AURORA, CO, July 2026 - AdvancedPCB has installed a new Strip-Etch-Strip (SES) wet-process line at its Aurora, Colorado manufacturing facility. The investment is part of the company’s 2026 Technology Acceleration Initiative to strengthen manufacturing capabilities and support the production of increasingly advanced printed circuit boards (PCBs).
The installation was completed during a scheduled production shutdown over the Independence Day holiday weekend, minimizing disruption to customer production schedules.
The SES process is a key step in PCB inner-layer fabrication, where copper circuitry is formed before the layers are bonded together. Consistent control during this process is essential for maintaining accurate line widths, spacing, and registration before lamination. As PCB designs continue to incorporate finer features, higher layer counts, and tighter tolerances, precise inner-layer processing plays an increasingly important role in overall board quality and manufacturability.
Supplied by Equip Tech and manufactured by Universal Circuit Board Equipment Co. (UCE), the SES line incorporates automated chemical management, conveyorized material handling, and integrated process controls throughout the strip, etch, and strip cycle. The new system is designed to support a broad range of PCB technologies, including HDI, multilayer, and other high-density circuit board designs.
“PCB designs continue to become more complex, and it’s our responsibility to invest ahead of our customers’ needs," said Greg Halvorson, Chief Executive Officer at AdvancedPCB. “The SES line is one of several manufacturing investments we’re making throughout 2026 to ensure our facilities are equipped to support the next generation of electronics while delivering the quality, responsiveness, and manufacturing expertise our customers depend on.”
AdvancedPCB’s Aurora, Colorado facility specializes in quick-turn PCB fabrication and prototype assembly, supporting customers from early product development through low-to-mid-volume production. The facility’s continued growth is driving ongoing investments in new manufacturing technologies and infrastructure. As one of the largest equipment investments made at the Aurora facility in recent years, the new SES line reflects AdvancedPCB’s long-term commitment to expanding its capabilities in Aurora.
The SES line is one of several strategic investments AdvancedPCB is making across its network of US-based manufacturing facilities. By continuing to invest in advanced equipment and process technologies, the company is expanding its ability to support customers in designing and manufacturing the next generation of aerospace & defense, medical, AI and data center infrastructure, industrial, and consumer electronics.
To learn more about AdvancedPCB’s manufacturing capabilities, visit www.AdvancedPCB.com.
AURORA, CO ― AdvancedPCB has promoted Patrick York to General Manager of its Chandler, Arizona, manufacturing facility. York will be reporting to Ruben Zepeda, Chief Operations Officer at AdvancedPCB.
A respected manufacturing and quality leader with more than two decades of experience in the PCB industry, York joined AdvancedPCB in 2023 and has served in several key leadership roles, including Director of Quality and, most recently, Corporate Director of Quality. During that time, he led quality initiatives across the company’s manufacturing operations, helping strengthen quality systems, drive continuous improvement, and support operational excellence throughout the organization.
As General Manager, York will oversee all operations at the Chandler facility, with responsibility for manufacturing performance, quality, customer satisfaction, workforce development, and the continued execution of the company’s operational excellence initiatives.
“Patrick has earned this opportunity through his exceptional leadership, deep technical expertise, and unwavering commitment to quality,” said Greg Halvorson, President and CEO of AdvancedPCB. “Since joining AdvancedPCB, he has helped strengthen our quality organization while partnering closely with our manufacturing teams to improve performance across our facilities. Patrick understands our business, our customers, and our culture, making him the ideal leader to guide the Chandler operation as we continue investing in our people and manufacturing capabilities.”
York’s promotion reflects AdvancedPCB’s commitment to developing strong leaders from within while supporting the company’s continued growth and investment in U.S. PCB manufacturing.
“I am honored to step into this role and appreciate the confidence the leadership team has placed in me,” said York. “Serving as Corporate Director of Quality gave me the opportunity to work alongside talented teams across our organization, helping build systems, solve challenges, and continuously improve the way we operate. Chandler has an outstanding team and a strong foundation, and I look forward to supporting our employees, building on that momentum, and continuing to raise the bar for our customers.”
Before joining AdvancedPCB, York held quality leadership positions with Winonics and Summit Interconnect, where he developed extensive expertise in quality management, reliability, and manufacturing process improvement. His broad operational experience and customer-focused approach will support AdvancedPCB’s continued efforts to deliver high-quality PCB solutions for aerospace, defense, medical, industrial, telecommunications, and other high-reliability applications.
