Editor’s Note: This is the second of two articles examining the impact of tariffs — positive and negative–on the electronics industry. For political pundits, the United States government’s tariff strategy is about political leverage. For electronics OEMs, however, tariffs are about business. “As a United States patron, I look at it through the lens of…
Component shortages always prompt OEMs and EMS providers to seek alternative sources. Periods of scarcity also exacerbate the flow of counterfeit devices into the electronics supply chain. The extent of this problem remains an unknown as incidents of counterfeits are under-reported. But there are estimates: The counterfeit semiconductor market has reached $75 billion according to Industry…
The advent of processors based the RISC-V Instruction Set Architecture (ISA) is not just exciting for engineers and designers—open source hardware benefits procurement, experts said. “Open source does two things for you: it rationalizes price and motivates adoption and investment,” explained Keith Witek, senior vice president, Corporate Development, Strategy, and General Counsel at SiFive, a…
In a mature market such as electronics distribution, start-ups are rare. Would-be distributors face an abundance of OEM and EMS customers demanding a unique value proposition from their channel partners. Sourceability has spent the last several years investing in a network of global distribution centers Singapore, Hong Kong, and Miami. The company doesn’t call itself an…
Editor’s Note: After perhaps a decade in research labs and drawing boards, 5G is on the verge of deployment. Indeed, early deployments of the technology are coming online now. You can tell because the marketers have sunk their teeth in and started promoting it. With 5G moving out of the lab, the team at Aspencore…
At a recent Cognitive Sourcing Summit, hosted by LevaData, EBN sat down with Kevin Purser, head of global supply chain sourcing & procurement at Fitbit to find out about the company’s supply chain strategy. Purser joined the company in 2015, having worked in senior supply chain positions at several global electronics manufacturers including VeriFone and…
As the talent gap widens between potential hires and open supply chain positions, organizations may be well served to encourage engineers and others in the organization to step into these roles. The good news is that more and more graduate supply chain programs are available for those who want to continue their supply chain education…
Having the right procurement and supply chain talent on board has become a strategic imperative for electronics OEMs and universities are stepping up to the plate. In addition to creating and revamping curriculum, these schools are actively wooing students and helping them find their place in corporate America as chief supply chain officers (CSCOs) and…
Although California’s update to its Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986 — Proposition 65–doesn’t appear to impact electronics, experts warn the supply chain must revise its compliance practices or risk the consequences. “Violations often ensnare everyone in that supply chain, and at that point you bring in the lawyers and the toxicologists, and the costs…
Editor’s note: The most ubiquitous components in any electronics design – interconnects, passives and electromechanical (IP&E) devices – are in the midst of an unprecedented supply shortage. What distinguishes this scarcity from others is the broad base of markets that are desperate for IP&E. OEMs are facing idle production lines while they wait for devices…