Circuit Board Tides

Circuit Board Tide

Three young people from the countryside, hailing from the Sui River Plain in northern Jiangsu and the water towns of Xundu in northern Jiangxi, head for Shenzhen as the turn of the century brings a surging tide of opportunity. The brothers Ding Hong and Ding Hongsheng put down roots in PCB manufacturing workshops, founding Xinzong Workshop to specialize in high-volume circuit board production. Jiang Yuantao understands the industry's pain points and establishes Chuanglian Circuits, targeting the engineer prototype market overlooked by the major manufacturers.

At first, the three go their separate ways. As the industry expands, they increasingly come into direct competition. Price wars, technology theft, capital-driven manipulation, and efforts by rivals to shut them out follow one after another. After a long struggle, they put aside their differences and drive industry consolidation, connecting every link in the supply chain, from prototype fabrication and mass production to component supply and circuit design software.

Beyond the business battles, their hometowns remain anchors in their hearts. As they travel back and forth between city and countryside year after year, they face the ties of village life and the gulf between two generations' beliefs, continually looking back toward the fields where they were born and raised even as their wealth and businesses grow. Through drawn-out merger battles, environmental controversies, and the many trials of an IPO, these grassroots entrepreneurs compete with and support one another amid the manufacturing boom. In the end, they seek out the original purpose behind their work, witnessing sparks fly without end as the land endures.