MOEA: Taiwan's Wire and Cable Industry Output Expected to Reach New Highs in 2025

Output value of the wire and cable industry from 2020 to October 2025 (left); Product output value breakdown from January to October 2025 (right) (Resources: MOEA)

1. Taiwan's Wire and Cable Industry Rebounds Steadily in 2024, with Output Value Reaching a Record High of NT$227.3 Billion

As a critical backbone for energy transmission and information connectivity, the wire and cable industry underpins national infrastructure development and the advancement of smart cities. Taiwan's wire and cable sector is primarily driven by domestic demand. In 2021, supported by the reshoring of Taiwanese manufacturers, robust demand from 5G communications infrastructure, and rising international copper prices, industry output value surpassed the NT$200 billion threshold for the first time, reaching NT$202.4 billion—an annual increase of 50.0%.

Subsequently, amid a global economic slowdown and inventory adjustments by downstream customers, output value declined for two consecutive years in 2022 and 2023. However, with the government's continued promotion of grid resilience programs and renewable energy development, alongside expanding investments in artificial intelligence (AI) and the semiconductor industry, the sector rebounded strongly in 2024. Output value rose significantly to NT$227.3 billion, marking a year-on-year growth of 23.3%. This momentum has continued into 2025, with cumulative output value from January to October reaching NT$197.7 billion, up 4.9% year-on-year.

2. Bare Copper Wire and Power Wires and Cables Serve as the Two Key Drivers of Output Growth

The main product categories within Taiwan's wire and cable industry include bare copper wire, power wires and cables, electronic wire, and telecommunications wires and cables. Among these, bare copper wire and power wires and cables together account for nearly 90% of total industry output value, making them the primary drivers of overall industry growth.

(1) Bare Copper Wire: As a fundamental raw material for wire and cable products, the output value of bare copper wire is highly sensitive to fluctuations in international copper prices. In 2021, supported by the global economic recovery and a surge in copper prices, output value reached NT$107.5 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 59.5%. In 2024, growth in electric vehicles, emerging energy applications, and AI further expanded, lifting domestic output value to NT$109.6 billion, an annual increase of 26.4%. From January to October 2025, international copper prices remained at elevated levels; however, due to a higher comparison base, cumulative output value declined slightly to NT$89.7 billion, down 2.0% year-on-year.

(2) Power Wires and Cables: Power wires and cables serve as the medium of energy transmission and are widely used in infrastructure projects and industrial equipment. In recent years, the sector has benefited from renewable energy policies and reshoring investment by Taiwanese companies. In 2021, output value surpassed the NT$60 billion milestone. By 2024, driven by the accelerated rollout of the power grid resilience program and growing demand for power-related equipment from emerging technologies such as AI and high-performance computing, output value surged to NT$91.6 billion, marking a year-on-year increase of 22.6%. From January to October 2025, cumulative output reached NT$86.8 billion, up 15.7% year-on-year.

(3) Electronic Wire and Telecommunications Wires and Cables: Electronic wire is primarily used for internal and external circuit connections in electronic products, while telecommunications wires and cables are applied in the transmission of voice, data, and video signals. Benefiting from the expansion of AI applications and the continued rollout of 5G networks, output value rebounded to NT$14.0 billion in 2024, representing a year-on-year increase of 18.6% and reversing two consecutive years of contraction. Growth momentum continued into 2025, with cumulative output value reaching NT$12.0 billion from January to October, up 3.5% year-on-year.

3. Industry Outlook for 2025: Continued Growth Expected

The wire and cable industry is a cornerstone of Taiwan's energy transition and digital economy development. Looking ahead, with the government continuing to advance green energy deployment and power grid upgrade policies, alongside sustained demand from emerging technologies such as AI data centers, domestic manufacturers are moving toward higher value-added production. As a result, the industry's total output value is expected to reach new highs in 2025.