Taiwan Printed Circuit Association (TPCA) and the Industrial Technology Research Institute Industrial Economics & Research Center (IEK), under the guidance of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, held in early September, "PCB industry trend Seminar Series -2012 PCB boom wind the ball in the second half." invite research director at Gartner Cai Huifen, ITRI IEK manager Zhaozu, IEK senior analyst Jiang Bo wind profiling "PC and Media Tablet Dynamics to 2013", "South Korea's PCB industry competitive analysis," and "Taiwan PCB industry review 2012 on Looking ahead six months and explore Google Project Glass cum PCB industry to bring enlightenment "and other three PCB industry related topics.
　　 Gartner boldly predicted that just opened a series since Steve Jobs after the service ecosystem, PC era the sole use of the device as a business coming to an end. Future personal cloud (personal cloud) will replace the PC become the core consumer digital life, with a variety of networking devices will be more focus on products and services, the flexibility of use of the device will also be required to replace the hardware device. Personal Cloud technology makes such as Smart Phone, Tablets and other handheld terminal products can be completed without limitations on the point, in the past to rely on open PC can do, and now all Internet devices can do, you can quickly get the same content through the cloud, but also let PC is no longer a major hub.
　　Emphasis on hardware innovation over Taiwan PC makers, by the rise of the personal cloud, like "black cloud" like generate unprecedented pressure, at this stage all the physical and software services to think hard how to integrate the fight against Smart Phone, Tablets and other handheld products. On the other hand, by the Apple iOS system, the rise of Android system, allowing rapid decline in market share of Microsoft systems, Microsoft developed a fully applicable in the PC, NB, Ultrabook, Tablets and other electronic products, Windows 8 operating system to cope. Taiwan's PC industry development can have a positive action, touch functionality and cloud intelligence to match Windows 8 Ultrabook systems, hoping to turn the tide in the terminal consumer market.
　　 NT Information estimates that 2012 global PCB output value reached 62.75 billion U.S. dollars, of which China, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea, plus the total value of these four areas the proportion of over 80% in South Korea, Japan and Taiwan called major global PCB production base. IEK pointed out that although mainland China is the largest production center, but there are many contributions to Taiwan, so Taiwan's PCB industry is to have a real wrestling rivals high-end technology in Japan, as well as the rise of the Korean electronics brands. Japan and South Korea PCB products are more concentrated on high-end smart mobile device applications, application, and development of PCB industry in Taiwan is similar to the direction of the future development trend worthy of sustained attention.
　　 Following the trend of the last industry seminar series, ITRI IEK Status PCB industry for the mainland to do analysis and sharing, the participants get an enthusiastic response, the status of this rediscovery of the PCB industry in Japan and Korea, IEK research on , Japan and South Korea begin with a focus on the development of high-end PCB products.
　　Japanese PCB industry for high-end consumer electronics and dedicated niche technology into persistent, still among the world's technology leader, at this stage the Japanese PCB industry more into medical applications, automotive high-value-added products, and effectively at home and abroad layout, speed industrial restructuring. On the other hand, the Japanese yen exchange rate being high, the operating costs of a highly challenging; together with Japan in emerging markets over the lack of PCB suppliers operating flexibility, resulting in the transformation of Japanese companies operating with no pressure.
　　Korean PCB industry due to the rise of the South Korean electronics brand, operating through syndicated let brand directly contributing to the development of downstream components, together with the South Korean government to maintain industrial competitiveness through the manipulation of the exchange rate, leading the Korean PCB layout positive light industry mobile device market intelligence, prompting Korean PCB position in the global fast-growing, step by step, almost forced Japan and Taiwan.
　　 However, South Korea to support the industry in this way a group is not conducive to the survival of small and medium sized suppliers of electronic components, which is different from Taiwan's PCB industry in place flexible production, global distribution and customer diversification component suppliers in Korea stage the biggest challenge. Each production has its advantages and disadvantages areas, grasp the opponent's development strategy is focused on the future of Taiwan's PCB industry layout, Taiwan, in addition to strengthening its own advantages, but also need to hold the attention Korean PCB industry trends layout, find future opportunities through Know thyself .
　　 The second quarter of the United States, China, Japan and the euro zone purchasing managers' index in 2012 a downward trend in August data show that both the baseline below 50, indicating the manufacturing sector in danger of recession, and purchasing managers for future market there are concerns about growth. Also in the United States, Taiwan, the euro zone, South Korea's consumer confidence index fell in the second quarter showed the same trend, showing the trend of consumer sentiment for the future, there is no confidence over the attitude.
　　 International prices trend metallic raw materials, in the economy, Jin's current situation, rising copper prices to move up the force is gradually lost. Because the United States plans to implement easing (QE3) policy will probably lead to a weaker dollar, the currency market is expected to make the dollar go from the gold market, and pulled quotes international gold. Viewed from the overall economic trends, there is uncertainty about the future prosperity of factors before making the consumer market more anemic.
　　In the international economy in the poor quarter, TPCA joint survey with IEK Taiwan strait PCB industry output in the second quarter of 2012 quarter growth of 3.5%, the market size of 1,279 billion Taiwan dollars. The face of increased uncertainty in the future, estimated value of the third quarter of 2012 will grow only 5.6%; fourth quarter decline of 3.0%, expected 2012 annual output value of Taiwan strait PCB industry increased slightly compared to 2011, only 2.23 %, the annual output estimated at 5,175 billion Taiwan dollars scale.