Würth Elektronik has warned that the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence infrastructure is putting increasing pressure on the global supply of PCB materials, leading to shortages, longer lead times and rising costs.
According to the company, printed circuit boards used in AI servers typically contain three to five times more layers than conventional designs, significantly increasing demand for high-performance PCB materials.
The growing demand is affecting key materials including copper-clad laminates, copper foils, prepregs, high-performance resins and specialized fiberglass fabrics. Würth Elektronik expects strong demand and supply constraints to continue through at least the end of 2026, while significant relief in the supply of certain fiberglass fabrics may not occur before 2028.
The trend reflects the broader impact of the AI data center boom on the electronics supply chain, as increasingly powerful computing systems require more complex and material-intensive PCB designs.
