IPC International Community magazine an association member publication
Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1544398
82 I-CONNECT007 MAGAZINE I APRIL 2026 are investing billions in their capacity. China has sought dominance in PCB manufacturing for many years and has invested accordingly. In addition to China, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, South Korea, and Japan are also investing significant amounts in PCB production. 2-6 The U.S. has not. While the U.S. debates policy, our competition deploys capital. This imbalance puts production of American weapons systems and supporting mate- rial at risk. It will only be a matter of time before the supply of trusted and secure PCBs becomes a sup- ply chain bottleneck. For the past five years, PCBAA has sounded the alarm about foreign dependency. The U.S. can no longer ignore this threat to our national and economic security. To scale up, replenish the electronics needed for defense, and be ready for future conflicts, Congress needs to support Ameri- can manufacturing through legislation like H.R. 3597, the Protecting Circuit Boards and Substrates (PCBs) Act, which calls for incentives to reinvigo- rate this industry. Times of conflict remind us that the Arsenal of Democracy is more than a catchphrase. We can't predict what conflicts the future will bring, but we must make investments to ensure we are ready. Click here for more information. I-CONNECT007 References 1. "US has burned through 'years' of munitions since start of Iran war," by Abigail Hauslohner, Steff Chavez, Lauren Fedor, and James Politi, Financial Times, March 12, 2026. 2. "Thailand approves $2 billion PCB manufacturing investment by joint venture led by Taiwan's ZDT," Reuters, Jan. 18, 2026. 3. "Thailand and Vietnam to Emerge as World-Class PCB Hub," NEPCON Thailand. 4. "Malaysia Strengthens Position in Global PCB Supply Chain With Semiconductor Investments Surpassing USD 25 Billion by 2035," Nexdigm Market Research. 5. "South Korea Printed Circuit Board Market Size & Share Analysis—Growth Trends and Forecast (2026-2031)," Mordor Intelligence. 6. "TPCA Analyzes New Competitive Landscape of PCB Manufacturing in China, Japan, and South Korea," I-Connect007, Dec. 11, 2025. Shane Whiteside is presi- dent and CEO of Summit Interconnect and current chair of the Printed Circuit Board Association of America. To read past columns, click here. A M E R I CA N M A D E A DVO CACY " For the past five years, PCBAA has sounded the alarm about foreign dependency. The U.S. can no longer ignore this threat to our national and economic security."