Iteq sees AI data center demand lift M7+ CCL shipments

Iteq, a copper clad laminate (CCL) manufacturer, reported that the deepening of generative AI applications, accelerated cloud computing and data center expansion, along with steady demand growth, are ... Read original →

Iteq’s rising M7+ shipments reflect not just AI data center demand, but the escalating material constraints imposed by 3nm nodes and advanced packaging. EUV-driven chip density forces PCB substrates toward ultra-low Dk/Df—making high-frequency CCL like M7+ a critical bottleneck for HBM-AI interconnects. Geopolitically, U.S. export controls on advanced computing compel Taiwan, China-based suppliers to localize qualification, inflating supply chain costs by 15–20%. Competitively, Panasonic and Doosan are already qualifying M8-grade laminates for NVIDIA’s GB200 NVL72; if Iteq fails to commercialize modified epoxy systems with Tg >200°C by 2027, it risks exclusion from next-gen OSAT ecosystems. Over the next 18 months, while capital shifts toward liquid cooling and silicon photonics, CCL remains the physical foundation—its dielectric performance will dictate who wins in CoWoS-R and FOPLP packaging. In hard tech, materials lead; everything else follows.