European PCB Manufacturers Decline from 600 to 150 Over 20 Years...Korean SMT and Inspection Equipment Demand on the Rise
Published2026.08.12 09:10
The Munich Korean Representative Office stated on the 12th that market entry conditions are being formed for Korean companies specializing in SMT, inspection, and automation equipment to target Europe's rebuilding demand.
According to Evertiq, a European electronics industry publication, PCB manufacturers in Europe have decreased from over 600 to currently fewer than 150.
Copper clad laminate suppliers, a key material, have shrunk from approximately 20 companies to virtually only one.
Meanwhile, PCB demand in industrial electronic devices, defense, and high-performance computing sectors is on an upward trend. Evertiq reported that expanding demand for general-purpose FR-4 materials and declining inventory have driven up lead times and prices, with some laminate and fiberglass companies entering allocation systems.
To rebuild production capabilities, Europe must acquire new manufacturing equipment including SMT, component placement, inspection, measurement, and production automation systems.
The Munich Korean Representative Office explained that Korean companies are establishing themselves as suppliers in this sector.
At the productronica 2025 electronic manufacturing and SMT equipment exhibition held in Munich, Germany last November, Koh Young Europe GmbH won 2nd place in the Inspection & Quality innovation category with its AI-based process optimization solution KPO (Koh Young Process Optimizer), and MIRTEC placed 3rd with GENESYS-CC.
An industry official stated, "European buyers are conservative about unverified Asian suppliers, so official award records from local exhibitions serve as references that lower entry barriers."
관련뉴스
Ecolab and K-water Discuss Innovation Collaboration in Advanced Industry Water Management
Ecolab and the Korea Water Resources Corporation jointly discussed cooperation directions for maximizing water use efficiency in advanced industries such as semiconductors and data centers and establishing sustainable water circulation. The two companies agreed to gradually develop a long-term cooperation model that combines water resource infrastructure and water management technology to promote water efficiency optimization, water reuse, and carbon reduction.
2026.08.28by 명세환 기자
H.Energy Obtains Green Technology Certification…SolarOnCare Operating at 99.82% Uptime
H.Energy has obtained green technology certification from the Small and Medium Business Administration for solar power generation forecasting and I-V curve anomaly diagnosis technology. The AI-based asset management platform SolarOnCare is deployed across more than 3,000 power plants nationwide, achieving a system uptime of 99.82% and a 3.7% improvement in power generation performance. Through real-time data analysis, it protects power generation revenue by detecting and managing minor losses such as module degradation and partial shading early on.
2026.08.25by 명세환 기자
Samsung Electronics Establishes Domestic Production of EHS Heat Pump Boilers in Gwangju…Annual Production Capacity of 100,000 Units
Samsung Electronics is establishing a domestic production system for EHS heat pump boilers at its Gwangju business site in line with the promotion of heating electrification. The company will begin trial production this month on a dedicated line spanning 2,132㎡ and is scheduled to commence full-scale mass production by the end of September, with annual production capacity exceeding 100,000 units. This product generates approximately 5 times the heat relative to input power, recording a seasonal performance coefficient of 4.9, and offers higher energy efficiency compared to fossil fuel-based boilers while reducing carbon emissions.
2026.08.24by 명세환 기자
Korea Institute of Materials Science Develops Carbon Nanotube Film Enabling Simultaneous Electromagnetic Shielding and Infrared Stealth
The Korea Institute of Materials Science has developed a carbon nanotube hybrid film that simultaneously implements electromagnetic shielding and infrared stealth functions. This composite material, with an ultra-thin film measuring 1/5 the thickness of human hair, blocks electromagnetic waves by 99.9999999% or greater while possessing strength comparable to steel, and is expected to be widely applied to future weapon systems, aerospace, and 5G/6G communication devices.
2026.08.19by 배종인 기자
[Interview] Park Ji-yong, Branch Manager of Nozomi Networks, "Korea entering full-scale OT security adoption phase"
The domestic OT security market has seen significantly heightened awareness centered on large enterprises, and POC demand is also increasing. In particular, OT security diagnostics are essential for enterprises to identify vulnerabilities without productivity degradation, and demand is growing across hospitals, pharmaceuticals, power generation, and manufacturing sectors. In this context, Nozomi Networks' Arc-Embedded, which embeds security functions directly into PLCs to reduce blind spots, and Vantage IQ, which shifts from alarm-centric to decision-centric operations enabling non-specialists to perform advanced analysis, are receiving spotlight as key safety assets in OT security. Accordingly, we met with Park Ji-yong, Branch Manager of Nozomi Networks, to discuss OT security and Nozomi Networks' solutions.
2026.08.18by 배종인 기자
