Increased component prices are inevitable when demand outstrips supply. But the electronics supply chain is being hammered on all sides – from materials to logistics — with rising costs. As one freight expert put it: “In 2020 and 2021, global logistics just can’t seem to catch a break.” For months, the Institute for Supply Management…
The world-shaking event of the coronavirus pandemic has led to an economic downturn in many markets, on top of unpredictable supply and demand shifts. Due to these challenges, industrial supply chain operations are looking to trim the fat. Minimizing expenses in supply chain can be handled in a variety of ways. Currently, new technology solutions…
Editor’s note on Special Project U.S.-China Trade War Damages Done: A permanent trade war with China has already thrust the supply chain in a mad scramble. Procurement costs have increased; partnerships have been severed; and companies have been forced to relocate manufacturing. Still, some companies see the conflict as a path toward differentiation President Trump’s…
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…
The causes, effects and implications of “The Great Component Shortage of 2018” have been thoroughly analyzed. The automotive and IoT industries have been driving unprecedented demand for smaller and more efficient passive electronics, which in turn has stretched lead times for these once- commoditized components to the breaking point. What hasn’t been discussed, however, is the equal…
U.S. trade policies are making headlines as the Trump Administration re-examines international trade agreements and implements tariffs on imported steel and aluminum. Cost increases in raw materials, trade compliance or the transportation of goods disproportionally impact small and midsized businesses, according to research by Freightos, an online freight marketplace. Among companies that import infrequently –…
A large majority — 88 percent – of purchasing managers for small and mid-sized businesses across the U.S. expect their revenue will increase during the next 12 months. However, more than one-third of them identified cyber security as their top concern for the same period. The buying consortium Prime Advantage, which surveyed more than 750…