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AI Business & IndustryDIGITIMES AsiaPublished: Sep 18, 2026, 19:01 JST

Doosan bets KRW968 billion on CCL expansion amid AI demand

Doosan bets KRW968 billion on CCL expansion amid AI demand

3 Key Points

  1. What happened

    Doosan committed KRW968 billion to expand high-end copper-clad laminate (CCL) production in South Korea and China, its largest-ever investment in the business.

  2. Why it matters

    Key CCL production lines are running beyond full utilization as demand for AI accelerators, network switches and optical modules strains capacity, so the expansion is needed to keep supplying those customers.

  3. What to watch

    The payoff hinges on whether AI hardware demand holds up long enough to absorb the new capacity; if it cools, Doosan could be left with underused high-end lines.

WHO IT HITSThis affects procurement and supply-chain teams at AI server, network switch and optical module makers who rely on high-end CCL supply, as well as Doosan's existing CCL customers in South Korea and China facing tight allocations.

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Context & Analysis

Doosan's decision marks its biggest commitment yet to copper-clad laminate production, a business that sits upstream of the AI hardware boom. The company is responding to a concrete strain: its key high-end CCL lines are already running beyond full utilization, according to the article. That pressure comes from demand for AI accelerators, network switches and optical modules, the components that move and process data in modern data centers.

The expansion spans both South Korea and China, giving Doosan a footprint in two major manufacturing regions. By putting KRW968 billion into the effort, Doosan is betting that the current tightness in high-end CCL supply will persist long enough to justify the added capacity. The risk is that the AI hardware cycle cools before the new lines come online, leaving Doosan with underused high-end capacity. The outcome likely hinges on whether AI accelerator and networking demand keeps growing at the pace that has kept these lines at full stretch.

FAQ
How much is Doosan investing?
Doosan is committing KRW968 billion, its largest-ever investment in the copper-clad laminate (CCL) business.
What is driving the expansion?
Demand for AI accelerators, network switches and optical modules has pushed key CCL production lines beyond full utilization, prompting Doosan to add capacity in South Korea and China.
What does CCL mean?
Copper-clad laminate (CCL) is a base material used in printed circuit boards that carry high-speed signals for AI hardware and networking gear.
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