U.S. electronics companies are feeling the pressure of widespread component shortages, according to the Institute for Supply Management’s latest report. Although the overall U.S. manufacturing index — the PMI — remains robust, supply constraints and extended lead times have caused some computer and electronic companies to delay or even miss sales opportunities. “Supply constraints, extended lead…
U.S.-based supply executives are receiving the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017 favorably. The tax reform, signed into law by President Donald Trump in December, will have a positive impact on U.S. manufacturers’ organizational, strategic and tactical considerations, managers said. The Institute for Supply Management conducted a special survey to gauge members’ familiarity…
The pace of U.S. manufacturing growth cooled off a bit in January although overall, domestic production remains solidly in expansion mode. The Institute for Supply Management’s leading indicator, the PMI, reached 59.1 percent in January – one of the highest numbers since December of 2004. Although the PMI slipped 0.2 percentage points from December, any number…
Two weeks into the new year, Gartner Inc. has doubled its 2018 semiconductor revenue forecast to 7.5 percent, propelling the global chip market to $451 billion. This might only be a preview of what’s in store for the components industry as other devices, such as interconnect, passive and electromechanical components, are “pulled” through the supply…
The pace of U.S. factory activity surged in December, propelling the manufacturing industry to its best year since 2004. The Institute for Supply Management’s leading index, the PMI, grew by 1.5 percent to reach 59.7 percent in December. That brought 2017 to an average PMI of 57.6 percent. “This is the second highest number in…
Component shortages are not just about increased demand. Any number of factors – production capacity, supply chain disruptions, obsolescence and technology migration – can contribute to product scarcity. For 2017 and 2018, supplier merger and acquisition (M&A) activity can be added to the causation list. Semiconductor and tech mergers reached an all-time high in 2016 and formed…
High demand for electronics components is likely to continue through at least the first half of 2018, according to the industry’s largest distributor. Andy King, president of Arrow Electronics Inc.’s global components business, said demand has remained consistent across all geographies and all vertical markets. “It’s not being driven by any one end-market,” King told…
October was a mixed bag for the U.S. manufacturing industry as some sectors benefited from hurricane recovery efforts while others suffered. A shortage in the resin market resulted in price increases, inventory constraints and increased lead times for computer and electronics products, according to one executive. Resin is among many chemicals processed in the Houston…
The semiconductor industry has every reason to be optimistic for the rest of the year. Global semiconductor sales registered their highest-ever quarterly sales increase during Q3 to $107.9 billion; and optoelectronics, sensors, actuators and discretes (OSD) are on track to set record-high annual revenues in 2017. The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) reported global Q3 chip sales…
With some component lead times stretching as far as 30+ weeks, OEMs and EMS providers are booking orders farther out than usual. Although this generally spurs unbridled optimism in the supply chain, some analysts are concerned about the validity of this demand. When component availability gets tight, OEMs and EMS providers have, in the past,…