Taiwan EMS embraces startup collab, Innolux, Compal lead the way

In response to the threat of tariffs from the Trump administration, Taiwan’s electronics contract manufacturing industry has been expanding into the US, adding to its already vast footprint across China, ASEAN countries, India, and Mexico. Since contract manufacturing often generates revenues in the trillions of New Taiwan Dollars, companies in this industry have usually overlooked startups that have capital in the mere millions, or even just several hundred thousand New Taiwan Dollars.

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APCB faces pressure after capacity reduction, eyes boost from DDR5, optical modules in 2026

Taiwan-based PCB manufacturer APCB is launching two new products in 2025, following significant capacity downsizing in 2024. However, the company noted that the new QSFP optical module boards and DDR5 R-DIMM memory module boards have yet to reach mass production, and their contribution to revenue remains limited. Contributions are expected to significantly increase in 2026, potentially becoming a key growth driver for the company’s operations.

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SMIC tightens grip on Beijing unit in latest wave of China wafer fab mergers

China’s SMIC said it will acquire the remaining 49% stake in its subsidiary, SMIC North Integrated Circuit Manufacturing (Beijing), also known as SMIC North, through an issuance of A-shares in renminbi. The deal will give SMIC full control of the Beijing-based unit and underscores the broader consolidation trend reshaping China’s semiconductor foundry sector, according to a filing in late August.

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Hotai Motor sticks to 2025 sales goal despite profit slide and policy headwinds

Taiwan’s auto market has entered a deep freeze in 2025, with industry leaders pointing to ongoing tariff uncertainties as a major source of disruption. At an investor briefing on August 27, 2025, Chih-Wei Lai, Director and Spokesman for Hotai Motor Co., Taiwan’s largest automobile distributor, said that while market conditions remain challenging, the company’s flagship brands — Toyota and Lexus — have expanded their combined market share by 6 percentage points year-over-year through July 2025.

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