Supply suggestions how you would like to approach this - open forum on
line?  Try to find an expert - Nakahara, Nakamura, Weiner, Hickman?

Post your thoughts.

Denny
----- Forwarded by Dennis Fritz/MacDermid/MACDERMID/US on 02/20/04 08:11
PM -----


20 February 2004
The Electronic Times (Korea)

The era of embedded print circuit boards (PCBs) installed with capacitors,
resisters and inductors, three key parts used
for electronic circuits, is around the corner.

Embedded PCBs are used to reduce noise and improve the signal processing
delay in high-tech gadgets such as
communication devices, digital appliances and mobile phones.

Industry sources said leading PCB manufacturers such as LG Electronics,
Samsung Electro-mechanics and Simtech have begun
to roll out small volumes of embedded PCBs after years of research
efforts.

They are, in particular, moving fast toward resister and inductor-embedded
products from the present capacitor-installed
PCBs, aiming to expand the range of their offerings.

LG Electronics opened a production facility for capacitor-embedded PCBs
late last year to roll out small volumes of
PCBs used for high-speed servers.

The company is poised to team up with U.S.-based Sanmina SCI, which
retains a patent on capacity embedding raw
materials, and LG Chemical so as to secure a strong foothold in the
market.

Sanmina SCI recently formed a licensing deal with LG Chemical, and the
chemical company agreed to provide the technology
to LG Electronics. Under the deal, LG Electronics expects to establish a
secure channel for raw material supplies, while
reducing costs significantly.

The company is also toiling on a resister-embedded PCB, hoping to launch
mass production before the end of this year. It
has also set a mid-term plan for inductor-embedded products.

Samsung Electro-mechanics is now working on three types of PCBs installed
with capacitors, resisters and inductors. It
has recently tested a prototype for volume production, and began to ship
small volumes of amorphous film-type
inductor-embedded PCBs used for mobile phone location modules as a part of
its push into the global market.

It also plans to form a partnership with a raw materials maker to cut
costs required to import raw materials.

Simtech is working with the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and
Technology (KAIST) to develop resister and
capacitor-embedded PCBs. The company already tested some of products and
is now pushing for mass production, aiming to
secure a foothold in the market, where demand is expected to exponentially
increase over the next several years.