The development market prospects of the PCB industry are promising

1. IC carrier board

According to the materials released on Guanyan Report Network, IC carrier boards are based on HDI boards and have the characteristics of high density, high performance, and lightweight. They are an upgrade to traditional integrated circuit packaging lead frames and are used in various chip packaging processes. In recent years, as the integrated circuit industry has been moving towards smaller sizes and higher integration, IC packaging has also been developing towards more pins, miniaturization, and narrow pitch. According to relevant data, the global IC board output value will reach 10.188 billion US dollars in 2020, mainly due to the rapid growth of global integrated circuit sales in 2020, and the significant increase in demand for IC boards in downstream industries.

In the Chinese market, with the accelerated investment and expansion of Chinese wafer fabs, as well as the independent and controllable national strategy of the semiconductor industry, the demand for domestic IC carrier boards will grow rapidly. It is estimated that the growth rate of China's IC carrier board output value will be significantly higher than the international level in the future. According to the data, the total revenue from the suspension of China's IC board industry in 2020 was about 4.035 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 6.07%.

2. Hardboard

Hard boards can be divided into single-layer boards, double-layer boards, and multi-layer boards. As the most fundamental PCB product, single-layer boards mainly rely on network printing for wiring diagrams. Copper foil and wires only exist on one side and cannot be interspersed between wiring. They can only be used for electronic products with relatively simple structures and are gradually being phased out; The double-layer board has wires on both sides, which can stop double-sided wiring welding, and an insulation layer in the middle. Its function and stability are stronger than single panels, and it is widely used in electronic devices such as white goods that do not require signal sources. The market demand is relatively stable. According to the data, the total output value of the global single-layer and double-layer board industry was 8.093 billion US dollars in 2019, and it is estimated to reach 9.34 billion US dollars by 2025.

In addition, multi-layer boards have added internal power layers on the basis of single-layer and double-layer boards, providing greater wiring space, significantly optimizing circuit planning, and reducing dense and complex circuit connection space, achieving the effect of integration. At present, multilayer boards are mainly used in various electronic devices with complex structures and large wiring space requirements, such as 5G base stations, servers, automotive electronics, desktop computers, etc. Therefore, driven by 5G, cloud computing, and new energy vehicles, the demand for multi-layer boards in the market has been increasing from time to time in recent years. According to Prismark's prediction, the global multi-layer board market is expected to reach 31.683 billion US dollars by 2025.

3. Flexible board and rigid flex separation board

Flexible board, also known as flexible board, is a printed circuit board made of flexible insulation substrates such as polyimide or polyester film. Flexible boards have the characteristics of being bendable, rollable, foldable, and lightweight. They can be stopped and arranged according to spatial planning requirements, and can be moved and stretched in three-dimensional space to achieve the integration of component assembly and wire connection. Currently, they are mainly used in bulky consumer electronics products such as smartphones, tablets, and wearable devices. Therefore, in recent years, with the continuous upgrading of smartphones and the development of bulky consumer electronics and intelligence, the market scope of the flexible board industry will further expand.

However, the manufacturing cost of rigid flex separation boards is higher than that of flexible boards, and their market share is relatively small. They are mainly used in 5G data communication networks and fixed broadband links, medical equipment, digital equipment, etc. In recent years, with the continuous development of 5G communication and the increasing degree of autonomy in medical equipment, the market space for rigid separation boards is broad. According to Prismark's prediction, the global output value of flexible boards and rigid flex separation boards will reach 15.364 billion US dollars by 2025.

4. HDI board

HDI board, also known as high-density interconnect board, is a type of circuit board that uses micro blind buried hole technology to achieve high circuit dispersion density. Its characteristics are "light, thin, short, and small". While meeting the trend of electronic product convenience and lightweighting, it can increase circuit density, greatly improve signal output quality, and meet the requirements of constantly improving electronic product functionality and performance. At present, HDI boards are mainly used in lightweight and convenient scenarios such as smart terminals, as well as high-speed and high-frequency transmission scenarios such as 5G base stations and smart cities.

In recent years, benefiting from the expansion of functions of smart terminals, the continuous growth of demand for smartphones, tablets, VR, and smart wearable devices has brought about an incremental demand for HDI boards, with a large market space. According to Prismark's prediction, the global HDI board production value will reach 13.741 billion US dollars by 2025.