Global supply of any-layer HDI PCBs will likely struggle to keep up with demand in the second half of 2013, when the market for mobile devices enters its peak season, according to sources at Taiwan-based PCB manufacturers.

Smartphone and tablet sales will reach a seasonal peak in the second half of 2013, particularly the fourth quarter when major smartphone vendors step up their pace of orders, fueling any-layer HDI board demand, the sources indicated.

The supply of any-layer HDI PCBs is already limited as there are high barriers to entry, the sources said. In addition to the difficulty developing manufacturing processes for the boards, capital is another type of barrier as improving yield rates on the production of any-layer boards requires a huge amount of money, the sources continued.

Companies which have already stepped into the field of any-layer boards include Compeq Manufacturing, Compeq Manufacturing and Unitech Printed Circuit Board. The makers put increasing focus on yield improvements, rather than capacity build-ups, the sources observed.

In other news, Compeq is expected to see its overall capacity utilization rise to 80% in the second quarter from about 70% in the first, according to industry observers. Compeq has about 60% of its revenues generated from the HDI PCB business.