Design Concerns Shift Toward Component Sourcing
As electronic components remain scarce, the pressure to get a design right the first time increases
Component Sales Forecast: Stable as She Goes
Several research firms describe the electronics market environment as “stable” entering the all-important calendar Q4. Lead times, for example, have leveled out, according to LevaData and the ECIA, and demand shows no sign of abating. However, logistics experts continue to point to seemingly endless backups at international seaports and retailers are bracing for holiday shipping…
Europe’s Manufacturing Renaissance, Part 2
Editor’s note: Europe’s manufacturing industry – as in other regions – was hard hit by the Covid-19 pandemic. As of July, the IPC trade association said Europe would return to pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2021. “Our expectations for growth in Europe have increased over the last month,” IPC reported. “We now expect GDP…
Executives Increase Supply Chain Risk Concerns
Executives remain optimistic about the global economy at the close of Q2, but not every region is benefiting equally from Covid-19 vaccination rates and re-opened businesses. IPC has raised its outlook for the United States, Europe, Mexico, Australia and Taiwan but notes Japan, India, Indonesia and Turkey continue to struggle. A recent McKinsey survey likewise…
Electronics Industry Welcomes Supply Chain Review
Unsurprisingly, the electronics industry is reacting favorably to President Biden’s executive order to review critical U.S. supply chains. The Covid-19 pandemic exposed the United States’ dependence on foreign supplies including semiconductors and materials used in PPE, medical tests and pharmaceuticals. Reliance on foreign sources is not a new issue in electronics but tariffs, the China-U.S.…
Component-Sourcing Diversity in the Post-Pandemic World
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…
EMS Execs Weigh in on the U.S. Election & Supply Chain
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…
Electronics End Markets are Rebounding: Will it Last?
The global coronavirus has upended many of the metrics used to forecast supply, demand, economic activity and financial stability. Two electronics associations – the IPC and ECIA – report electronics markets are recovering, but forward momentum is decelerating. “The economy improved over the last month, but it is clear that momentum is slowing and future…
Industry Responds Favorably to New Trade Deals
U.S. government approval of two trade deals this week has drawn favorable response from the electronics industry. Trade organizations applaud the USMCA agreement and characterize a “phase one” deal with China as a good first step. Here’s what the IPC said: “The electronics manufacturing industry welcomes the U.S.-China “phase one” trade deal being signed in…
North American PCB Industry Growth Continues Strong
IPC — Association Connecting Electronics Industries® announced today the November 2019 findings from its North American Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Statistical Program. Sales and orders in November were strong and continued to outpace last year. The book-to-bill ratio stands at 1.08. Total North American PCB shipments in November 2019 were up 17.2 percent compared to the…