One of the growing issues for industrial companies, whether manufacturers or not, is navigating the complex, rapidly fluctuating, global electronics supply chain. As the gamut of products across multiple industrial market sectors increasingly carry more electronic components in their Bills of Materials (BoMs), the demand for turnkey services from experienced partners in the semiconductor and…
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It gets a lot of supply chain professionals riled up: FedEx and UPS. That is, the duopoly, at least in North America, of the two dominant shippers. The electronics supply chain leans mostly on parcel ground shipping for its parts, and so price increases or capacity issues with the Big Two cause widespread ripples. Just…
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A little more than a year from now is the deadline to conform with rules set out by the SEC on conflict materials reporting. One in three of you reading this article right now hasn't even begun the process. That's the takeaway from a recent IHS webinar on the topic titled “The Clock's Ticking: How…
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Dear Ruth, I liked your article about “leaning in,” but I need some advice to help improve employee morale. The people I supervise are working extraordinarily long hours. They are hard-working, honest, but unhappy. For me, as their manager and leader, what advice can you offer? We don’t have extra money for a “fun day”…
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Which region promises the greatest expansion? IBM thinks the answer is Africa. It’s not alone among tech companies that are seeking new markets and trainable talent on that continent. While growth tapers off in many more developed regions, Africa offers great potential, particularly as its workforce gains access to education and technology for communication. IBM…
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MADISON, Wis. — I’m a political aficionado. I follow the vicissitudes and intricacies of politics like baseball fans follow the results, standings, and stats of the Major Leagues. Like any true fan, I linger addictively over the “inside baseball” aspect of politics — the clash of ideologies, unlikely alliances among apparent opponents, the demographics of…
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Connector manufacturers don’t anticipate any issues this year that could affect supply. However, they are reporting a pick up in demand, particularly after the Chinese New Year in February. Because they predict a slow-growth scenario throughout the year, the uptick shouldn’t have a major impact on lead times. “We are seeing demand pick up this…
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Lead times for inductors generally range between eight to 10 weeks, which is up slightly at the low end from six months ago, when deliveries averaged about four to 10 weeks. Despite the slight increase in deliveries, inductor suppliers say they don’t anticipate any supply issues in 2013. Pricing also is expected to remain stable…
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Buyers can expect stable lead times and pricing for tactile switches in the first half of 2013. Pricing of raw materials is not an issue, say tact switch manufacturers, although they will continue to closely monitor materials costs throughout the year. “Pricing has been fairly steady over the last seven or eight quarters and sales…
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The arc of most companies is that they start small and grow, and at some point their supply chain lengthens and gets complex. Often this has to happen almost overnight. That's a daunting thought… until you consider the American Civil War. When southern batteries fired on Ft. Sumter in South Carolina 152 years ago this…
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