Many PCB providers in China<br>still not RoHS compliant

Thirty-four percent of flexible printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturers in Greater China have not yet started to produce RoHS compliant flexible PCBs. According to the report it is mainly the smaller manufacturers that are struggling with these transitional problems as they come with a lot of investment costs. "Most Greater China manufacturers have updated facilities to phase out lead soldering materials," said Mark A. Saunderson, publisher of the report. "However, many smaller manufacturers are finding the necessary equipment upgrades to be cost-prohibitive", he added. Despite rising raw material costs and the cost of RoHS compliance, Greater China manufacturers are expected to increase production by 15 percent annually through 2008. The manufacturers will absorb the RoHS compliance costs in order to be competitive. "This is nearly double the expected 8 percent annual growth rate for PCB makers worldwide," said Saunderson. "Strong demand is being driven by Asia's booming consumer electronics sector, with flexible PCBs used in products ranging from LCD TVs and digital cameras to cellular phones and other consumer electronics", he added.