BoI upbeat on outlook for PCB sector

The Board of Investment (BoI) is buoyant about the growth of the printed circuit board (PCB) industry, with Mektec Manufacturing Corporation recently investing 920 million baht in Thailand as the largest PCB manufacturer in Southeast Asia.
PCBs are needed in most electronic products, including electric vehicles (EVs), smart electrical appliances, telecom and medical equipment.
“Thailand has become a new investment destination in Asia for PCB manufacturing,” said Narit Therdsteerasukdi, secretary-general of the BoI, adding that Thailand is one of the five largest PCB manufacturers in the world.
“Over the past year, new investors have entered the country, while existing investors expanded their businesses here.”
Mektec Manufacturing Corporation (Thailand), a subsidiary of NOK Corporation, Japan’s largest PCB manufacturer by sales volume, was granted investment incentives from the BoI to increase its production to serve growing customer demand.
NOK specialises in making flexible PCBs, known as FPCBs, which are used in products with complex designs and those with space and weight limitations.
Examples of products that utilise FPCBs are smart contact lenses and EV batteries.
Mektec began FPCB manufacturing in Thailand in 1995 and has spent more than 5.8 billion baht in BoI-approved investment since then.
PCB manufacturing in Thailand is expected to keep growing, driven by the growth of 5G wireless technology, electronic devices linked with Internet of Things technology and artificial intelligence robots, said Somchai Asawarungsaengkul, managing director of Mektec Manufacturing Corporation (Thailand).
“We will continue to invest in our business here, aiming to be a smart factory aligned with our vision to position ourselves as a supporter of the global electronics industry,” he said.
The outlay of 920 million baht is to increase production of FPCBs to serve growing demand in the EV industry, said Mr Somchai.
The company’s factory in Bang Pa-in Industrial Estate in Ayutthaya employs 3,000 workers and uses locally-sourced raw materials worth 2.5 billion baht a year for its production needs.