Who makes high-layer-count PCBs for AI data centers
High-layer-count PCBs (HDI, backdrilled, 20–40 layers)
The bare printed circuit boards themselves — high-density interconnect, backdrilled, 20 to 40 copper layers — that GPU and switch trays are built on.
This is the physical board substrate beneath the baseboards and switch trays (4.03, 4.04): a laminate stack of 20 to 40 signal and power layers, built with HDI microvias and backdrilling to keep high-speed signal integrity across the board. It sits downstream of the laminate and copper-foil suppliers (4.06) and upstream of everything that gets populated onto it. AI boards push layer count and manufacturing precision well past a standard server motherboard because scale-up interconnect, high pin-count sockets and dense power delivery all need more routing layers and tighter tolerances than a general-purpose board. That raises both the capital intensity of the fabrication step and the qualification burden, since a board with dozens of layers has far more opportunities for a manufacturing defect to show up only under load. For investors, this is a capacity-constrained, capital-heavy tier of the supply chain: the fabricators that can reliably hit the highest layer counts at volume are a shorter list than the board designers who spec them, and that gap tends to widen, not narrow, with each new rack generation.
AI delta: AI boards need far more routing layers and tighter fabrication tolerances than a standard server motherboard, because dense scale-up interconnect and high-pin-count sockets have to be routed across the same board.
Companies on this part (15)
| Company | Role | Ownership | Ticker | Price | 1d | Confidence | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&S | manufacturer | public | ATS.VI | 139 EUR | -2.5% | disclosed | · source |
| Compeq | manufacturer | public | 2313.TW | 225 TWD | -6.5% | inferred | |
| Dongshan | manufacturer | public | 002384.SZ | 114 CNY | +0.6% | inferred | |
| Gold Circuit GCE | manufacturer | public | 2368.TW | 1115 TWD | -7.1% | inferred | |
| Ibiden | manufacturer | public | 4062.T | 8512 JPY | -1.0% | inferred | |
| ISU Petasys | manufacturer | public | 007660.KS | 87000 KRW | -3.7% | inferred | |
| Kingboard | manufacturer | public | 0148.HK | 46.30 HKD | +2.9% | inferred | |
| Nan Ya PCB | manufacturer | public | 8046.TW | 1265 TWD | -5.2% | inferred | |
| Shennan | manufacturer | public | 002916.SZ | 283 CNY | -0.5% | inferred | |
| Tripod | manufacturer | public | 3044.TW | 556 TWD | -4.1% | inferred | |
| TTM | manufacturer | public | TTMI | 80.11 USD | +7.6% | inferred | |
| Unimicron | manufacturer | public | 3037.TW | 1085 TWD | -1.4% | inferred | |
| Victory Giant | manufacturer | public | 300476.SZ | 183 CNY | +2.9% | inferred | |
| WUS | manufacturer | public | 002463.SZ | 107 CNY | +0.1% | inferred | |
| Zhen Ding | manufacturer | public | 4958.TW | 567 TWD | -2.1% | inferred |
Who competes here
The same table read the other way: every company above competes for high-layer-count PCBs sockets. Confidence tags matter — an inferred placement is a lead, not a confirmed rivalry.
Seen in real machines
high-layer-count PCBs is named in 1 of the rack teardowns and supercomputer breakdowns on this site. Each line below is a piece of that machine. The companies shown are the ones named on that line, not necessarily the maker of this part.
- Nvidia GB300 NVL72 · rack teardown
Nearby parts
- Previous in layer: Motherboards, CPU trays, switch trays
- Next in layer: Copper-clad laminate & PCB materials
- Layer: Layer 4 — Servers, racks & integration
From the blog
- Part of the day: High-layer-count PCBs 2026-09-21
Latest feed
- [AI Infrastructure Insight] How AI infrastructure will be designed for the future — newsroom:sk-hynix, 2026-10-22Effective real-world AI application requires improvements across faster compute, wider memory bandwidth, higher-performance networking, better storage, and more stable power infrastructure.
- Unimicron warns of double-booking risks as AI PCB capacity race strains supply chains — DigiTimes, 2026-10-22Unimicron warned that the rapid increase in AI demand is straining the PCB supply chain due to equipment constraints, short development cycles, and overlapping capacity bookings.
- PCB material shortages persist as capacity expansion extends beyond 2029 — DigiTimes, 2026-10-21The demand driven by AI and HPC is pushing PCBs towards higher density, causing an ongoing shortage of materials like copper-clad laminates, copper foil, and drill bits.
- Taiwan PCB output set to top NT$1 trillion as VP touts AI opportunity — DigiTimes, 2026-10-21Taiwan's Printed Circuit Board industry anticipates exceeding NT$1 trillion in output in 2026, fueled by increased demand from the AI infrastructure boom.
- DIGITIMES Insights: AI server PCB upgrades drive explosive demand for advanced backdrilling equipment — DigiTimes, 2026-10-21The increasing need for higher data rates in AI servers is driving the upgrade of PCBs with more layers and better materials, creating high demand for advanced backdrilling equipment to maintain signal integrity.
- Zhen Ding Technology showcases AI infrastructure and terminal PCB lineup — DigiTimes, 2026-10-21Zhen Ding Technology displayed its latest advancements in AI server infrastructure and high-speed optical communication PCBs at the TPCA Show 2026.
- Advanced PCB drilling faces growing demand from AI and high-speed applications — DigiTimes, 2026-10-21Topoint Technology is increasing its capacity for advanced PCB drilling services to meet the growing needs of AI, HPC, and high-speed applications, showcasing support for materials like ABF substrates and quartz cloth.
- AI customers seek 3-year partnerships as Unimicron calls for Taiwan PCB supply chain collab — DigiTimes, 2026-10-21The chairman of Unimicron Technology discussed opportunities for the printed circuit board industry in the age of AI at the TPCA Show Taipei 2026.
- Packaging-to-board integration emerges as key gap as AI reshapes electronics supply chain — DigiTimes, 2026-10-21Industry experts noted that close cooperation among packaging, substrate, PCB, and assembly manufacturers is crucial to overcome the technical hurdle of package-to-board integration driven by AI and HPC demands.
- AI server demand lifts Tongtai drilling orders through 2027 — DigiTimes, 2026-10-20Increased demand for AI servers is boosting order visibility for PCB drilling equipment, with the company showcasing high-precision drilling machines.
Questions about high-layer-count PCBs
- What are high-layer-count PCBs?
- The bare printed circuit boards themselves — high-density interconnect, backdrilled, 20 to 40 copper layers — that GPU and switch trays are built on.
- Which companies make high-layer-count PCBs for AI data centers?
- This catalog lists 15 companies on High-layer-count PCBs, 15 of them with listed equity: AT&S, Compeq, Dongshan, Gold Circuit GCE, Ibiden, ISU Petasys, Kingboard, Nan Ya PCB, Shennan, Tripod, and 5 more.
- How does AI change demand for high-layer-count PCBs?
- AI boards need far more routing layers and tighter fabrication tolerances than a standard server motherboard, because dense scale-up interconnect and high-pin-count sockets have to be routed across the same board.
- How reliable are these high-layer-count PCBs supplier placements?
- The 15 placements on this part break down as 1 disclosed, 14 inferred. "disclosed" means the company or a filing says so; "reported" comes from trade press or a reference-design list; "inferred" is a taxonomy lead with no citation yet.
Sources: placements without a source URL come from the taxonomy seed and are tagged accordingly. How this data is built.· Markdown · JSON