(Yicai) July 24 -- China's printed circuit board industry is accelerating capacity expansion as demand for artificial intelligence drives new investment, with global market leader Avary Holding and Redboard Technology announcing projects worth up to CNY16 billion (USD2.4 billion).

The latest investments add to expansion plans announced by more than 20 PCB makers since the beginning of this year, with planned investment exceeding CNY70 billion and nearly all new capacity targeting high-end applications such as AI servers and high-speed optical modules.

Following the new project plans, shares of Avary Holding [SHE: 002938] closed 0.9 percent higher at CNY88.39 (USD13.10) today while Redboard [SHA:603459] ended at CNY84.09, down 5.6 percent. The broader market remained under pressure from a market-wide sell-off, with the Shenzhen Component Index falling 2.5 percent and the Shanghai Composite Index declining 1.6 percent.

The latest investments underscore PCB makers' expectations that demand for AI infrastructure and other advanced electronics will continue to grow, although the new facilities will take several years to come online.

AI-Driven Expansion Continues

Avary said yesterday that it will invest CNY10 billion to build its third manufacturing campus in Shenzhen, focusing on high-end substrate-like printed circuit boards for AI servers and high-end flexible printed circuit boards for AI terminals. The facility is scheduled to be completed and begin production by 2033. The company did not disclose additional details.

The announcement marks Avary's fourth high-end PCB expansion plan in less than a year. The company, which has ranked as the world's largest PCB manufacturer by market share for eight consecutive years, announced a CNY8 billion (USD1.2 billion) investment in a new factory in eastern China's Huai'an last August, followed by a CNY4.3 billion investment in a plant in Prachinburi, Thailand, in December. In March this year, it announced another CNY11 billion investment to further expand high-end PCB production capacity in Huai'an.

Redboard also announced yesterday three projects totaling CNY6 billion, including a CNY5 billion expansion at its Ganzhou production base. The facility will manufacture high-density interconnect and modified semi-additive process precision circuit boards for applications including high-end communications equipment, consumer electronics and display products, supplying leading domestic and overseas customers. Construction is expected to take 48 months.

The company also plans to invest CNY300 million (USD44.3 million) to construct additional buildings at the Ganzhou plant to reserve space for future expansion.

In a separate announcement, Redboard said it will invest CNY700 million in its existing factory in Ji'an, Jiangxi province, where it is headquartered. The project will add production equipment to increase capacity and upgrade manufacturing technology for high-end precision circuit boards, helping meet demand from leading customers in communications electronics, consumer electronics, high-end displays and automotive electronics. Construction is scheduled to begin in January 2027 and is expected to take 48 months.

Editors: Tang Shihua, Emmi Laine