Atlanta – ECIA is pleased to announce that Stephannie Bronson has accepted the position of ECIA Vice President of Industry Practices.
Stephannie began her career in automotive distribution, where she actively supported industry associations for five years, before transitioning into a 15-year journey in logistics and supply chain leadership. Since joining the electronics industry in 2018, she has continued to expand her influence across the electronic components ecosystem.
At KEMET Electronics, she led inside sales and service operations and held global responsibility for certification and compliance, including Sarbanes-Oxley, Automotive, and Aerospace/Military standards. She partnered with Distribution, Direct, and EMS customers to support growth, regulatory compliance, operational integrity, and customer service. Her work with the WE United Mentorship Committee over the past eight years demonstrates her commitment to developing people, cultivating future leaders, and strengthening the electronics industry.
“Through the various leadership roles that she has held in her 20+year career, Stephannie’s experience brings the perfect balance between a strong understanding of the electronic components industry and expertise in logistics, supply chain and compliance in other industries, which will help her propel the GIPC’s impact to the next level.” explained ECIA’s Sr Vice President Victor Meijers. “We are thrilled to welcome her to our expanding staff and look forward to introducing her to the GIPC and our subject matter expert teams and the rest of our members later this month.”
“The work the Global Industry Practices Committee (GIPC) has already accomplished is truly astounding,” Stephannie added. “I look forward to working with the talented ECIA members who donate their time serving on the GIPC. Their collaboration on white papers, research, process efficiencies, and industry best practices, contribute to the goal of a more transparent, resilient electronics supply chain.”
Stephannie holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing and a minor in Communications from Eureka College. She currently resides in Boynton Beach, Florida, with her husband Brian and enjoys traveling in their spare time.
Freudenstadt, Germany -- SCHMID Group has received a repeat order exceeding EUR 37 million from a leading Chinese customer for advanced HDI-ML and mSAP production equipment. The equipment supports the customer’s next capacity expansion for next-generation AI server boards and optical module applications and follows the successful completion of the first phase supplied by SCHMID in 2025.
The project further confirms SCHMID’s strong position as a leading equipment partner for advanced wet process solutions in mSAP, HDI and high-end interconnect manufacturing. AI infrastructure, high-speed networking and optical communication are driving the need for finer structures, higher signal integrity, better yield and reliable high-volume production.
The ordered equipment will be used for the customer’s next capacity expansion in mSAP production. These processes enable finer line/space structures, higher routing density and improved electrical performance — key requirements for advanced AI server boards and optical module platforms used in modern data centers.
SCHMID already supplied key equipment for the first phase of the customer’s capacity expansion last year. Given strong performance, high uptime, stable processes and excellent production reliability with our InfinityLine H+ and InfinityLine V+ platforms, this major Chinese customer has now selected SCHMID again for the next expansion step.
SCHMID continues to benefit from the accelerating investment cycle in AI-related electronics manufacturing. We see strong momentum in advanced substrate, HDI and mSAP applications.
Order intake in the six months ended June 30, 2026 reached EUR 44.3 million, excluding this order (with this order, order intake since January 1, 2026 amounted to EUR 81.7 million).
Following the recent acceleration in order intake, the Company is currently reviewing an upward revision of its guidance on order intake. The Company is finalizing its updated full year 2026 order guidance and outlook and expects to communicate a revised quantitative guidance with its business update for the second quarter of 2026 on or about July 14, 2026.
Executive Statement
“We are pleased that this customer has chosen SCHMID for the next phase of its HDI-ML and mSAP capacity expansion following completion of the first project. This repeat order reflects the performance and reliability of our InfinityLine H+ and InfinityLine V+ lines in demanding, high-volume industrial production environments.
In critical applications such as AI server boards and optical modules, manufacturers cannot compromise on yield, stability, or uptime. Feedback from our customers confirms that our equipment consistently delivers an outstanding production yield of 99% — a crucial advantage when precision is paramount.
The momentum in AI-related electronics manufacturing is rapidly converting into real capacity investments. As customers transition from technology development into industrial-scale production, SCHMID is uniquely positioned to support this growth with proven wet-process solutions for mSAP, HDI, and high-end interconnect applications,” said Roland Rettenmeier, Chief Sales Officer of the SCHMID Group.
