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…
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…
Previous articles have introduced the idea of LLC markets, their issues in the current electronic ecosystem, and their importance relative to future mega-trends such as AI/IOT. The fundamental issue is the intense churn of the supply chain generated by the consumer dominated semiconductor marketplace for LLC markets such as aerospace and defense. Interesting economic models…
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,…
Previous articles have discussed a segmentation of the electronics market called Long Life Cycle(LLC) Products. LLC products are those whose useful life is longer than five years. In a subsequent article, the current state of the electronics ecosystem, and the connection of the LLC market to the AI/IOT mega-trends were also discussed. Overall, LLC customers…
The article “Let’s define a new electronics market: Long Lifecycle (LLC) Markets” introduced the existence of a market segment consuming electronics content which needs to be viable over five years. Vertical markets such as aerospace and defense, industrial, and medical are examples of LLC. This requirement conflicts with the traditional consumer market and since the…
In 2019, the worldwide contract manufacturing (CM) services market increased nominally — by 2.5 percent in total revenue — resulting in combined EMS and ODM revenue of over $555 billion, an expansion of $13 billion from the previous year, according to New Venture Research. The Worldwide Electronics Manufacturing Services Market – 2020 Edition reports revenue…
A supply chain practice called design registration has dogged the electronics channel for decades. Distributors support their component suppliers by getting their parts designed in to an OEM end-product. In order to be compensated for that effort, distributors must “register” that design with the supplier. Once the OEM device reaches production, the distributor may receive…
As an electronics sourcing specialist, your goal is undoubtedly to receive the best results from your suppliers. Purchasing electronics and electrical systems brings challenges, but these tips could improve your outcomes. Vet your electronics manufacturing services partners carefully An electronics manufacturing services (EMS) partner handles aspects related to the design, testing and building of electronics…
As augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) technologies come of age, manufacturers are finding ways to adopt these technologies on a variety of fronts, including product development, training, maintenance, repair and worker safety. Flex, a $25 billion electronics design and manufacturing services (EMS) provider, envisions expanding that universe even further. AR/VR is so important to the…