They Can't Make Printed Circuit Boards Anymore . . . Iran War . . . . Naptha Outage
- 2 hours ago
- 3 min read
Source: Hal Turner
The retarded morons who re-started the Iran war have caused yet another catastrophe: The Manufacture of Printed Circuit Boards (PCB) must cease from lack of polyphenylene ether (PPE) resin, needed to make them.
An Iranian strike on Saudi Arabia’s Jubail petrochemical complex in early April 2026 halted production at a facility operated by the Saudi Arabian Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC), which supplies approximately 70% of the global high-purity polyphenylene ether (PPE) resin used in printed circuit board (PCB) laminates.
Polyphenylene ether (PPE) resin, often referred to as polyphenylene oxide (PPO), is used in printed circuit board (PCB) laminates primarily because of its superior electrical performance at high frequencies. While standard materials like FR-4 (epoxy-based) are sufficient for everyday electronics, PPE is essential for advanced technologies like 5G infrastructure, high-speed servers, and automotive radar. PPE can withstand heat, it prevents circuit boards from warping over time, and thereby malfunctioning.This critical supply disruption has caused PCB prices to surge by up to 40% in April alone, according to Goldman Sachs analysts. The shortage, compounded by disrupted Gulf shipping routes and rising copper costs, has forced manufacturers like South Korea’s Daeduck Electronics to raise prices and extend material wait times from three weeks to fifteen.
Reuters reports that SABIC, which operates in the Jubail complex and accounts for approximately 70% of the global high-purity PPE Resin supply, has been unable to resume production and supply since the event.The impact of this strike was almost
immediate, as is the reality of supply chains, and has rapidly flowed down to all industries downstream of the facility, leading to severe shortages of the critical material.This is not the first time the war in Iran has impacted the global electronic supply chain. Earlier this week, the South China Morning Post reported that major Japanese suppliers of photoresist — a key chip-making chemical — had begun informing customers, such as Samsung and SK Hynix, of disruptions in raw-material procurement. The suppliers cited the scarcity of naphtha, a raw material for making the photoresist, stemming from the conflict, as they rely on the Middle East for more than 40% of their supply.
What this means for all of us
THIS IS A BLACK SWANALL ELECTRONICS NEED PCB70% OF ALL PCB RESIN CAME FROM ONE PLANT THAT IS NOW OFFLINE
Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are found in nearly all electronic devices, serving as the foundation for connecting components in products ranging from consumer gadgets to industrial machinery. Common applications include smartphones, laptops, TVs, medical imaging, automotive systems, household appliances, and gaming consoles.
In simpler terms, go look in your kitchen. Do you see your Toaster Oven, regular sliced-bread toaster, Microwave Oven, your cooking stove, Dishwasher, Refrigerator, Coffee Maker? THEY ALL USE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARDS.
Go look in your utility closet. Do you have a central air conditioning air-handler? A hot water heater? THEY ALL USE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARDS. Can't make them anymore, either.
Your TV, stereo, DVD or Blu-Ray player? Can make them anymore, either.
Are you starting to understand the implications of this? None of these things can be manufactured anymore because Printed Circuit Board manufacturing is offline.
Key Product Categories Using PCBs:
Consumer Electronics: Smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, televisions, gaming consoles, and cameras.
Computers & Computing: Laptops, desktop motherboards, graphics cards, and peripheral devices.
Automotive Systems: Engine control units (ECUs), antilock brake systems, and navigation systems.
Medical Equipment: Pacemakers,, medical imaging systems (CT, MRI), infusion pumps, and heart rate monitors.
Industrial Machinery: Power converters, motor controllers, and robotic systems.
Communication & Technology: Routers, switches, and radio communication devices.
Household Items: Microwaves, refrigerators, coffee makers, and, alarm clocks.
There's an upside to this though: The dingbats who re-started the Iran war - can't get more missiles, radar, communications gear because all those war items . . . . USE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARDS which can't be manufactured anymore thanks to the war-makers causing SABIC to be bombed by Iran.
Some of the mental weaklings out there will lay the blame on "Iran Bombing SABIC." But maybe if Israel and the United States weren't BOMBING IRAN, then Iran wouldn't have bombed back! None of this would have happened.
The world was told the US and Israel were going to "Bomb Iran back into the Stone Age." Congratulations to the people who thought that: What they've done to Iran is starting to send us back to the Stone Age.
Government morons.
