The PCB industry appears to be recovering, as PCB and copper-clad laminate (CCL) makers are seeing clearer order visibility thanks to increasing demand from the China market due to the government’s stimulus push in rural areas. Some makers are already making moves to expand capacity and recruit more employees.

CCL maker Uniplus Electronics’ two plants in China have already received orders for March and April and the company has also recruited 100-200 workers for its plant in Taiwan. Meanwhile, Taiwan Union Technology (TUC) said plans to open a second production line in March as it has recently seen its current capacity running at full utilization.

PCB supplier HannStar Board also noted that utilization rates have grown to more than 60%, up from 40-50% in previous months. The company expects to return to profitability this month.

Handset PCB maker Plotech has also increased its workforce by 10% due to a recovery in orders. The company estimated sales are to jump 40% sequentially in February, followed by a further 15-20% growth in March.

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