Fresh PCB Concepts: Designing PCBs for Harsh Environments—Reliability Is Engineered Upstream
Elementary, Mr. Watson DFX—Basically a Basket of Crabs With Spreadsheets
Target Condition: When Design Outpaces Manufacturing
Elephantech Secures Mitsubishi Electric Investment to Boost SustainaCircuits Globally
March 12, 2026 | ElephantechEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
Elephantech Inc. announced a strategic partnership with Mitsubishi Electric Corporation. As part of the agreement, Mitsubishi Electric will invest JPY 4 billion in Elephantech’s Series F financing. The partnership will accelerate the global adoption of SustainaCircuits, Elephantech’s proprietary sustainable printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing solution, establishing it as an industry standard.
Great Synergy for Industry-Scale Deployment
Leveraging its strength in advanced nanomaterials and inkjet technologies, Elephantech has pioneered SustainaCircuits, a low environmental impact PCB manufacturing solution that significantly reduces copper consumption, process complexity, and production costs compared with conventional alternatives. The company is actively advancing industrial implementation of SustainaCircuits to drive broader market adoption.
In particular, the solution strategically targets general-purpose multilayer PCBs, which account for a substantial share of the approximately JPY 10 trillion global PCB market. In 2024, Elephantech successfully developed inkjet printing equipment and advanced materials (copper nanoink and primer) designed for this segment. Since then, the company has focused on validation and integration activities to introduce the technology into mass production lines at PCB manufacturers’ facilities.
Mitsubishi Electric brings extensive expertise in its Factory Automation Systems business, offering a comprehensive portfolio of products to PCB manufacturers. Recognized for high performance and reliability, the company has maintained a strong global presence across the PCB industry.
The partnership combines Elephantech’s technological advantages with Mitsubishi Electric’s capabilities in industrial equipment development, manufacturing excellence and global customer network. Together, the two companies aim to strengthen mass production capacity and expand sales of SustainaCircuits inkjet equipment now gaining traction among PCB manufacturers, further accelerating the widespread deployment of SustainaCircuits.
Executive Comments
Takayuki Tsuzuki, Executive Officer and Group President, Factory Automation Systems at Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, said: “Elephantech’s new manufacturing method is an extremely effective solution that meets the growing need to both lower manufacturing costs and reduce the environmental impact of PCB production. We are confident that combining our longstanding expertise in FA development, manufacturing and sales with Elephantech’s innovative technology will create ideal synergy and deliver added value to our customers.”
Shinya Shimizu, CEO of Elephantech stated: “Driven by our commitment to revolutionize the PCB industry through nanomaterials innovation, we have come to a stage where stable equipment production, smooth delivery to the market and reliable operation at customer sites are the top priorities. Our partnership with Mitsubishi Electric, a leading manufacturing equipment supplier in the PCB industry, provides strong momentum for us to accelerate the global deployment of SustainaCircuits.”
Share on:
Testimonial
"Advertising in PCB007 Magazine has been a great way to showcase our bare board testers to the right audience. The I-Connect007 team makes the process smooth and professional. We’re proud to be featured in such a trusted publication."
Klaus Koziol - atgSuggested Items
Advanced Materials Roundtable
04/23/2026 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamDriven largely by the need for advanced chip technology for super compute ability and AI applications, low Dk, low-loss resin systems, and heavy copper laminate are attracting significant attention and global resources. There are numerous unavoidable challenges in this market that will impact manufacturers and the supply chain, and they may be hitting critical mass sooner than OEMs and fabricators think. In this roundtable discussion, moderator Marcy LaRont speaks with topic experts: Mark Goodwin, John Fix, and Ed Kelly.
PCB Technologies to Exhibit at PCB East 2026
04/23/2026 | PCB Technologies Ltd.Issey Ende, PCB-Technolgies’ VP of Sales and Marketinghas announced that his company will be exhibiting at this year’s PCB East 2026, the premier East Coast conference and exhibition for the electronics design, fabrication, and assembly industry on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, at the DCU Convention Center in Worcester, Massachusetts.
GreenSource Fabrication to Exhibit at PCB East 2026
04/23/2026 | GreenSource FabricationGreenSource Fabrication, the N. American industry’s most advanced, state-of-the-art printed circuit board manufacturer, today announced that it will be exhibiting at PCB East 2026, on Wednesday April 29,2026 at the DCU Convention Center 50 Foster Street in Worcester, MA.
Fineline Global to Exhibit at PCB East 2026, Showcasing Global PCB Solutions for North American Market
04/23/2026 | Fineline GlobalFineline Global, a leading global provider of advanced printed circuit board (PCB) solutions, today announced that it will be exhibiting at PCB East 2026 on Wednesday, April 29 at the DCU Convention Center in Worcester, Massachusetts.
ICAPE Expands in Southern Europe with TEKUBE PCB Acquisition in Italy
04/23/2026 | BUSINESS WIREThe ICAPE Group, a global technology distributor of printed circuit boards (PCBs) and custom electronic parts, announces the signing and the closing of an agreement for the acquisition of the PCB trading activities of TEKUBE SRL.