The nation’s leading manufacturing index surged to a 14-month high in June, rebounding by 9.5 percent into expansion territory. The Institute for Supply Management’s PMI reached 52.6 percent last month from a level of 31.8 percent in May. “As predicted, the growth cycle has returned after three straight months of Covid-19 disruptions,” said Tim Fiore,…
Earlier this month, Renesas Electronics Corp. consolidated its distribution channel in Asia-Pacific, China and Taiwan. The semiconductor company terminated its relationship with global distributor WPI Group and added regional distributor WT Microelectronics. The move is notable as late last year World Peace Group (WPG), WPI’s parent, made a controversial bid to acquire a 30 percent…
A supply chain practice called design registration has dogged the electronics channel for decades. Distributors support their component suppliers by getting their parts designed in to an OEM end-product. In order to be compensated for that effort, distributors must “register” that design with the supplier. Once the OEM device reaches production, the distributor may receive…
Three electronics brands — Apple, FitBit and Tile—are among companies that plan to move some or all of their production out of China, according to Coresight Research. The trend isn’t new, but a recent survey found consumers are souring on Chinese-made goods. Among U.S. shoppers, 47.8 percent said American retailers should source fewer products from…
Kemet Corp., on June 15, announced the completion of its $1.6 billion acquisition by Taiwan’s Yageo Corp. In accordance with the terms of the agreement, Yageo has acquired all of the outstanding shares of Kemet’s common stock for US $27.20 per share in an all-cash transaction. As a result of the deal, Kemet is now…
The onset of the coronavirus epidemic has accelerated the supply chain digital transformation that has languished on businesses’ “to-do” list for years. Covid-19 has exposed barriers to collaboration that most companies tolerate under normal circumstances. It’s fair to say the electronics supply chain currently aspires to “normal.” Even before Covid-19 hit, 92 percent of companies…
The Asia-Pacific region — now an epicenter of electronics — is at widely varying points on its journey through the COVID-19 pandemic. China is broadly beginning to restart its operations amid recovering domestic demand, while other geographies, such as Southeast Asia, Japan, and South Korea, are still tackling cases and under a range of control…
Digi-Key Electronics, a global electronic components distributor, announced that it has expanded its product portfolio by signing a U.S. distribution partnership with Amphenol Procom, providing Digi-Key customers with an extensive offering of antenna, RF combiner, and RF filter products. This partnership further rounds out Digi-Key’s offering of the entire Amphenol product line. This expansion is…
Two years ago, the U.S. and China began a tariff war that changed the face of international trade. Tech companies in particular deal with a series of rules and regulations that lack consistency across the globe. Electronics distributors handle many of the components, services and IT equipment that pass through the international supply chain. The…
U.S. manufacturing activity improved in May after falling to its lowest level in 11 years. The Institute for Supply Management’s factory index, the PMI, increased 1.6 percent in May to 43.1 from a 41.5 reading the prior month. The industry is still in contraction – any number below 50 indicates activity is shrinking – but…