Memory Is No Longer a Commodity – The Industry Hasn't Fully Caught Up
The global semiconductor market is on track to hit $1.2 trillion this year, with memory projected to capture 30‑35% of that total. A shift from a fragmented DRAM landscape to an oligopoly dominated by Samsung, SK Hynix, Micron and emerging player CXMT has raised barriers to entry, as a single advanced fab line now costs about $14 billion. The end‑of‑life transition from DDR4 to HBM has saturated OSAT capacity, triggering a cascade of shortages that will likely persist until late 2027. Memory is splitting into specialty (16 Gb) segments, forcing companies to treat it as a strategic supply item rather than a commodity.
Europe Is Building a System without a Physical Foundation
Europe is pouring billions into AI, semiconductors and data centres, yet its hardware backbone—advanced printed‑circuit‑board (PCB) manufacturing—remains largely offshore. Vytautas Ilgūnas, chief commercial officer of TLT PCB, warns that without a domestic PCB supply chain, the region’s technological sovereignty is incomplete....
Digitalisation Increases Risk. Companies Are Not Ready
The rapid digitalisation of manufacturing, amplified by AI, is turning production lines into cyber‑dependent systems, raising the stakes of cyber incidents beyond IT outages. Companies across the electronics sector remain largely unprepared, with human error still the leading breach vector...
Evertiq Expo Kraków 2026: From Design Decisions to Market Tensions
The Evertiq Expo Kraków 2026 will convene on May 7 to examine how design decisions cascade into production challenges and market volatility for high‑performance electronics. Sessions cover material selection, system architecture, signal integrity, UAV defence, high‑mix automation, component shortages, semiconductor capacity and...
Omdia Lifts 2026 Semiconductor Outlook as AI-Driven Memory Constraints Intensify
Omdia has lifted its 2026 semiconductor revenue outlook to a 62.7% increase, driven by surging AI‑related demand and persistent memory shortages. The firm expects DRAM revenue to nearly double and NAND to grow to almost four times its 2025 level,...
Only One European Company in Global EMS Top 30
The latest in4ma and EMSNOW ranking shows that only one European firm, Germany’s Zollner Elektronik, made the global EMS/ODM Top 30, while Asian companies dominate more than half of the list. The Top 100 providers generate about $820 billion, representing 84% of the...
Why EMC Cannot Be the “Final Step”. Design Risks in Defence Electronics
Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) is still often treated as a final‑stage verification in defence electronics, a practice that leads to redesigns, schedule overruns, and performance risks. Experts argue that EMC analysis should be embedded from concept through production, especially as high‑speed...
From Selective Soldering to Inspection: How THT Processes Are Evolving
Through‑hole technology (THT) remains a staple in electronics manufacturing, but its processes are shifting from manual soldering toward selective soldering and automated inspection. Selective soldering offers repeatable, faster joints, especially when multiple pins are close together, while wave soldering still...
First Evertiq Expo Zurich Just Around the Corner – Industry Experts to Take the Stage
The inaugural Evertiq Expo Zurich will convene leading experts to discuss the intersecting forces shaping electronics, from advanced laser depaneling and fine‑line PCB fabrication to supply‑chain resilience and AI‑driven design. Sessions highlight how laser precision, sub‑10 µm PCB lines, and component...
How Chips Competence Centres Could Change Semiconductor Hiring in Europe
The European Chips Act has spurred the creation of 27 national Chips Competence Centres, forming the aCCCess network that links SMEs and startups to design platforms, pilot lines, and training programmes. These hubs provide shared tools and expertise, allowing early‑stage...
UAV Defence Moves Beyond Standalone Systems
UAVs are no longer just kinetic weapons; they now disrupt energy, communications and logistics, forcing a rethink of defence. Ukrainian firm Kvertus, whose SIGINT and electronic‑warfare tools are fielded by the Defence Forces, argues that standalone counter‑UAV kits are obsolete....
Modular Robotics – Key to Flexibility in High-Mix Manufacturing
At Evertiq Expo Tampere 2026, Piotr Owczarek of Fitech and AIRob highlighted modular robotics as a solution for high‑mix, low‑volume (HMLV) electronics manufacturing. He explained that flexible, plug‑and‑play robot cells can adapt to frequent product changes without the rigidity of...
Europe at a Turning Point for PCB Base Materials
Europe’s PCB base‑material market has narrowed to a single supplier, Isola GmbH, and one copper‑foil producer, CircuitFoil, after the loss of woven electronic‑glass manufacturers. OEMs in space, aerospace and defence are now prioritising supply‑chain security and reliability over cost, shifting...
Memory Market Rebounds, but AI Demand Reshapes Recovery
The 2026 memory market is rebounding, but the recovery is being reshaped by AI‑driven demand. TrendForce projects DRAM contract prices to climb 58‑63% QoQ and NAND Flash to surge 70‑75% QoQ in Q2. AI and data‑center expansion are pushing suppliers...