The Trump administration has announced new reciprocal tariffs on Southeast Asian countries to address origin washing in supply chains. This move adds complexity to the manufacturing decisions of Taiwanese printed circuit board (PCB) companies as they navigate evolving tariff disparities.

Since the end of 2024, a critical shortage of T-Glass has been disrupting the global supply chain for advanced chip packaging. This specialized glass fabric, prized for its low thermal expansion properties, is essential in producing CoWoS (Chip-on-Wafer-on-Substrate) substrates used in high-performance AI servers.

Topco Scientific has reported record sales for both the second quarter and first half of 2025, driven mainly by demand for semiconductor materials supporting advanced manufacturing processes.

Glass substrates are considered one of the key directions for advanced packaging development, especially showing significant potential in high-performance computing (HPC) and data center sectors. Advances in glass substrate technology have also attracted widespread attention across the semiconductor industry. Despite that, recent reports stated that Intel plans to stop self-developing and producing glass substrates, opting instead to use glass substrates supplied by external vendors.

Following US President Donald Trump's announcement of reciprocal tariffs on 14 nations, including a 25% duty on Japanese and South Korean imports, concerns are rising that Taiwan could face even harsher terms. Bill Chiu, Chairman and CEO of Gudeng Precision Industrial Co., said the company's profit outlook remains stable for now, as its free-on-board (FOB) model passes shipping and tariff costs to customers. However, he cautioned that the new policy may curb customer demand and order volume.

Yamaha Motor is accelerating its pivot into the semiconductor equipment space with the launch of Yamaha Robotics, a newly established division focused on robotic systems for electronics manufacturing. The company aims to position the business as its third major revenue pillar, alongside motorcycles and marine engines.

Less than a week ahead of the tariff truce deadline, US President Donald Trump announced that the Commerce Department had struck a deal with Vietnam. Under the agreement, Vietnamese exports to the US will be subject to tariffs of 20% to 40%, with the highest rate applying to goods rerouted through Vietnam from third countries.

Taiwanese PCB manufacturers expanding in Thailand face a challenge as new government rules require foreign-invested firms to have at least 70% local employees and no more than 30% foreigners, especially at mid- and senior levels. This policy, meant to boost local workforce development, may complicate hiring as companies ramp up production in the second half of 2025.

Under pressure from low-cost competition in China, many application sectors are struggling to turn a profit. Recently, the compound semiconductor gallium nitride (GaN) industry has seen reports of major manufacturers experiencing fatigue and reduced willingness to invest, even considering more aggressive strategies. This could trigger sectoral shifts within the "non-China GaN supply chain."

ThinTech Materials Technology (TTMC), a subsidiary of China Steel Corporation, experienced conservative shipment momentum in the first quarter of 2025 due to delays in customer verification schedules from IDM giants and panel manufacturers, as well as the recycling use of FOPLP (Fan-Out Panel Level Packaging) carriers.

Global interconnect solutions provider BizLink Group opened a new facility in Tainan on June 26, underscoring its focus on localized R&D and production. Chairman Roger Liang said the company is holding firm on its double-digit revenue growth target for 2025, citing surging demand for AI and high-performance computing (HPC) and stable growth in semiconductor equipment orders, despite geopolitical risks, tariffs, and currency headwinds.

Taiwan-based passive components giant Yageo announced on June 25, 2025, that its previously disclosed tender offer to acquire Japan's Shibaura has received approval from Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) Investment Commission. According to relevant Japanese regulations, the takeover bid (TOB) period will be extended from the original deadline of July 1 to July 9, as Yageo continues to gradually increase its shareholding stake.

Senior executives from Nvidia, AMD, and Microsoft have frequently visited Japanese manufacturer Nitto Boseki to secure a critical raw material for AI servers: low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) glass, known as T-glass. Nitto Boseki, also called Nittobo, is currently the sole global supplier of the highest-grade fiberglass cloth crucial for AI chip production, according to multiple outlets, including Nikkei.

Industries worldwide have been dealing with a surge in litigation risk from non-practicing entities (NPEs), commonly known as "patent trolls." To help Taiwanese players defend against NPE threats, Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), together with the Chinese National Federation of Industries (CNFI), Taiwan Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers' Association (TEEMA), and IPIC have established the License on Transfer (LOT) Industry Alliance, with support from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSMC), ASE Technology Holding, Powertech Technology (PTI), Siliconware Precision Industries (SPIL), Vanguard International Semiconductor, Giga-Byte Technology, Arcadyan Technology, Micro-Star International (MSI), Advanced Echem Materials (AEMC), and Unimicron.

Grand Pacific Petrochemical (GPPC) has been undergoing a transition in recent years, introducing new product lines targeting the semiconductor and electric vehicle (EV) sectors.

The 2025 China 618 shopping festival has prompted a noticeable uptick in microcontroller unit (MCU) sales, signaling a tentative recovery in consumer electronics demand after sluggish domestic consumption. This resurgence is attributed largely to robust government subsidy policies and aggressive e-commerce promotions.

At the recent PSA Annual Shareholders' Meeting, CEO Anthony Chiao announced that GLOBAL BRS MANUFACTURE (GBM) has acquired two significant strategic assets: Japan's PCB manufacturer Lincstech and mechanical parts specialist Silitech Technology, which in turn has invested in FDK, a global leader in nickel-metal hydride batteries. Across its expanded group, annual revenues now exceed NT$150 billion (approx. US$5.1 billion). Chiao highlighted that the company's next phase will concentrate on integrating internal resources and implementing management succession strategies.

Aurona Industries, a PCB substrate manufacturer, reported a 1.2% revenue growth in May, driven by higher orders from the electronics industry following a temporary US tariff grace period and sustained demand in Taiwan's AI and HPC sectors.

Samsung Electro-Mechanics has started supplying silicon capacitors to Marvell Technology, a leading US integrated circuit (IC) design company. This development marks Samsung Electro-Mechanics's first significant step into AI chip components, coinciding with its strategic shift to specialize in AI-related technologies.

Taiwan-based ThinTech Materials Technology held its annual general meeting on June 19, approving all proposed resolutions. The company outlined plans to scale its semiconductor business, streamline its product portfolio, and revamp production processes, with a target of boosting revenue from semiconductor-grade metal materials in 2025.

Taiwan's export orders for January-May 2024 rose 15% year on year to reach US$263.8 billion, with electronics products recording an over 25% annual growth to break the US$100 billion mark, according to the latest figures disclosed by the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA). Export orders in May 2025 arrived at US$57.93 billion, increasing 18.5% year on year.

Taiwan-based niche copper foil material manufacturer Co-Tech held its annual shareholders meeting on June 23, 2025. Chairman Raymond Soong officially stepped down after an 11-year tenure, with current president Frank Lee succeeding him as chairman. The company aims to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) technology to analyze critical process data and accelerate the development of advanced specialty copper foil products.

Below are the most-read DIGITIMES Asia stories from June 16 to June 22, 2025. Top developments include tighter US chip restrictions on China, updates on the next-gen 2nm race from TSMC and Samsung Electronics, and new disruptions in global supply chains driven by rare earth curbs and AI chip controls.