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86 I-CONNECT007 MAGAZINE I OCTOBER 2026 ahead of the curve: The capacity roadmap extends through 2027, the technology roadmap through 2028, and key certifications are scheduled for the fourth quarter. Step by step, Sundell Technology is turning each element of its plans into certainty for their customers. The Supply Chain According to Song Bo, since trial production began in Q3 2024, Sundell Technology has spent nearly two years mapping out Thailand's local supply eco- system. Today, most of its key materials, including copper-clad laminates and prepregs, along with process chemicals and auxiliary materials, can al- ready be sourced locally. Shengyi Technology Co., Ltd (SYTECH), Taiwan Union Technology Corporation (TUC), and King- board Laminates Holdings Ltd. have all estab- lished mass-production operations in Thailand, while Nanya New Material Technology Co., Ltd. and Zhejiang Huazheng New Materials Co., Ltd. plan to bring production online in Thailand in 2027. Building on this foundation, Sundell Technology's three-tier supply system means suppliers without local warehousing rely on cross-border logistics, with lead times of 12–15 business days by sea, 5–7 business days by land, and 3–5 business days by air. Safety stocks are dynamically replenished, with shelf-life controls in place to manage materials approaching expiration. People and Talent On the talent side, Song Bo said, "An independently operated overseas PCB factory cannot simply rep- licate the workforce model used elsewhere. It has to adapt to local regulations, education systems, and culture." Frontline staffing follows a dual-track, compliance- based model: the factory primarily recruits gradu- ates from Thai vocational schools and experienced local workers, while supplementing its workforce with Myanmar labor recruited in strict compliance with Thai labor regulations, ensuring uninterrupted 24-hour production. For engineering and technical talent, Sundell Technology has signed long-term industry-university partnership agreements with two Thai universities, creating targeted recruitment pipelines for science and engineering graduates into core functions, including engineering, quality, the central labora- tory, and equipment operations. Training is structured across three levels. Fresh graduates enter an 18-month "100-Person Growth Program," receiving one-on-one mentoring from senior staff and rotating through different roles. Frontline technicians undergo hands-on training backed by standardized skills certification and clearly defined promotion pathways. At the manage- ment level, bilingual training has become routine, with managers learning Thai and expatriate engi- neers receiving English-language training. "Adaptation" is the operative word at Sundell Technology. If a single supply channel is not enough, build a three-tier system; if one recruitment channel is insufficient, open a second. The objective is to make the factory self-sufficient in local talent as early as possible, rather than continuing to rely on personnel transferred from China. Focus: Betting on Computing Power Once that certainty has been built, the next ques- tion is where to put it to work. He Zixiu's answer is computing power. Phase II will add dedicated ca- pacity for computing-related products, with stand- alone production lines prioritizing orders for com- puting hardware. Over the medium to long term, the goal is "to become Southeast Asia's techno- logically leading supplier of PCBs for computing applications." The industrial logic behind this choice is straight- forward. AI computing is one of the few downstream markets where qualification and delivery reliability can outweigh cost considerations—precisely the kind of market that can offset Thailand's cost disad- vantage. While automotive PCB orders may remain in China due to cost considerations, computing- related orders are increasingly shifting to Thailand due to supplier qualification requirements. Of course, no matter how much certainty an indi- vidual manufacturer builds into their operation, market uncertainty and geopolitics are not their control. The best and only thing to do is to excel at what you can control, and Sundell does that. They are ready for a bright future. I-CONNECT007 T H A I L A N D FACTO RY S E R I ES • S U N D E L L T EC H N O LO GY