MADISON, Wis. — Perhaps I'm the only layman in America watching the dueling-budget show right now in Washington. I know I should ignore it. I know that the warring parties will forge no compromise, nor are they even likely to approach a deal — despite the fact that failure will likely slow America's recovery to…
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2012 wasn't the most spectacular year for the semiconductor industry, nor was it the worst. Here's a look at how part of the year evolved for electronics supply and demand. (Source: SiliconExpert Technologies)
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Mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets require powerful and innovative semiconductor chips far superior to those found in typical consumer electronics products. These chips are now in high demand, because smartphones and tablets are in high demand. As such, chip manufacturers need to make more sophisticated chips and deliver them to market extremely fast…
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Just what is going on in the electronics supply chain this year? We're toward the end of quarter one, and the seasonal dropoff seems a little more extreme than usual, according to some sources. And we're hearing mixed messages about the months ahead. Here's what we know so far. As the quarter four numbers get…
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In part 1, I talked about the influence design engineers can exert on procurement and the supply chain. This is often a negative influence that comes without proper education or information. What do I want top designers to know about supply chain design? Leverage Leverage is a critical factor in negotiations. Without it, you take…
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Have you ever been the recipient of a package that looked perfectly fine on the outside, but the contents were seriously damaged? The first question is, “How is this possible?” The second question is, “Did they package up a broken product without realizing it?” And then comes the hapless declaration distancing oneself from any responsibility…
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ENGLEWOOD, COLO.– Arrow Electronics Inc. (NYSE: ARW) announced the opening of a new facility in Sao Paulo, Brazil, that establishes a presence for the company’s value recovery (electronic and IT asset disposition) and reverse logistics businesses. Additionally, Arrow’s existing custom computer system integration operations in Brazil will be expanded and relocated to this facility. “The…
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PHOENIX–Avnet Inc. (NYSE:AVT) announced today that it has agreed to acquire the shares of RTI Holdings Ltd., a value-added distributor of wireless, optical, telecom, data communications, and industrial components in Hong Kong and the People’s Republic of China (PRC). In addition, Avnet will also acquire the shares of three related entities, RTI Technology China Limited,…
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To add clarity to the new conflict minerals requirements, I interviewed Dr. Chris Robertson, Head of Regulatory Compliance at ERA Technology, a UK-based consultancy and a consultant to Compliance & Risks, which provides on-line compliance advice. Dr. Robertson focuses on a wide variety of environmental issues, including RoHS, WEEE, REACH, Conflict Minerals, Eco-design, Sustainability, material…
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What does it mean to be a supply chain leader? A lot, it turns out — a lot that can turn into greater revenue and profitability for companies considered to be ahead of the pack in supply chain innovation. The difference between leaders, followers, and laggards is graphically represented in the infographic. What do you…
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