MILPITAS, CA -- July 7, 2026 - SEMI and TechSearch International today announced the release of the 2026 edition of the Worldwide Assembly & Test Facility Database, a comprehensive resource tracking semiconductor back-end manufacturing facilities operated by integrated device manufacturers (IDMs) and outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) companies worldwide.
The 2026 edition covers more than 820 facilities, up from 750 in the 2025 edition, and adds new fields that help users analyze not only where facilities are located and what assembly and test services they provide, but also the materials, platforms, technologies and end markets they support.
Based on the new classifications, more than 360 facilities report compound semiconductor capabilities, including sites supporting silicon carbide (SiC), gallium nitride (GaN), gallium arsenide (GaAs) and indium phosphide (InP). More than 170 facilities identify AI and high-performance computing (HPC) among their end-market focus, while more than 70 facilities support photonics and optical applications. The new fields also capture substrate and interposer platforms along with broader technology and module capabilities, providing clearer visibility into how global back-end infrastructure is aligning with emerging demand.
“AI infrastructure, photonics and compound semiconductors are expanding the range of capabilities required across semiconductor assembly and test,” said Clark Tseng, Senior Director of Market Intelligence at SEMI. “The 2026 database gives users a more detailed view of which facilities support these technologies and end markets, helping them assess supply-chain exposure, identify manufacturing partners and track the evolution of global back-end capabilities.”
The 2026 edition includes the following updates and enhancements:
Expanded Global Coverage: More than 820 facilities worldwide, an increase of more than 70 facilities from the 2025 edition. The largest additions to database coverage were in China and Taiwan.
Compound Semiconductor Visibility: New fields identify whether facilities support compound semiconductors and specify material types including SiC, GaN, GaAs and InP.
End-Market Focus: New classifications provide insight into facilities supporting AI/HPC, automotive, mobile and consumer, industrial, networking and telecom, photonics and optical, and other end markets.
Substrate and Interposer Platforms: New data identifies capabilities across laminate substrates, redistribution layers (RDL), ceramic substrates, silicon interposers and leadframes.
Technology and Module Capabilities: Expanded facility-level descriptions provide additional detail on advanced packaging, modules, test services and specialized technology capabilities.
Updated Facility Profiles: The database continues to provide current information on facility status, ownership, location, plant type, assembly and test capabilities, device focus, automotive certification and operating history.
Updated OSAT Market Benchmarks: The 2026 edition includes updated top 10 OSAT capital expenditure and top 20 OSAT revenue rankings.
The database supports semiconductor manufacturers, equipment and materials suppliers, packaging and test providers, investors, government agencies and analysts seeking to map global manufacturing footprints, compare facility-level capabilities, identify potential partners, evaluate regional concentration and monitor facility openings, closures, expansions and ownership changes.
TOKYO -- Asahi Kasei, a diversified global company, constructed a new slitting facility for SUNFORT™ dry film photoresist (DFR) at its manufacturing site in Tainan, Taiwan, on July 3. Commercial operations are scheduled to commence this month.
Asahi Kasei has been slitting SUNFORT™ DFR at its Tainan site since 1997. In recent years, demand for advanced semiconductor packaging has grown significantly, driven by AI and the resulting increase in data processing requirements. Accordingly, DFR used in semiconductor packaging must also meet increasingly stringent standards for both quality and supply reliability. In this context, Taiwan is a strategically important location with a strong concentration of semiconductor packaging-related companies, making it essential to have a supply system capable of supplying products rapidly and reliably in close proximity to customers.
Slitting is the process by which master rolls of film are cut into narrower widths in accordance with individual customer requirements. It is a critical process that directly impacts both product quality and supply reliability.
To respond to growing market demand for DFR, Asahi Kasei’s new slitting facility is equipped with state-of-the-art machines and some of the most rigorous cleanroom standards for improved productivity and dependable supply. The facility represents an investment of approximately ¥2 billion (approximately $12 million or €11 million) and will expand capacity by 40% with the potential to double current output.
SUNFORT™ DFR delivers ultra-high resolution with conventional stepper exposure systems and laser direct imaging (LDI) systems, which transfer circuit patterns onto substrates for packaging. This approach improves performance and precision in semiconductor manufacturing back-end processes.
Asahi Kasei’s investment in SUNFORT™ DFR aligns with the company’s positioning of its Electronics Business as a strategic growth driver. In May 2025, Asahi Kasei also launched SUNFORT™ TA, its newest DFR series tailored for advanced semiconductor packaging used in AI servers.
