Taiwan-based niche-market PCB maker Eiso Enterprise and PCB materials vendor Aurona Industries have been diversifying their target market segments with the efforts bearing fruits, according to industry sources.

In recent years, Eiso has also been deepening developments in bike-use LED lights and electric bikes, and will have a chance to venture the products into Europe. E-bike demand is estimated to top 10 million units in 2024 with a CAGR of 20-30% in the next three years, according to statistics from UBS Evidence Lab.

Eiso chairman JK Chien has said e-bikes have become a second major transportation tool beyond cars for Europeans amid mounting calls for carbon emission reductions, providing a good opportunity for the company to expand presence in Europe. He also noted that revenues from e-bikes and bicycle LED lights will contribute 40% of revenues in 2022, higher than the past two years.

Against a slowdown in PCB shipments for consumer and networking applications, the company has sustained strong sales for IPC and other high-end industrial control applications, which, coupled with copper prices falling from high levels, has helped to boost its profits.

Eiso's net earnings for the first half of the year rose 16.23% on year to NT$59 million (US$1.96 million) though its revenues for the period slipped 2.83% on year to NT$425 million.

Aurona's July revenues rose 2.5% on year to NT$113 million due mainly to its plant in China resuming normal production following full lifting of COVID lockdowns there, as well as increased shipments of new product line melamine boards. Its January-July sales increased 2.1% on year to NT$813 million.

The company's shipments of melamine boards for the building materials market jumped 70% on year in the first half of 2022, and are expected to sustain similar growth momentum in the second half.

Aurona will continue to develop more new product lines to stay on a growth track, and expects PCB demand for new 5G, AIoT, HPC and consumer applications to grow stoking its shipments of PCB consumable materials.

By DIGITIMES