This report analyses the structure and trends of the market of the Flexible Printed Circuit in China. It gives full details about the main competitors in research and in manufacturing.

In the shipment of global flexible printed circuit (hereafter FPC), Japan takes the largest share of 28.4%, and South Korea takes 16.5%. Large Japanese manufacturers set up FPC factories make the higher market share of South East Asia. China mainland and Taiwan district occupy less market share of 13.3% and 12.8% because their main products are of low price, while Japanese products are of high price.

Before 2006, the annual increase rate of China FPC industry will be more than 60%, but it will reduce to 15% rapidly after 2006.There are mainly two reasons: 1. From the end of 2003 to 2004, FPC industry experience high-speed growth and inburst of large new investment. Therefore, price war will start at the end of 2005; 2. Market share of domestic mobile phone reduces sharply in 2005, making output value of the whole FPC industry reduce rapidly. But in contrast with whole PCB industry, annual production value of FPC industry is still faster than that of PCB industry.

The clients of FPC industry in China mainland are mainly mobile phone manufacturers, especially those of domestic brands. While clients of Taiwan FPC industry are manufacturers of both domestic and overseas mobile phone brands. Moreover, manufacturers of LCD, LCD TV, Notebook PC, DC, display equipment drive IC, Plasma Display Panel TV, DV etc are also its clients.
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The competition of FPC industry mainly depends on: 1. equipment; 2. experience of personnel especially machine operator; 3. control of upstream raw material; 4. mastery of industry development direction.

Equipment determines technical ability scale and quality control ability. In FPC industry, equipment investment takes the most of total investment. Suzhou Weixunxin Factory plans to invest USD 21 million in equipment, while the largest investment in domestic manufacturers is less than USD 10 million. If manufacturers expect long-term development in FPC industry, equipment investment can not be saved.
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The key of FPC is the control of production techniques. Actually those quite simple techniques in theory are very difficult in operating. Therefore, manufacturers must establish their own personnel training system to fill the vacancy quickly after core technician's leaving.

Raw material cost takes over 60% in FPC cost. Japanese manufacturers who control 80% of PI, key raw material of FPC, have very perfect vertical integration with their manufacture ability of upstream raw material. But manufacturers in China mainland have no upstream resource. The leader position of Japanese manufacturers in FPC industry results from the control of upstream resource.

Another key raw material of FPC is FCCL. Taiwan has the ability of producing the 3L FCCL with low technical level, basically satisfying the demand of Taiwan enterprises. As for 2L FCCL with high technical level, Taiwan Xinyang owns the ability of mass production but with limited capacity. New Nippon Steel Corporation?Cthe top one manufacturer of 2L FCCL, takes market share of more than 80%.

The development trend of FPC industry determines the future of enterprises. There are three development trend of FPC industry:

1. FPC adopting 2L FCCL. Currently, price blocks 2L FCCL to be used widely, resulting from the large demand of 2L FCCL and high gross profit of manufacturers. Once price competition begins, shipment will further enlarge with rapid fall of price. Although many people consider that 3L FCCL will be mainstream, experts still believe market will develop more quickly exceeding our expectation.

2. Rigid-Flex Printed Board. Rigid-Flex Printed Board is popular with South Korea manufacturers due to emergence of slide lid mobile phone and rotary mobile phone. In China, only Yaxin owns large shipment of rigid-flex printed board. While for most of FPC enterprises that have no Rigid Board experience, Rigid-Flex Printed Board is a great challenge.

3. High density FPC. With the coming of 3G, wiring density of mobile phone increases accordingly. The traditional density FPC has not been enough, resulting most 3G mobile phone are straight phone.
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The FPC downstream is the superstar product; therefore FPC is also a superstar industry. The FPC industry definitely has a promising future, and the key point is how to follow the whole level of FPC industry.