U.S. manufacturing activity in December surged to its highest level in more than two years despite supply chain disruptions and Covid-19-related employment constraints. The Institute for Supply Management’s purchasing index, the PMI, reached 60.7 last month, an increase of 3.2 percent from its November reading. Any reading above 50 indicates manufacturing expansion. The tech industry…
The DRAM market exhibits a healthier and more balanced supply/demand relationship compared with the NAND Flash market because of its oligopolistic structure, says TrendForce. The percentage distribution of DRAM supply bits by application currently shows that PC DRAM accounts for 13%, server DRAM 34%, mobile DRAM 40%, graphics DRAM 5%, and consumer DRAM (or specialty…
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…
KMC Systems Inc. isn’t just surviving the Covid-19 pandemic — it’s thriving. The medical equipment it manufactures is, of course, in critical demand. But the proximity of KMC’s suppliers – 90 percent are within 200 miles of the Merrimack, NH, electronics manufacturing services (EMS) provider — enables it to fulfill surging orders. The supply chain’s…
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 Dec. 4, 1980 headline was stark: Business executives killed in hotel fire. Among them were Arrow Electronics Inc. CEO B. Duke Glenn; Roger E. Green, executive vice president; and 11 other members of Arrow’s management team. That night, a flash fire swept through the Stouffer’s Conference Center in Harrison, N.Y. Arrow’s senior management team…
The idea that the electronics industry would close the year on a high note seemed absurd 9 months ago. But like the manufacturing sector writ large, the supply chain has bounced back from the worst of coronavirus pandemic. “In spite of serious concerns about both supply and demand impacts in the early stages of the…
The semiconductor industry has been one of the most resilient markets during this coronavirus-plagued year. Seven top-15 semiconductor suppliers are forecast to show ≥22% growth in 2020 with Nvidia expected to post a huge 50% increase, reports IC Insights. Leading semiconductor supplier Intel, with only 4% growth, managed to maintain its No. 1 ranking. The…
Though the holidays are considered “peak season” for parcel shipping every year, unprecedented increases in e-commerce look to bring a new level of intensity in 2020. According to a recent report from Salesforce, businesses relying on parcel shipping face a likely capacity crunch this holiday season. Covid-19 transformed the holiday landscape Although the Covid-19 pandemic hit retail hard, not all retailers have struggled.…
The current labor shortage is hardly a unique talking point in manufacturing circles. In fact, it’s something of a tired one; not because it doesn’t matter, but because years have gone by without meaningful progress, despite the issue being addressed by industry leaders, politicians, and countless media outlets. Unfortunately, manufacturers might face even leaner times…