam to expand ABF substrate production capacity. As AI drives a surge in demand for semiconductor substrates, the move aims to alleviate supply bottlenecks and further strengthen its competitive position. According to Korean media Herald Business and Bloomberg, SEM plans to inject around KRW1.8 trillion into its Vietnam manufacturing subsidiary to expand production of high-value-added ABF substrates. Data from Vietnam's Foreign Investment Agency shows that SEM has obtained an investment registration certificate, with the project targeting the production of ABF substrates for robotics, autonomous vehicles, and AI applications. The project is known as "SEM Vietnam Phase 2."

China Northern Rare Earth, the leading player in China's rare earth industry, has raised its rare earth ore (REO) prices for the second quarter of 2026 by more than 44%. Amid geopolitical tensions and supply chain disruptions, this significant price increase has drawn strong attention across the sector.