Doosan Corp. said Thursday it will invest 970 billion won ($701.66 million) to expand production capacity for high-end copper-clad laminate, as surging investment in artificial intelligence data centers drive demand for advanced electronic material.
The investment, the largest ever made by Doosan in its CCL business, will be split between South Korea and China and carried out in phases through 2028, the company said in a regulatory filing.
The company plans to invest 420 billion won to expand production lines in South Korea for CCLs used in optical modules. It will spend another 550 billion won to build a new plant in China for CCLs used in AI accelerators and network switches.
The new production lines are scheduled to begin operations in the second half of 2028.
CCL, a key material in printed circuit board, is a fundamental component that enables electronic signal transmission in devices. It is widely used in AI accelerators, network switches, optical modules and other equipment found in AI data centers.
The company said it chose the location based on the characteristics of each product and the urgency of customer demand. The company will manufacture CCLs for optical modules in South Korea, where it can tap specialized personnel while maintaining tighter control over quality and core technologies.
Meanwhile, China offers proximity to global printed circuit board manufacturers, allowing Doosan to respond more quickly to customers and build additional production capacity in line with rapidly shifting demand, the company explained.
The investment decision comes as demand for advanced CCLs has been rising rapidly as global technology companies pour billions of dollars into expanding AI data centers and computing infrastructure.
Doosan said its existing production lines in South Korea are already operating at more than full capacity.
The company has been expanding its global manufacturing footprint in response to surge in demand. In April, Doosan announced plans to build a new CCL manufacturing facility in Thailand
Doosan expects the additional capacity will help secure a more stable supply of high-end CCLs as AI infrastructure spending continues to grow.
“As the AI data center market expands and customer orders grow in scale, we are making proactive investment to ensure timely supply, strengthen customer trust and accelerate our mid-to long-term growth,” said Yoo Seung-woo, president of Doosan Corp.
sahn@heraldcorp.com
