The PCB Supply Chain Squeeze - A C-Level Special with Confidee's Raymond Goh and TLT's Vytautas Ilgunas
Raymond Goh of Confidee and Vytautas Ilgunas of TLT PCB discuss the severe PCB supply chain squeeze driven by AI server demand and upstream material shortages. They explain how capacity loss in European laminate manufacturing, combined with resin shortages from Middle East conflicts, has created lead times of up to nine months for advanced materials. The guests highlight that availability now trumps price, forcing customers to approve alternate laminates and reserve capacity years in advance to avoid production halts. They argue that rebuilding a complete European electronic manufacturing ecosystem, from sand to assembly, requires long-term policy support rather than short-term urgency.