On December 31, Texas Instruments Inc. and Avnet Inc. formally end their 40-year distribution relationship. Avnet’s success in replacing that business – estimated at 10 percent of Avnet’s sales — will be evident in the future, said Phil Gallagher, who was named Avnet’s CEO on November 23. Avnet’s fiscal 2020 sales reached $17.6 billion. TI…
The continued peak in ocean container demand is keeping ports congested, equipment scarce and creating knock on effects on ocean rates — beyond the Asia-U.S .lanes that are generating most of the demand, according to Freightos. Prices from Asia to the Mediterranean – which are normally 37% lower than Asia-U.S. East Coast rates – skyrocketed…
Over the past 20 years, there has been a move toward a more diverse component sourcing model. But, with the logistical challenges that Covid-19 has presented to the global supply chain, what had been a steady drift has become a seismic shift. With an unpredictable global market, purchasers find themselves considering new vendors and markets…
The freight marketplace is experiencing an unusual hitch – a shortage of shipping containers. So far, it hasn’t affected rates. Peak volumes continue to surge, but China-U.S. ocean rates have stayed unchanged for two straight months, according to Freightos, likely due to pressure from Chinese regulators. The sustained sky high prices from strong demand results…
The electronics supply chain faces more challenges than usual, so companies are reassessing all aspects of their business to maintain resilience. Supply chain partners can reduce these difficulties through strategic planning. Here are some of the most pressing challenges, and some remedies. The Covid-19 pandemic As the world grappled with the Covid-19 pandemic, the electronics…
The next president of the United States will be decided in November and the choice will impact the electronics industry and its supply chain. Decisions coming from the White House on topics ranging from tariffs and trade wars to corporate taxation will continue to change the face of U.S. manufacturing. Scoop Communications collected feedback from…
It would be hard to overstate the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on organizations of practically every type. Industries that were prospering until last year are in bankruptcy now. Customer demand for a wide range of consumer goods has abruptly shifted. Countless public institutions and nonprofit organizations which had been viable until the beginning of…
China-U.S. ocean rates went unchanged for a third consecutive week, even as China’s manufacturing came back online. A Golden Week record high level of ocean capacity was kept available over the break, possibly in response to regulator pressure to reduce cancelled sailings, and likely helped keep rates level. Still, ocean rates remained at nearly 200…
Lynn Torrel, Flex’s chief supply chain and procurement officer, was three months on the job when a deadly viral outbreak locked down Wuhan, China. The global electronics manufacturer knew its employees, operations and supply chain faced an unprecedented challenge. “In mid-January we were hearing about the outbreak in Asia, and through talking with our suppliers,…
The phrase you hear a lot from supply chain executives this year is they can’t control the decisions of their suppliers and customers, nor can they constrain a global pandemic. But manufacturing and procurement organizations can mitigate the impact of such events and are focusing on things they can manage. Gartner outlines three trends that…