Responding to the price increase of PCB raw materials: Multi-source supply creates flexible choices for customers

CCL (copper clad laminate) accounts for as much as 40%-70% of the total cost of PCB and is a core variable affecting PCB manufacturing costs. Since 2026, CCL prices have continued to rise, and raw materials such as glass fiber cloth, copper foil, and resin upstream of the industrial chain have risen simultaneously, placing high requirements on PCB manufacturers 'cost management. End customers are also directly affected: fluctuations in raw material prices will eventually be transmitted to product quotations, and how to obtain more competitive solutions during cost changes has become a common concern for upstream and downstream supply chains.

The price increase of raw materials affects the whole industry chain

Recently, leading copper clad laminate companies issued the sixth round of price increases during the year. Core main materials such as glass fiber cloth and copper and products of all thickness specifications are within the price adjustment range. Among them, the adjustment range of FR-4 copper clad laminate (thickness above 1.3mm) is 15%, the adjustment range of CEM-1 and 22F is 10%, and the industry is following the same trend by about 15%. This is the shortest price adjustment since 2026, only 20 days apart from the previous round. After six rounds, the price of FR-4 copper clad laminate has increased from about 130 yuan/sheet at the beginning of the year to more than 260 yuan/sheet at the current time, an increase of more than 50%, which is more than 70 yuan/sheet in July 2025. Nearly four times. The increase in high-end M8/M9 high-speed plates is even more prominent. The unit price has reached 400 yuan per sheet, and the delivery period has been extended to 4-6 months.

The price increase is not limited to finished CCL products. All upstream links are under pressure simultaneously: In terms of copper foil, the global monthly demand for HVLP4 extremely low-profile copper foil has exceeded 3000 tons, and the effective production capacity is only about 1300 tons. The supply and demand gap is about 42%. Copper foil processing fees have doubled in the past year. In terms of glass fiber cloth, ordinary 7628 specifications increased by about 65% during the year, while the unit price of high-end Low-Dk second-generation cloth for AI servers has reached 25 times that of ordinary cloth. The delivery schedule of high-end looms has been extended to 2030. In terms of resins, the global gap rate of PPO resin used for M7/M8 plates reaches 75%, and the delivery period has been extended from the normal 3 weeks to 15 weeks, making supply in short supply. After multiple rounds of price increases are transmitted to the finished PCB products, it is expected that all categories of PCB will increase prices by 20%-30% in July.

Industry response to multi-source supply

The continued rise in raw material prices and tight supply in some categories are forcing PCB manufacturers and end customers to adjust their supply chain management strategies. Supplier diversification is the most common response direction in the industry. CCL manufacturers have expanded their copper foil suppliers from a few to a candidate system of about ten, spreading procurement costs through multiple price comparisons. Domestic manufacturers in the field of glass fiber cloth are also accelerating their introduction and testing, and some high-end specifications are expected to ease supply pressure in 2027. In terms of resins, the domestic substitution window is opening, and domestic manufacturers have achieved small-batch supply in hydrocarbon resins and other categories. These alternatives take time from verification to mass production: the certification cycle for high-end materials usually takes 12-18 months and requires joint verification by the CCL factory, PCB factory and end customer, so the supplier layout must be advanced in advance. The current response methods in the industry are relatively mature, including forming a price comparison system with multiple suppliers of the same specification, stocking small quantities in batches, and evaluating compliant alternative material models.

Provide customers with alternative supply chain solutions

KingBrother has begun to promote the diversification of the supply chain when the trend of raw material price increases first appeared. Currently, it has established stable cooperative relationships with raw material suppliers in various categories such as copper clad laminate, copper foil, glass fiber cloth, and resin, and has achieved prices on core materials. Appropriate supply channels. On the FR-4 and high-speed CCL product lines, the company has connected with a number of suppliers with different material systems and cost structures, and can flexibly match differentiated BOM material selection plans based on customers 'performance requirements and cost budgets. The multi-source supply layout of key auxiliary materials such as copper foil and glass fiber cloth effectively disperses the risk of price increases or supply interruptions from a single supplier, and better guarantees material continuity and delivery stability during order execution. The company is also continuing to optimize the DFM (Design for Manufacturability) solution. On the premise of meeting customers 'technical specifications, it reduces manufacturing costs through material replacement evaluation, typesetting process optimization, loss rate control and other means, which has alleviated the cost pressure brought by the price increase of raw materials to a certain extent. Customers who are evaluating new projects or updating BOMs can obtain complete supply chain support from KingBrother from material selection, cost calculation to mass production delivery, and obtain a more cost-effective solution under current market conditions.