Japan Metal Foil Output for CCL Lightens for 3 Consecutive Years

Japanese metal foil production for copper clad laminate (CCL) is estimated to represent volume down for 3 straight years. According to Japan Electronics Packaging & Circuits Association, Japanese makers’ metal foil output planned for CCL total 118,720 tonnes per annum in 2009, lower by 1.2% than 2008. Copper foils are thinning to be applied into smaller and thinner digital appliances. Another background is the demand decline from electric appliances and automobiles along economic downturn.

Copper foil is a conductive material for CCL. Domestic foil production is estimated to decrease by 1.7% to 47,170 tonnes in 2009 from 2008. Domestic production of electrolytic copper foil is estimated to decrease by 2.5% to 34,740 tonnes while rolled copper foil output would slightly decrease to 9,250 tonnes.

On the other hand, thin foil production is increasing. Especially the output of electrolytic copper foil with less than 9 micrometers of thickness is estimated to increase by 6.3% to 1,255 tonnes in 2009 from 2008, which doubles in late 4 years. Production of thin-type rolled copper foil would also increase by 6% in 2009 from 2008.