Southeast Asia tariff uncertainties dampen PCB investment momentum

Southeast Asia’s reciprocal tariff framework has prompted major IC substrate manufacturers to pause southbound investment evaluations. Meanwhile, Taiwanese and Chinese PCB producers expanding in Thailand face production challenges that are limiting order flows to suppliers including drill bit maker Topoint Technology and prepreg manufacturer Aurona Industries.

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Japan’s OSAT firms unite to cut costs and reclaim industry ground

Japan’s outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) industry, long composed of small, regional firms with limited resources, is making a rare push for collective strength. In April 2025, about 30 companies joined forces to launch the Japan OSAT Federation (J-OSAT)—the country’s first official industry group aimed at reviving its struggling backend chip manufacturing segment.

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Hyundai weighs 3rd EV factory in Europe to bypass tariffs, build local edge

Hyundai Motor is considering the construction of a third electric vehicle (EV) plant in Europe as part of its broader strategy to capitalize on the region’s EV recovery and offset potential risks from rising US trade barriers. The automaker sees Europe as both a strategic growth market and a manufacturing base to navigate tariff-related headwinds through localized production.

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AI-powered NPU race spurs growth for test interface companies

As the global smartphone application processor market undergoes a major shift toward AI-driven performance, chip giants like MediaTek and Qualcomm are ramping up efforts to dominate the neural processing unit AI computing power playing field. This has triggered a series of upgrades in high-speed specifications, with semiconductor test interface companies such as WinWay Technology and Chunghwa Precision Test experiencing renewed growth momentum.

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