August 18, 2026. While the electronics industry has focused primarily on semiconductors in recent years, the next critical supply bottleneck has already begun to emerge in the background: raw materials for printed circuit boards are becoming scarce worldwide.
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The main reason for this is the rapid expansion of AI data centers and high-performance computing systems. These applications require enormous quantities of high-quality laminates, which significantly limits the available production capacity for traditional industrial and automotive applications. The number of layers in printed circuit boards used in AI servers is three to five times higher than in conventional designs. As a result, demand for high-quality printed circuit board materials is rising significantly across the entire supply chain. Industry experts expect demand to remain at a very high level or continue to rise at least through the end of 2026.
A particular challenge is the simultaneous shortage of several key raw materials required for PCB manufacturing. In addition to copper-clad laminates (CCL), supply pressures are increasingly affecting copper foils, prepregs (particularly PP1080 and PP2116), high-performance resin, and other materials such as tungsten carbide, which is used in drilling and milling tools. Industry experts do not expect a significant easing of supply bottlenecks for glass fiber fabrics before 2028.
The consequences include rising prices, longer lead times, reduced price predictability, and stricter allocation measures in parts of the supply chain. At the same time, flexibility in responding to short-term fluctuations in demand is decreasing, as many manufacturers’ production capacities are already committed long-term.
As a result, the market is undergoing a fundamental transformation. The era of freely available materials is increasingly being replaced by an economy characterized by rationing. Companies without long-term supplier relationships, reliable forecasts, or suitable alternative materials will not only face higher costs but, in extreme cases, also the risk of complete supply disruptions.
Supply security is therefore becoming a decisive competitive factor. Early-stage procurement strategies, reliable demand forecasts, stable ordering patterns, and close collaboration throughout the entire supply chain are now essential. At the same time, the qualification of alternative materials and forward-looking project planning are becoming increasingly important.
“Through our close collaboration with customers, material suppliers, and technology partners, we gain early insights into changes in material availability, manufacturing capacities, and the stability of global supply chains. This transparency enables us to respond proactively to emerging developments and provide our customers with the best possible support,” says Manuel Mairhofer, member of the Executive Board of Würth Elektronik GmbH & Co. KG.
Daniel Jacob, CEO of STARTEAM GLOBAL, adds: “Our strong network across the entire supply chain helps us identify trends and challenges early on. Together with our partners, we develop sustainable solutions that will enable us to successfully meet the demands of future markets.”
STARTEAM GLOBAL and Würth Elektronik GmbH & Co. KG have set themselves the goal of promoting technological exchange within the industry beyond their core manufacturing activities. This includes, among other things, the integration of technologies from Notion Systems and the Peters Group at FST Italy by STARTEAM GLOBAL, as well as the joint participation of Würth Elektronik and the Peters Group in the s.mask initiative. The goal is to drive innovation in printed circuit board technology and promote an open exchange of knowledge throughout the entire PCB ecosystem. Following a successful roadshow in the run-up to Productronica Munich, the s.mask initiative continued its activities in late 2025 with numerous technical discussions. These discussions focused on current challenges in PCB manufacturing as well as approaches for smarter and more flexible production.
The initiative aims to strengthen collaboration among industry partners and help make the PCB industry more resilient to future market changes.
Today, STARTEAM GLOBAL and Würth Elektronik continue their joint commitment to actively promote innovation, knowledge exchange, and collaboration throughout the printed circuit board industry.
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Photo: Würth Elektronik
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