Printed circuit board (PCB) prices have climbed by 40% since March, as the Iran war has disrupted the global supply of raw materials needed to manufacture PCBs used in a range of electronic devices.

According to Reuters, Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) accounts for roughly 70% of the world's supply of high purity polyphenylene ether (PPE) resin, a base material for PCB laminates, which are essential parts for smartphones, computers and AI servers. Following an Iranian strike against a petrochemical complex in Saudi Arabia in early April, SABIC's production levels have remained severely limited, with few signs of recovery as the war continues.

Speaking to Reuters, a senior executive with South Korean PCB maker Daeduck Electronics said that the company has already started having conversations with customers regarding price increases. The executive also noted that much of the company's focus has turned to meeting with suppliers, with wait times for chemical materials like resin having grown from three weeks to 15.

PCB prices have been impacted by shortages of other materials as well, such as glass fiber and copper foil. But while the Iran conflict has directly affected petrochemical inputs like resin, supply pressures for glass fiber and copper foil appear to reflect existing capacity constraints combined with rising energy and metals costs that have been intensified by the war.