Author：Wall Street CN
The explosive demand for AI computing power is transmitting the pressure of capacity expansion upstream in the industry chain. A new wave of large-scale capacity expansion by copper clad laminate (CCL) manufacturers has led to a shortage of key production equipment.Delivery cycles have suddenly lengthened from about eight months to up to two years, and equipment order visibility has been extended to the first quarter of 2028.
Equipment manufacturer Asia Metal Industries (AMI) confirmed that CCL manufacturers have significantly accelerated their expansion pace recently, continuing to build factories overseas while also increasing their investment in production capacity in Taiwan and mainland China.
Driven by this, equipment suppliers are facing significantly increased pressure to meet delivery deadlines.Peak shipments are expected to be released in 2027 as customers complete their installations.
Supply bottlenecks are no longer limited to high-end materials. Upstream materials such as fiberglass cloth and copper foil had already been in short supply, and the shortage has now spread to production equipment, posing a dual challenge to CCL manufacturers' capital expenditure pace and supply chain planning.
A wave of capacity expansion sweeps across CCL manufacturers in Taiwan and mainland China.
The rapid expansion of applications such as AI high-speed computing, electric vehicles, and 5G/6G communications is driving a continuous increase in demand for high-frequency and high-speed PCB materials.
Major CCL manufacturers in Taiwan and mainland China, including Elite Material (EMC), Taiwan Union Technology Corporation (TUC), ITEQ, and Sytech, have all launched a new round of advanced capacity expansion.
Driven by the demand for 800G switches and AI servers, M8-grade materials have become a standard configuration in PCB design.CCL materials are experiencing a simultaneous increase in both price and volume.This trend has directly led to a surge in orders for advanced manufacturing equipment, which has consequently increased the order pressure on upstream equipment suppliers.
in,Prepreg equipment is a core component of the CCL production process.With customers' strong demand for capacity expansion, supply is becoming increasingly tight, becoming one of the key bottlenecks restricting the release of production capacity.
Equipment delivery time has been extended to two years, with a peak in shipments expected in 2027.
AMI stated thatDue to stronger-than-expected demand from downstream customers for capacity expansion, the delivery cycle for equipment orders has been significantly extended from approximately eight months to a maximum of two years.
at present,Equipment supplier order visibility extends into the first quarter of 2028, laying a solid foundation for performance over the next two years.
According to the customer's installation scheduleAMI expects peak shipments to be concentrated in 2027.This means that CCL manufacturers intending to expand production will face the risk of production delays if they fail to secure equipment resources in advance, forcing them to start capital expenditure planning earlier.
The spread of supply chain shortages reflects the profound pulling effect of the global AI boom on the expansion of the PCB industry chain—the demand shock has penetrated from end materials to upstream equipment, forming a systemic supply constraint.
Both materials and equipment are delayed, prompting manufacturers to adjust their capital expenditure schedules.
For CCL manufacturers, the simultaneous extension of material and equipment delivery times creates additional pressure. Rising raw material costs coupled with equipment delays are forcing companies to reassess their capital expenditure pace and plan ahead for capacity investment to hedge against supply uncertainties.
TUC and ITEQ are gradually shifting towards the mid-to-high-end materials sector, actively responding to customers' diversified layout needs, and further driving a new round of capacity expansion demand.
EMC has clearly proposed a "two-year, three-location" expansion plan. The company stated that the new production capacity in Huangshi, Hubei; Zhongshan, Guangdong; and Penang, Malaysia has been put into operation successively in 2025, and is expected to achieve full production and sales in 2026.
Over the next two years, EMC plans to simultaneously invest over NT$10 billion (approximately US$312.4 million) in expanding its production lines in Taiwan, mainland China, and Malaysia. Preliminary estimates suggest that by the end of 2027, EMC's monthly production capacity is expected to reach 9.45 million sheets, an expansion of over 50% from current levels, demonstrating clear growth momentum.
