Meiko strengthens Vietnam operations with new PCB plants

Meiko strengthens Vietnam operations with new PCB plants

A major Japanese electronics supplier is stepping up its Vietnam footprint, underscoring the country’s growing role in advanced electronics manufacturing tied to global tech supply chains.

Meiko Electronics plans to invest ¥40 billion ($255 million) to build a printed circuit board (PCB) factory in Vietnam, according to a Nikkei Asia article from January 1. The facility is expected to supply PCBs for Samsung Electronics’ latest smartphones equipped with generative AI features, with final assembly to take place at Samsung’s existing plants in Vietnam.

Construction is slated to begin in April, while mass production is scheduled for 2027. Located in Quang Ninh province, the factory covers a total area of 53,000 square metres, which is on par with another Vietnam factory that Meiko will supply Apple.

The Japanese components supplier aims to generate 30 billion yen (almost $191 million) in sales from the Quang Ninh plant in the 2029 fiscal year.

In 2024, Meiko invested ¥50 billion to build a factory in Hoa Binh to produce circuit boards for Apple iPhones, with mass production expected to begin in the next fiscal year.

The company entered Vietnam in 2006 with its first factory in Thach That district on the outskirts of Hanoi, then one of the country’s top 10 foreign-invested projects. Meiko now operates four manufacturing and assembly facilities nationwide.

According to data by the Foreign Investment Agency, Japanese investors poured $1.56 billion into Vietnam in the first 11 months of 2025, accounting for 9.8 per cent of total inflows. This underscores Japan’s role as a major investor and an important strategic economic partner of Vietnam. Japanese investments largely focus on retail, real estate, and manufacturing and processing.

VIR