Apple's 2025 product launches are set to drive substantial growth in Taiwan's PCB (Printed Circuit Board) supply chain, with manufacturers benefiting from rising demand for AI technology and low-earth orbit satellite applications. The industry anticipates robust performance in the first quarter of 2025, with several companies maintaining growth even during traditionally slow periods.
FineMat is working hard to transform its core business and expand into the energy and semiconductor industries, actively developing new products. The company expects its consolidated revenue for 2025 to grow compared to 2024, with revenue contributions from new products projected to account for up to 20%.
Taiwanese passive component manufacturers Yageo and Ample Electronic Technology have started 2025 with unexpected revenue growth, bucking the traditional first-quarter slowdown. As customer inventories normalize, industry analysts expect steady ordering patterns to sustain revenue momentum.
Global semiconductor distribution leaders Arrow Electronics and Avnet have expressed cautious optimism about the market outlook, despite ongoing challenges in various regions.
Amid the rapid development of the optoelectronics industry, breakthroughs in Photonic Integrated Circuits (PIC) testing technology are transforming the global market landscape. Ivy Ko, chairperson of EnliTech, stated that they have successfully achieved profits exceeding the entire 2023 revenue in the first three quarters of 2024 by offering high-performance testing technologies across fields such as image sensor chips, LiDAR, and silicon photonics. The company is expected to see double-digit revenue growth in 2025.
The demand for multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCC) is expected to increase significantly in 2025, which will provide a boost to major Taiwan-based passive component companies including Yageo and Walsin Technology, according to industry sources.
Murata Manufacturing posted a consolidated operating profit of JPY234.1 billion (US$1.508 billion) for the April–December 2024 period, reflecting an 8.9% increase compared to the same period last year. Net profit rose 15% to JPY201.3 billion, marking the company's first annual profit rebound in three years for this reporting period.
AI-powered applications reshaped the electronics manufacturing landscape in 2024, driving a resurgence for Taiwan’s leading IC substrate makers. Unimicron, Kinsus, and Zhen Ding Tech (ZDT) posted double-digit revenue growth, while Nan Ya PCB struggled amid sluggish demand for networking and consumer electronics (CE).
US President Donald Trump's new policies have reignited the global trade war, leading to significant fluctuations in international precious metal prices, with gold reaching an all-time high at the end of January. As raw material costs continue to fluctuate, this could impact the gross profit margins of certain Taiwanese semiconductor packaging houses, adding to operational uncertainties for 2025, according to industry sources.
Eternal Materials has revealed that all three of its primary business segments saw profit growth in 2024. Looking ahead to 2025, the company expects to enhance its international market share for specialty materials and synthetic resins, as well as expand into the semiconductor sector with precise equipment.
The Trump 2.0 era is set to reshape global geopolitics and supply chains, with Taiwanese manufacturers closely monitoring US interest and exchange rate policies. Experts warn that relocating Taiwan's semiconductor supply chain to the US could lead to a "tech talent drain."
Samsung Electro-Mechanics is teaming up with South Korean semiconductor materials company SoulBrain to develop materials for glass substrates, with plans for mass production by 2027. This partnership aims to enhance Samsung's supply chain ecosystem and boost the development of next-generation semiconductor technology.
Export orders from Taiwan are expected to decline significantly in January 2025, with the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) forecasting values between US$44.5 billion and US$46.5 billion. This represents a month-over-month decrease of 15.9% to 12.1% and a year-over-year decline of 8.1% to 4%.
Despite the Chinese government's series of measures to revitalize the economy, the overall effect has been inadequate. Domestic Chinese MCU producers also present a stiff challenge to Taiwanese manufacturers. Both of these reasons slow Taiwan's MCU industry's recovery, according to industry sources.
China will investigate allegations that the US dumps lower-end chips and unfairly subsidizes its own chipmakers, in potentially one of Beijing's strongest retaliatory moves against American technology sanctions. The government will look into the question of whether the US is giving its chipmakers an unfair advantage through incentives and grants, or illegally undercutting Chinese products, the Commerce Ministry said in a statement on January 16.
Passive component materials supplier Ample Electronic Technology anticipates an exceptionally strong first quarter of 2025, driven by improved order visibility compared to previous years.
Taiwanese passive component leader Yageo reported its revenue for December 2024 dipped below the NT$10 billion (approx. US$303.75 million) mark. However, the company still achieved a record high for annual revenue. Looking forward to 2025, the rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI) applications is poised to drive a new wave of demand, offering a significant boost to the passive components sector.
Rayzher reported record-breaking December 2024 revenue of NT$236 million (US$7.17 million), marking a substantial 68.91% increase from the previous year, driven by robust demand from Taiwan's semiconductor industry. The company's performance was bolstered by its gas pipeline re-distribution, disassembly, and relocation services.
Transcom, a provider of military-grade power amplifiers (PA), has disclosed that its revenue for 2024 reached an all-time high. The company's strong sales performance last year was primarily driven by government contracts, satellite communication-related products, and an increase in military drone shipments.
In 2024, the silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductor industry faces challenges as increased crystal growth production capacity in China results in oversupply and significant price drops, affecting the global market. Adding to the uncertainty, the US plans to initiate Section 301 investigations against China in 2025.
Kyocera, a leading Japanese electronic components manufacturer, plans to divest 10% of its consolidated revenue, valued at approximately JPY200 billion (US$1.27 billion), by the end of fiscal year 2025 (April 2025–March 2026). The strategic move comes as the company faces declining profitability in key sectors, including automotive electronics and semiconductor-related operations.
Chinese government subsidies for mobile devices have sparked optimism among Taiwan's power amplifier (PA) supply chain players, with industry sources expecting a revival in China's handset market and component sales in 2025.
US-China trade tensions and high tariffs are reshaping the global power semiconductor industry, creating both challenges and opportunities. Taiwanese firms are adopting capacity relocation strategies and bolstering partnerships with Southeast Asia, Europe, and the US to leverage geopolitical advantages and prepare for potential tariff escalations as Trump returns to office.
Japanese manufacturer Ibiden has established itself as a dominant player in the IC substrate market for AI chips, driven by Nvidia's strong demand for these substrates. Ibiden emphasized its commitment to maintaining the long-term partnership it has built with Intel.
