2018 PCB Industry Forecast

PCB industry really did a good job in 2017, amazing data means a prosperous market in 2018. ITRI held a forecast for Taiwan's manufacturing industry, and once again revised up its output growth rate of manufacturing industry to 4.04% this year. It is expected that under the steady growth of the global economy, the growth of manufacturing industry next year will have an estimated annual increase of 3.25% and the output value can reach RMB18.15 trillion.

IEK predicted that next year the global economy was expected to continue this year’s growth trend. With the steady external demand and the gradual improvement of major electronic products like TV and smart phones, it was expected that China would have a sound manufacturing and sales performance. Manufacturing orders for semiconductors and machinery would be expected to inject momentum into manufacturing and sales growth momentum.

Although the global economy will grow steadily next year, the policy uncertainty of the major economies will increase the risk. The United States Federal Reserve will start to reduce its balance sheet plan, and monetary policy will enter into a double-stage tightening phase of raising interest rates and narrowing down the stocks. 

IEK suggested that the government should expedite the negotiation of the Taiwan-US economic cooperation agreement to help the industry deepen the connection with US end-customers and the supply chain. According to the statistics of the World Industry Association Database of the EU, the manufacturing industry in Taiwan and the United States has been developed fast in recent years and the U.S. industry demand has simultaneously led to the improvement of manufacturing industry in Taiwan province. 

Shih Hsin University professor Zhou Ji was invited to attend the meeting. He pointed out that according to the IEK data, the manufacturing rate maintained a high level. Among them, the peak of information electronic production capacity was up to 132%.